2018 Ford F-150 Review

Today's Ford F-150 offers the performance and power that personal and professional truck buyers require. Under the hood, the F-150 offers a choice of four different engine options, fuel economy of up to 22 mpg combined, and towing capacity rated up to 10,800 pounds. The F-150 also boasts a refined, modern touch with a well-crafted interior and helpful tech such as the Pro Trailer Backup Assist system, which allows you to control trailer direction via a dial on the dashboard. There's also the F-150's impressively quick Sync 3 infotainment system and amenities that range from utilitarian to luxury. Aluminum body panels and an aluminum bed (rather than traditional steel) help make the 2018 F-150 the lightest truck in its class, too.

With hundreds of available configurations, you'll have an easy time finding a 2018 Ford F-150 that meets your needs. Overall it's a comprehensive package that makes the F-150 one of our favorite trucks on the road.

Notably, we picked the 2018 Ford F-150 as one of Edmunds' Best Used Cars and Best Pickup Trucks for 2018.

What's it like to live with?

The F-150 has been the truck sales leader for decades, so every new F-150 is massively important. That's why we bought a bright blue Lariat for our long-term fleet when this generation launched in 2015. While we liked the truck overall, we were unimpressed by the new 2.7-liter engine's real-world fuel economy compared to its EPA numbers. When the 2018 model bowed with a new transmission, we decided to buy another F-150 in nearly the exact same configuration, in part to see if the fuel economy improved. To read about how economy improved — or didn't — read our long-term F-150 test, where we also covered everything from performance to long-distance seat comfort.

There's a deep catalog of features, options, packages, engines and bed configurations for the 2018 Ford F-150, starting with six main trim levels: base XL, XLT, Lariat, King Ranch, Platinum and Limited. There's also the high-performance off-road Raptor variant that exists outside the standard lineup. The XL with the 101A package makes for a decent work truck, but upgrading to the XLT with the 301A package makes for a more passenger-friendly pickup. The Lariat is the gateway to the luxury truck you've been saving for.

The Ford F-150 offers three cab styles — regular, SuperCab (extended) and SuperCrew (crew cab) — and three bed lengths, depending on cab style. A standard bed (6 feet 6 inches) or a long bed (8 feet) is available on regular and SuperCab styles, while the SuperCrew offers either a short bed (5 feet 6 inches) or the standard bed.

Several engines are also available, starting with a new 3.3-liter V6 engine that makes 290 horsepower and 265 pound-feet of torque. It pairs with a six-speed automatic transmission.

A turbocharged 2.7-liter V6 is next (325 hp, 400 lb-ft), followed by a 5.0-liter V8 (395 hp, 400 lb-ft), then a turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 (375 hp, 470 lb-ft) available in two power grades: 375 hp and 470 lb-ft or 450 hp and 510 lb-ft. These three engines all pair with a 10-speed automatic transmission.

F-150 XL

Standard features on the base XL trim level include 17-inch steel wheels, automatic headlights, trailer sway control, pre-wired trailer connections, manual mirrors and windows, vinyl flooring, a cloth-upholstered 40/20/40-split front bench, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, a driver information display, air-conditioning, a 4.2-inch central display screen and a four-speaker radio with an auxiliary jack. SuperCab and SuperCrew models come with 60/40-split folding rear seats and two additional speakers, and four-wheel-drive models get front tow hooks.

The 3.3-liter engine is standard on most XL configurations, but some RWD extended- and crew-cab models require the 2.7-liter V6, and the V8 comes on 4WD versions of those models.

An optional 101A package adds power windows and locks (including the tailgate), power mirrors, remote locking and unlocking, cruise control, Ford's MyKey vehicle control feature, a larger driver information screen, Sync voice controls, Bluetooth, smartphone app integration, a USB port and a CD player.

Other XL add-ons include chrome and sport appearance packages, the FX4 Off-Road package, side steps, a tailgate assist step, drop-in or spray-in bedliners, remote vehicle tracking and trailer tow packages with Ford's Pro Trailer Backup Assist system (essentially a self-steering system to simplify backing up with a trailer).

F-150 XLT

The XLT trim includes features from the XL's optional 101A package along with alloy wheels, chrome bumpers and exterior trim, foglights, a keypad entry system, rear privacy glass, carpeting, driver and passenger seat lumbar adjustments, and additional interior storage bins and pockets.

There are a few options for the XLT. The Mid 301A option package adds heated mirrors, an auto-dimming driver-side and rearview mirror, a trailer hitch, a cargo management system with four tie-down cleats, an eight-way power-adjustable driver seat (with power lumbar adjustment), power-adjustable pedals, rear under-seat storage, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, a rearview camera, and a seven-speaker sound system with satellite radio.

The Luxury 302A package builds on the above features with rear parking sensors, remote ignition, heated and 10-way power-adjustable front seats (with power lumbar adjustment), an 8-inch touchscreen (with Sync 3, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto) and an additional USB port. Notable stand-alone options include box side steps, a regular sunroof (SuperCab), a panoramic sunroof (SuperCrew), blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, inflatable rear seat belts, and a navigation system.

F-150 Lariat

When you step up to the F-150 Lariat, many of the XLT's Luxury 302A features come standard, as do the turbocharged 2.7-liter engine and 10-speed transmission. Also included are 18-inch wheels, keyless entry and ignition, power-adjustable pedals, dual-zone automatic climate control, driver-seat memory settings, ambient lighting, leather upholstery and ventilated front seats.

In addition to many of the options offered on the XLT, the Lariat also offers the Mid 501A package and Luxury 502A packages. The Mid 501A package adds upgraded mirrors, remote tailgate release and front-facing spotlights to the features listed above in the XLT's Luxury 302A package. The Luxury 502A package, meanwhile, adds LED headlights, automatic wipers, a heated and power-adjustable steering wheel, front bucket seats, heated rear outboard seats (SuperCrew), a navigation system, Sync Connect and an 11-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system with HD radio. Other options include lane departure warning, power-deployable running boards, a surround-view camera system, an automated parallel parking system, and adaptive cruise control with forward collision warning and mitigation.

F-150 King Ranch, Platinum, and Limited

The King Ranch trim is only offered as a SuperCrew and builds on the Luxury 502A package with a Western styling theme inside and out and with the 5.0-liter V8 underhood. With a bit more conventional luxury equipment, the Platinum trim adds 20-inch wheels, power-deployable running boards, and wood and aluminum interior trim. Essentially at the top of the range is the F-150 Limited, which comes with the turbocharged 3.5-liter engine, 22-inch wheels, upgraded leather upholstery in the front, unique styling details and many of the F-150's optional features as standard.

F-150 Raptor

The off-road-focused F-150 Raptor uses a high-output version of the turbocharged 3.5-liter engine (450 hp, 510 lb-ft) and shares many of the same features as the XLT, but it offers a reinforced frame, a special four-wheel-drive system, a modified long-travel suspension, flared fenders, skid plates, 17-inch wheels with upgraded off-road tires, and special interior trim with leather and cloth upholstery. The Raptor offers many of the same options as the XLT and Lariat as well as a few exterior styling packages, a Torsen limited-slip front differential and forged, bead-lock capable wheels.