Since the inception of Ford Motor Company in 1903, the corporation has continually released iconic vehicles with a twist from the ordinary. For example, Ford was the first to introduce soy foam seats, aluminum truck bodies, along with other unique ideas. Its trucks are not only versatile but are also very reliable and great for traversing tricky terrains, hauling and towing heavy loads, or enjoying a drive on well-manicured city roads.
Over the years, the brand has created a variety of models with different price points to incorporate every consumer’s needs. Each time, Ford makes sure the current release is better than the last, earning the company multiple motor awards. In 2015, the F- series trucks received the Best Buy award from Kelley Blue Book, and in 2008, the Ford Ranger took the Truck of the Year award from Motor Trend. These vehicles offer you the best engine capacity, comfort, and functionality.
Price and Value
Ford has a variety of trucks, all with different engines, car components, and bodies. They classify all of its releases in different ranges. You will notice that trucks in the same field are within a similar price range because most of the parts are the same.
- F-150: Starting price is $30,440
- Ranger: Starting price is $25,605
- F-250: Starting price is $35,730
- F-350: Starting price is $37,245
- F-450: Starting price is $51,905
Depreciation
Generally, new pick-up trucks tend to hold their values pretty well compared to other types of vehicles. According to a study, trucks depreciate at an average of 42.7% in a frame of five years as opposed to other cars that depreciate at an average of 49.6%. If you maintain a truck well, there is a high possibility its resale value will be enough to get you a new truck. However, this depends solely on the model.
As of 2018, statistics show that Ford trucks hold their value well. For example, the Super Duty F-250 depreciated at 34.3%, and the Super Duty F-350 depreciated at 35.3%. However, when Ford changed the body’s material to aluminum and made its vehicles more fuel-efficient, the brand’s popularity rose, and the market became flooded. This increased depreciation value significantly. Take, for example, the F-150, which now depreciates at 44.1%.
Reliability
Pick-ups are versatile and are used for various heavy-duty functions like hauling heavy loads and driving on bumpy and muddy terrains. For these circumstances, you need to get a truck that’s very reliable. Thanks to their three-year basic warranties (36,000 miles) and five-year power train warranties (60,000 miles), Ford quality is assured. In addition, you can tow up to 7,500 pounds with the fuel-efficient engine without any issues.
On average, a Ford truck can give you up to 15 years of service with lackluster servicing. However, with proper maintenance, you can expect up to 20 years before the parts start to break down.
Models
Ford has created a brand for itself thanks to its wide variety of quality truck models. Though they all have standard features, each range has different performance capacities and settings.
Ford Ranger (XL, XLT, LARIAT)
The Ford Ranger was released in 1948 and was the first of many Ford compact trucks. It was prevalent as it sits up to five people while still having enough storage space on the back courier. It is equipped with a 2.3-liter, four-cylinder engine with a gas mileage of 21 on rough terrain and 26 on paved roads.
Additionally, the Ford Ranger delivers 270 pounds of horsepower with 310 pounds of torque. Thanks to its four terrain mode settings, you can comfortably drive on sand, gravel, snow, and mud. To seal the deal, this truck is capable of towing up to 7,500 tons as long as it has the right equipment.
Ford F-150 (XL, XLT, LARIAT) (XL, XLT, LARIAT, KING RANCH, PLATINUM, LIMITED)
Since 1948, Ford has managed to release 13 generations and variations of trucks under this title. All of them have achieved relatively good sales. This is mostly attributed to their excellent mileage and towing capacities. Although it is classified as a light-duty truck, the Ford F-150 is capable of towing up to 8,000 pounds.
Trucks can sit up to six full-sized adults and come with six engines to choose from. You can get any of their three eco-boost engines, turbo boost diesel, Ti-VCT, V8 or V6, depending on your budget and your needs. For rough terrains, you get up to 20 mpg, and for smooth terrains, the efficiency shoots to 26 mpg.
Finally, the Ford F-150 has impressive technology, such as the lane-keeping system, the automatic braking system, and the Ford Co-Pilot 360 technology, just to name but a few. It is no wonder this series is Ford’s bestselling.
Ford F-150 Raptor
Ford released the F-150 Raptor in 2010 to cater specifically to off-road drivers. It has space to fit five fully-sized adults and an impressive 10-speed automation transmission system to increase its performance level. The Raptor series is not all about good looks; it works hard with the capability of towing up to 8,000 pounds with the right equipment.
Fully equipped with a V-6 engine, the Raptor has a gas mileage of 15 mpg on rough terrain and 18 mpg on highways. This truck features a 450 horsepower and is capable of 510 pounds of torque. Complete with its luxurious exterior, this truck is a stunner.
Ford F-250 (XL, XLT, LARIAT, KING RANCH, LIMITED)
Since there was a demand for the Super Duty line of trucks in 1998, Ford debuted its Ford F-250 trucks. With enough space to fit six people, this truck is more than ideal to haul workers to any job regardless of the terrain. It is very fuel efficient and only consumes 15-20 miles per gallon, depending on the terrain.
Thanks to its impressive towing capability of 21,000 pounds, it is no wonder that the Ford F-250 made it on Car and Driver’s top 10 list in 2019-2020. You can choose either the 6.7L Power Stroke Turbo Diesel or 6.2L Flex Fuel Gas V8 engine, depending on your budget.
Ford F-350 (XL, XLT, LARIAT, KING RANCH, PLATINUM, LIMITED)
Ford prides itself in listening to their consumers, so when people demanded a more robust truck, Ford released the F-350. It has an impressive towing capacity of 35,000 pounds, and it is very easy to drive thanks to its 935 pounds of torque.
This truck gets 11-13 miles per gallon depending on the terrain. To deliver the required performance, Ford equipped this model with a Flex Fuel V8 6.2L SOHC engine.
Ford F-450 (XL, XLT, LARIAT, KING RANCH, PLATINUM, LIMITED)
The heavy-duty Ford F-450 comes equipped with the capability of towing up to 21,000 pounds and has enough space to fit up to six full-sized adults. It comes with a quality 6.7L Power Stroke Turbo Diesel engine and only needs 13 MPG in tricky terrains and 16 MPG on a paved road. To seal the deal, the Ford F-450 comes with an automatic six-speed automatic transmission to ensure the functionality is as smooth as possible.
Maintenance
Since there are thousands of Ford trucks made annually, the cost of maintenance is reasonably affordable. This is because the spare parts are readily available, and any professional mechanic can get the job done correctly. According to a study, the maintenance cost of a Ford ranges from $80 to $4,450 depending on what you subject it to and the types of terrain you frequent.
Environmental Impact
Since its inception, Ford has made several strides to ensure its car manufacturing process and the materials it uses, and its cars in general, support the environment. Ford uses sustainable fabric for all the internal components of its trucks from the seats to the plastic. Also, two out of every three vehicles that Ford produces are equipped with a six-speed fuel transmission system that improves fuel efficiency.
Features
Over the years, Ford has released various super-duty, heavy-duty and mid-duty four-wheel drive trucks. They all come with any of Ford’s six-engine options, allowing you to customize the specifications you would like. Besides coming up with great designs, all Ford trucks have remarkable features, as explained above.
Safety
Ford prides itself in the impressive safety levels that all its trucks can offer thanks to features like trailer reverse systems, tire pressure monitoring, multiple camera angles, collision alert systems, lane departure warnings, traction control tires, smart cruise control, and automatic braking systems.
What’s Next? Future Products
According to Ford, all its future trucks will feature improved amenities, luxurious and modern designs, fuel-efficient parts, and improved smart technology features. In the fall of 2020, Ford is going to release another truck in its F-150 series. It will have enhanced productivity and the maximum payload capacity (undisclosed) compared to others in the same range.
