Third place might seem like a disappointing finish for a truck that won our last comparison, but a quick look at the numbers reveals that the Ford F-150 came in a close third to the second-place Dodge. As close as they finished, however, the F-150 and the Ram displayed very different personalities. Both had their strong points but neither managed to outgun the mighty Titan.

Fully redesigned, the 2004 Ford F-150 came into this test sporting an all-new engine, heavily revised suspension and a completely revamped interior. Our particular test truck was a midgrade Ford F-150 XLT SuperCrew with a standard array of options — in other words, it wasn't some big-dollar press fleet truck, it was your typical high-volume model. Unlike the Silverado and the Ram, the F-150 came in at a more reasonable $35,295, just slightly more than the Nissan and Toyota. With so much going for it, the Ford F-150 seemed like the truck to beat at first, but subsequent miles behind the wheel revealed that although the Ford F-150 excelled in several areas, it fell a little flat in others.

The Ford puts its best foot forward out on the highway, as almost every editor remarked on how quiet and composed it was at speed. "This thing is a cruise missile on wide-open roads. You have to watch your speed closely, as this truck will do 85 with barely a trace of wind or road noise," one driver wrote. The Ford's ride quality earned similar praise for its ability to isolate bumps without feeling overly soft. "The Ford's setup makes for an easy commute; stiff enough to keep you in control but not so firm that it's ever uncomfortable." During our backcountry trip, the Ford F-150 kept its composure over most terrain but washboard trails tended to overwhelm the shocks quickly. Its low-range gearing did an excellent job of maintaining low speeds on steep descents and the precise steering made for easy maneuvering in tight spots.

Not so impressive was the performance of the truck's powertrain. Its new 5.4-liter Triton V8 is rated at a solid 300 horsepower and 365 pound-feet of torque, but its track numbers were well behind that of the front-runners. With an unloaded 0-to-60-mph time of 9.5 seconds, the Ford F-150 was tied with the Toyota Tundra and almost two full seconds slower than the Nissan Titan. Disappointed Ford fans might point out that these are trucks, not sports cars, but we're guessing that Ford F-150 drivers face the prospect of accelerating to highway speeds from a stop more often than they go around pulling 9,500-pound (the Ford's best-in-class maximum) trailers. When the truck was saddled with a trailer and three passengers, it took 20.2 seconds to hit 60, nearly 3.5 seconds slower than the Titan (16.8). It also turned in the longest stopping distance from 60 mph at 145 feet, roughly 10 feet farther than either the Dodge or Nissan.

Why the mediocre numbers from what looks to be a competitive engine? Weight is one issue, as the Ford F-150 tipped the scales 161 pounds heavier than the next weightiest truck (the Titan) and over 500 pounds heavier than the Tundra. Another issue is the use of a four-speed transmission instead of a more flexible five-speed. Both the Dodge and the Nissan use five-speeds to keep their engines in the heart of their power curves, while the Ford's V8 is often left dragging at engine speeds that are too low to make adequate power. When climbing a 7 percent grade on our test loop, the Ford F-150 pulled strongly in second gear, but when it dropped into third its momentum vanished and it struggled to build speed the rest of the way up the hill.

The Ford was also hit-or-miss when it came to its interior. Most praised the pickup for its modern design and spacious layout, but a few found its new look just adequate. "Considering all of the hoopla made about the F-150's new interior design, the XLT version isn't exactly awe-inspiring," one editor wrote. Overall interior space is excellent both up front and in back, but the Ford received only average scores when it came to seat comfort.

Storage space and feature content were two more areas where the Ford F-150 earned only average scores. The fold-down center console is only about half the size of the ones found in the Dodge and Nissan trucks, and although the Ford's innovative overhead track system allows you to add more compartments as needed, our particular truck only had one. Folding up the rear seats takes little effort, but you're greeted with a load floor obstructed by the tire jack — even the six-year-old Chevy Silverado had that one figured out. On the features side, the Ford F-150 lost points for not even offering side airbags, stability control, rear A/C vents or any of the Nissan's utilitarian enhancements. The F-150's assisted tailgate feature was appreciated by most, but not to the point where it was considered a must-have.

Though it might seem as if the Ford went underappreciated in this test, the exact opposite was true. Several editors agreed that they liked the Ford F-150 more after driving it back-to-back with the competition. Between its easy-to-drive character, quiet cabin and clean design, the pickup earned considerable praise. "I think this truck would appeal to the average buyer as much, if not more so, than it does to the hard-core 'truck guy' buyer," one editor noted. We're not sure if that's what Ford was hoping for, but if the more aggressive personalities of the Dodge and Nissan aren't what you're after, the 2004 Ford F-150 could very well be the truck for you.

Second Opinions:

Editor in Chief Karl Brauer says:
The best-selling vehicle on the planet got a redesign this year, and with the amount of pressure riding on this F-150 to lead the Blue Oval boys' revival, it had better deliver. My initial impressions of the F-150 were lukewarm at best. I liked the ride quality, the steering felt pretty good and the exterior styling was a vast improvement. But for a vehicle this vital to the company's future, well frankly, I was expecting more. Or maybe less, because my biggest issue with the F-150 was the fact that it gained between 500 and 800 pounds this year (depending on body style and trim). I don't care how creative your engineering team is, that kind of weight hurts performance and fuel mileage (not to mention anything unlucky enough to get in this truck's path). I was also surprised by Ford's lack of vision in offering no side airbags or truly innovative features (the tailgate leverage bar doesn't really count in my book).

However, while I'm not ready to reverse my opinion on the all-new F-150, driving it back-to-back against the competition highlighted a few facts that I was only vaguely aware of before the test. The ride and steering that seemed pretty good to me? It's probably the best in the segment. The steering is particularly impressive with both its tight feel and "just right" weighting. I was also happy to see that, in spite of its massive weight gain this year, the F-150 was not the slowest truck in the field (either with or without a 6,000-pound trailer being pulled). It also performed well when off-roading (once again, despite its large size and weight).

Does this mean I'm ready to rename the F-150 as my personal "Most Wanted" truck? Nope. It's still too slow, even with the 5.4-liter engine (and I personally can't imagine what it would be like with the standard 4.6-liter V8, but I'm sure I wouldn't like it). I also want side airbags and maybe even four-wheel steering and rear doors on the extended cab that open nearly 180 degrees. It may seem like I'm stealing cool feature ideas from other trucks. I am, just like Ford should have during the F-150's redesign. Isn't that the whole point of a redesign? Take the cool ideas from all of your competitors and put them together in one vehicle? I guess that's what I was expecting from the new F-150.

Photography Editor Scott Jacobs says:
Ford's styling guru J Mays works his magic with another classically great-looking design. The F-150's symmetrical lines and athletic proportions give this truck a touch of panache that its competition doesn't have. It unfortunately has bulked up for the new season, as it gains 800 pounds over its predecessor. Those pounds hurt the throaty V8 churning under its massive hood, as it feels sluggish and unresponsive in comparison to the Titan or Ram. The weight gain hasn't hurt its capability, however, as it has a class-leading 9,500-pound towing capacity. Performance aside, the beautiful interior and comfortable ride will surely soothe tired workers at the end of the day, or help make those long trips to the lake on the weekends enjoyable.

Though the F-150 is an all-around solid choice, as a completely redesigned entrant to the segment, it does not stand out as a clear-cut winner. Most of its attributes are matched by older designs that will soon be replaced by even more capable trucks. Keeping par doesn't win championships.