Why would anyone drive a Pickup Truck? Why NOT? Nothing says power like being behind the wheel of a pickup truck. Nothing says tough guy, like cruising in a four-wheel drive pickup truck! The absolute utility of being able to haul stuff and people at the same time is a game changer.
We took a week in the 2018 Ford F-150, America’s best-selling pickup. Get scruffy or all dolled up this Pickup is ready to roll for all occasions.
The F-150 Lariat, a mid-line trim level pickup is not the basic work truck, nor is it the high-horsepower sport monster that is the Ford Raptor. The four-door Super Crew Cab provides plenty of room for five full-size adults, with bucket seats in the front and seating for three in the rear with 60/40 fold-up second-row seats provide seating and or cargo space in the rear of the cabin.
Inside the cab
Interior space is more than you might expect, from the storage bin in the center console between the front seats big enough to stow a lunch box or laptop. Door-mounted map pockets or fold up one side of the rear seat to use the area underneath to hide things away. The 10-way power heated and cooled leather-trimmed driver and passenger seats are wide enough for the burliest of guys and soft enough to cuddle the gals. Adjustable pedals with memory help the driver no matter how long their legs might be.
Nothing about the interior of the F150 says spartan work truck. With soft touch plastics surrounding the cabin, a plush carpet and leather trim give the truck a luxury feel. Easy to read gauges, both digital and analog with switches and controls at easy reach make piloting this rig a piece of pie. It is the little things like a heated leather steering wheel and heated and cooled seats, both welcome when the weather turns.
Onboard Tech – We really liked
Everyone wants tech what they drive today. The 8-inch center stack touch screen provides access to the Sync Connect system which integrates easily whatever mobile device you bring on board. Our test truck was equipped with the $1395 Technology Package, which included the 360-degree camera with a split-view display showing all around the truck. Video resolution is clear. This linked into Ford’s Active Park Assist, which self-parks this big truck an inch or two from the curb. As well as Ford’s Lane-Keeping System, letting you know if you were straying from the lane you are driving in.
An all-new Bang & Oleson PLAY™ Premium Audio System by HARMAN is available. SYNC® Connect. B&O long a leader in sound systems backed by Harman’s engineering for automotive premium audio systems provides a concert hall experience in a pickup truck. Thes voice-activated system lets you talk instead of fiddle with knobs.
Automotive security systems are nothing new, Ford’s perimeter security system an advanced security package impressed us. Not only if someone tried to open the doors but once armed the truck as a whole was secure, even with windows open, so if someone were to reach in and grab, the truck responded.
Remote Start from the key fob has always seemed to be just a gimmick, but it is helpful when you want the heat or air conditioning on when you get into the truck.
Today we bring with us more than just our cell phone. So having power outlets including a 110/400w outlet powered by an inverter are great to have inside the truck.
Lighting both inside and out
Fog lamps and Side mirror mounted spotlights illuminate what you may want to see on or beside the road. While ambient lighting inside the truck provides a warm glow when you want. LED cargo lighting in the bed of the pickup is a big help when loading cargo in the dark.
In all this F-150 4X4 provides all the towing and hauling capacity you could want. One of the options was trailer sway control along with ClassIV hitch and smart trailer tow connector dynamic hitch assist.
Think of how you will use a pickup, which helps you choose a bed length. Ford offers 5.5, 6.5, and 8 feet on the F-150. Ours was the shorter of the three with 52.8 cubic feet of cargo space. 8-foot bed – when you need to bring home those roses from the garden store. Having the spray in bed liner (as opposed to a drop in liner) is a nice and clean addition that protects the bed’s paint.
You know you want a Pickup Truck
There are a number of trim levels you can choose in an F150: XL, XLT, Lariat, King Ranch,® Platinum, Limited, and the muscle truck, Raptor. Our Lariat test truck was equipped with enough luxury and eco-boost power for every day or long hall driving.
Show Me The Money
F150 Prices start at $27,705 and go on from there. Our truck stickered out at just around $50K. With a variety of incentives from Ford and groups you may belong to, such as Costco or a buying service connected to an association, insuarnce company or financial institution, you can get a great deal on a heck of a pickup truck.
