2023 Ford F-150

• Overview

  

  There’s a high bar to climb in the automotive world, and there can only be one best-selling truck in the country––that truck is the F-150. The 2023 Ford F-150 is the latest in the long-running line of Ford F-Series pickup trucks, which are famously known for being the best-selling vehicle in the country––truck or otherwise. What makes the F-150 so popular? It’s not an easy answer—the Ford F-150 is the best-selling truck because of blending indistinguishable quality coupled with a history dating back years before most drivers were born. The F-150 has proved time again that a pickup truck is the most crucial tool you can own, and whether you prefer your pickup truck for hobbyism or your professional life, there’s none better than the F-150.

  The 2023 F-150 has the same setup as the prior year, meaning the XL remains the base trim level. The 2023 F-150 has a starting price of $33,695 for the XL, which may be enough to satisfy a majority of drivers looking to buy this truck, but there are undoubtedly more customers looking for something more.[a] As capable as the F-150 XL is, the XLT expands upon this with more safety features, the Lariat introduces newer technology like the SYNC 4 infotainment center with enhanced voice recognition, and the King Ranch makes an already comfortable interior into something far more luxurious along with having a more performant engine. With the Platinum trim, you get another handful of advanced safety features through Ford’s Co-Pilot360 Assist 2.0. If you want a cohesive off-roading experience complete with dampeners, twin-tube shocks, and more, then the F-150 Tremor is the answer. Lastly, the incredibly popular Raptor is available with a five-link rear suspension and highly capable shock absorbers in both the front and back of the truck.

  14,000

  Max Towing (lbs)

  3,325

  Max Payload (lbs)

  265-640

  Torque (lb-ft)

  Starting at

  $33,695^[a]

• Performance

  

  Engine Medley: The 3.3L V6

  Part of the F-150’s market dominance is because of its range of power. The 2023 F-150 features a familiar arrangement of powertrains––some of which have been on the F-150 for several years. For example, the 2023 F-150 comes with the same 3.3L V6 engine as the 2022 and 2021 models. The 3.3L V6 engine links to a ten-speed automatic transmission and outputs 290 hp and 265 lb-ft of torque. Being smaller than the available V8 engine, the V6 gets respectable fuel economy numbers of 19 MPG in the city and 24 MPG on the highway. Because the 3.3L V6 engine provides the lowest torque output of the bunch, its towing capacity is lower than its peers, but that doesn’t stop the base powertrain from towing a maximum of 8,200 lbs with a top payload capacity of 1,985 lbs.

  Engine Medley: The 2.7L Turbo V6

  What if you don’t want the base powertrain and would rather have something more efficient or powerful? Fortunately for you, there are additional powertrains to choose from. Next is the turbocharged 2.7L V6 engine, which provides excellent fuel efficiency ratings of 20 MPG in the city and 26 MPG on the highway, but it’s more powerful with its 325 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque. With the increase in torque output, the turbocharged engine allows the F-150 to tow more than the base powertrain, bringing the maximum capacity from 8,200 lbs up to 10,100 lbs. The payload capacity is also better, going from 1,985 lbs to 2,480 lbs.

  Engine Medley: The 3.5L Turbo V6

  What if you wanted the powertrain that provides the best towing experience? For that, we turn you to the turbocharged 3.5L V6 engine, which outputs 400 hp and 500 lb-ft of torque. The turbocharged 3.5L V6 engine has EPA-estimated ratings of 18 MPG in the city and 24 MPG on the highway, a maximum payload capacity of 3,250 lbs, and a maximum towing capacity of 14,000 lbs.

  Engine Medley: The 3.5L Turbo V6 Hybrid

  Sticking with the V6, Ford also offers a hybrid powertrain: a 3.5L PowerBoost Turbo V6 hybrid, to be exact. The hybrid powertrain has the best city mileage, with noteworthy EPA-estimated ratings of 25 MPG in the city and 25 MPG on the highway. Thanks to the 430 hp and 570 lb-ft of torque, the towing capacity is still pretty solid, topping out at 12,700 lbs. The payload maxes out at 2,120 lbs.

  Engine Medley: The 5.0L V8

  Another powertrain configuration worth considering is the 5.0L V8 engine, commonly known by its nickname, ‘Coyote.’ The 5.0L V8 engine outputs 400 hp and 410 lb-ft of torque and EPA-estimated ratings of 17 MPG in the city and 25 MPG on the highway––excellent for a V8 of this magnitude. You'll also get a 13,000 lb maximum towing capacity and the best payload capacity of the bunch at 3,325 lbs.

  Engine Medley: The 5.2L High-Output Supercharged V8

  If performance is at the top of your priority list, you are going to want to get the F-150 Raptor R with its exclusive 5.2L High-Output Supercharged V8 engine growling under the hood. This beast generates 700 hp and 640 lb-ft of torque, which makes for an exciting drive.

• Exterior

  

  Expanding Your Ability to Work: Bed Improvements

  The 2023 Ford F-150 is unmistakably an F-150 truck upon first inspection. Most changes made to F-150 trucks over the past decade have been internal and non-visible to the naked eye. This sentiment is mostly true from the outside. However, this has changed with the features the 2023 truck bed gives you. The truck bed comes in three sizes: 5.5 ft, 6.5 ft, or 8 ft.

  Out of the three available bed sizes, you’ll have ample cargo space for personal or work reasons. The 5.5 ft bed has 52.8 cu.ft. of space––not bad considering the truck bed’s size. However, if you opt for the 6.5 ft bed, this will be increased to 62.3 cu.ft., which is more favorable for most people. The best cargo space stems from the 8 ft bed, which has 77.4 cu.ft. of space.

  Coupled with the impressive towing and payload capacities, the F-150 can handle more than you think. If you’ve ever second-guessed yourself whether an item is too large for your truck and wish there was an easier way to gauge it, you’re in luck. The F-150 bed has scales built-in, and thanks to the advent of the SYNC 4 infotainment center, which made its debut with the 2021 model, you can view how much your cargo weighs by looking at the screen and activating the scale.

  Expanding Your Ability to Work: Pro Power Onboard

  The features built into the truck bed don’t end there. The truck bed also includes a built-in power generator dubbed Pro Power Onboard. Pro Power Onboard changes how workers can get their hard work days done but also transforms leisurely activities like camping or tailgating at a sporting event. Pro Power Onboard is available in three configurations.

  The least-powerful generator outputs 2.0 kW, followed by a 2.4 kW generator. For the best Pro Power Onboard configuration, you’ll want the 7.2 kW option, which is available with the 3.5L hybrid engine. The best combination is to opt for the 7.2 kW generator with the six built-in power outlets, meaning you can plug in your work tools or tailgating equipment while still having plenty of extra wattage for anything you need.

  The F-150 comes standard with 17-inch wheels, but models including the XL can also include 18 or 20-inch wheels. The Limited comes with 22-inch wheels standard and also has the 7.2 kW generator and a few other external and internal flourishes. Those looking to take their F-150 off-roading should consider all-terrain or all-season tires, and if you can, you should purchase a second set of summer tires.

• Safety

  

  Staying Ahead of the Game With Safety Features

  Ford knows safety better than most manufacturers––fans and critics tend to agree. The 2023 F-150 is no exception, thanks to a host of standard safety features and a high-quality build that has earned them the Top Safety Pick from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for both the 2021 and 2022 model years. The F-150 is a vehicle that does better with crash protection than many other trucks because of its frame and built-in safety features. Pre Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking aims to prevent vehicular accidents before they occur and works for both vehicles and pedestrians, the latter of which does not always come standard in the industry.

  The standard safety features for the F-150 don’t end there because there’s also a Lane-Keeping System with a few built-in functions. This system monitors your driving and place on the road. If you’ve deviated from your lane, this system attempts to correct your vehicle’s position and keep you traveling straight down the road. If the system sends out multiple alerts, the Driver Alert will let you know it's time to take a break.

  Other standard features are ones you’d expect, like a rearview camera, which displays its camera feed directly onto the infotainment center. You’ll have a large viewport to view your rearview camera because your F-150 will come with an eight or 12-inch infotainment center, which also has features like assistive software to make aligning your trailer easier and ultimately make hitching a less strenuous task.

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