The Ford F-150 Limited Offers the Ideal Mix of Luxury and Utility

With a four-decade-long run as the segment’s top dog, few brands know pickup trucks as well as Ford. The brand is the undisputed leader in the pickup category, but what is Ford’s top-of-the-line truck? Ford has become synonymous with pickup performance over the years, with the F-Series serving as the gold standard against which all other trucks are measured. It’s tough to pin down the allure of the popular model, but the numbers speak for themselves: not only is it the most popular pickup by a wide margin, selling more than 726,000 units last year alone, but it’s also the most popular vehicle of any kind and has been for almost 40 years. With sales figures like that, it’s no surprise that you might have searched for a “Ford truck dealer near me.”

The F-150’s success has led Ford to introduce a wide range of trims for the best-selling model, from capable entry-level work trucks to the high-end trims with all the bells and whistles. The myriad options can be a little overwhelming for the uninitiated but for drivers seeking the ultimate in both luxury and performance, look no further than the Ford F-150 Limited. While the base-level F-150 is generously equipped with everything a pickup owner could ask for, the Limited trim takes it all to the next level. Ford has taken everything drivers have come to love about the F-150 and kicked it up a notch: more power, more high-end tech features, and those small, luxurious touches that make all the difference.

Putting Utility at the Forefront

Trucks have come a long way from their workhorse roots. While pickups were once measured solely on horsepower, towing, and cargo capacity, some models have since evolved to include just as many driver-friendly creature features as some top luxury vehicles. Many of these are the boilerplate luxury features one expects to find in a vehicle retailing for over $70,000: LED headlights, moonroof, heated steering wheel, wireless charging pad, etc. What truly sets the F-150 Limited apart are those features that increase the pickup’s utility as a work truck. That’s not to say we don’t appreciate the F-150 Limited’s well-appointed interior or refined styling, but it’s encouraging to see that Ford still puts an emphasis on the pickup’s capability even on its highest-end trims.

The F-150 Limited is loaded with all sorts of logical luxuries, from a power tailgate with a built-in work surface to LED box lighting, fully reclining sleeper seats, onboard generator (more on that later), smart hitch, and even onboard scales. Let’s examine these features a little closer to see how the F-150 Limited manages to be not only Ford’s most luxurious pickup but its most capable as well.

We’ll start with the newest and most novel of the F-150 Limited’s utility features, the onboard scales. With a best-in-class payload capacity of 3,325 lbs, the F-150 is a more-than-capable hauler, but even it has its limits. This can be an issue when it comes time to load the bed with ATVs, building materials, or any other sufficiently weighty item, as it’s often difficult to tell just how much weight you’ve got in the back. The F-150 solves this using the rather ingenious method of turning the bed itself into a scale. Even better, the built-in scales can be read in three different ways: through the dashboard infotainment system, the FordPass smartphone app, or the taillights themselves.

The pickup’s smart taillights feature a built-in row of vertical LEDs divided into four bars representing payload capacity. The four bars steadily fill up as the bed is loaded, and if the pickup is overloaded, the top bar will steadily blink to indicate the weight limit has been surpassed. This handy visual cue makes it easy to quickly gauge payload capacity, which can go a long way in improving safety and the longevity of the truck. In retrospect, it seems like a pretty obvious feature for any pickup, but kudos to Ford for solving a problem we didn’t even realize existed.

The power tailgate with a built-in work surface is another feature that goes a long way in expanding the F-150 Limited’s utility and effectively turns the pickup into a mobile workbench. Multi-function tailgates have been popping up on higher-end pickups recently, but Ford ups the ante with a suite of features that includes built-in rulers, a phone or tablet holder, and more. New pockets installed on the outer edge of the tailgate provide the perfect spot to secure woodworking clamps, allowing you to make precise cuts from the back of your truck. The tailgate also includes new cleats mounted on each side, which come in handy when securing longer loads such as lumber. Helping keep work/life balance in mind, the cleats double as bottle openers to help you unwind after the job is done.

High-End Hybrid

When it comes to the F-150 Limited, it’s not a matter of how much power but of what kind. While the 2022 model comes standard with a 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 capable of producing 400 hp and boasting an impressive towing capacity of up to 14,000 lbs, a new hybrid option has really been turning heads. The industry has seen a number of hybrid and fully electric pickups hit the market in recent years, finally dispelling the notion that performance and fuel efficiency don’t mix. In fact, these hybrid and all-electric setups offer a number of advantages over their gas-powered predecessors, not the least of which is their considerable power and torque.

The F-150 Limited’s hybrid powertrain is built using Ford’s modular hybrid technology, combining a standard gas engine with a 35 kW electric motor and 1.5 kWh battery. The combination bests the standard 3.5L EcoBoost by 30 hp––430 to the 3.5L EcoBoost’s 400––and absolutely blows it out of the water when it comes to torque with an almost-unheard-of 570 lb-ft. This is made possible thanks to the 35 kW electric motor, which can produce far more torque than a standard gas-powered vehicle. This sort of power comes in handy when you’re behind the wheel of a truck that weighs well over 5,000 lbs, allowing drivers to easily accelerate in spite of its mass.

Ford’s new 3.5L PowerBoost Full Hybrid V6 Engine isn’t only more powerful than the standard EcoBoost setup, but it’s also more fuel-efficient, with an EPA-estimated fuel economy of up to 25 MPG combined. With a 30-gallon gas tank, that results in a range of around 750 miles before you will need to refuel. This one-two punch of power and fuel economy makes the PowerBoost the clear favorite, giving drivers ample power without making as much of a dent in their wallets.

A Generator on Wheels

Power, torque, and fuel efficiency aside, the most alluring feature of the PowerBoost engine actually has nothing to do with driving the truck itself. Drivers who opt for the hybrid engine will get the added benefit of power on the go, thanks to Ford’s standard ProPower Onboard generator. The system taps into the truck’s high-voltage architecture to deliver 2.4 kW of power: more than enough to run a variety of tools or electronics. To put it into context, that 2.4 kW is more than enough for small construction projects, allowing users to operate a miter saw, air compressor, and battery charger all at the same time. Home improvement not your thing? That same 2.4 kW can also provide juice for loudspeakers, a projector, and even a popcorn machine if you’re itching to turn your campsite into a home theater.

If that’s still not enough, Ford also offers an optional 7.2 kW version that basically turns the F-150 into a small-scale power plant. At 7.2 kW, the ProPower Onboard generator can power a whole job site, supplying enough juice from its 120-volt and 240-volt outlets to power anything from a hammer drill to a plasma cutter, TiG welder, and air compressor all at the same time. The ProPower Onboard generator is even useful closer to home, where it can effectively replace an emergency generator. Not only does it provide more than enough juice to run the household essentials for days at a time, but unlike that poorly maintained generator sitting in the garage, it’ll actually start up when you need it most.

The system can even be used while the truck is moving, allowing drivers to power everything from freezers and fridges to air conditioners and electric off-road vehicles on the go. The ProPower Onboard system isn’t actually unique to the hybrid engine; it’s also available on F-150s with the 2.7-liter and 3.5-liter EcoBoost engines as well as the 5.0-liter V8. But the non-hybrids need to have the engine running in order for the generator to work, and the system is limited to 2.0 kW from dual 120-volt outlets.

The Ultimate Truck

If you’re looking to get behind the wheel of a new 2022 Ford F-150 Limited, make Pearson Ford your first and last stop. With over 60 years in the industry and thousands of happy customers across the Indianapolis area, Pearson Ford is a mainstay in the local community. We pride ourselves on offering the highest possible level of service whether you’re looking to buy a new vehicle, service your ride, or sell an old car. We’re known for our friendly, knowledgeable customer service, providing you with all the information you need to make a choice that you’ll be happy with for years to come. It doesn’t matter if you’re in the market for a top-of-the-line pickup like the F-150 Limited, a versatile new crossover SUV, or one of our quality pre-owned vehicles––we’ve got it all here at Pearson Ford. Stop by our Zionsville dealership today and see what surprises are in store.