Ford has the best-selling trucks on the market, from the Ranger to the Raptor. But when it comes to Blue Oval’s capable lineup, which truck tops them all?
Autoweek calculated that from 2017 to 2020, Ford Motor Company sold 103 F-150’s an hour, every day, computing to 1.7 trucks per minute. One contributing factor was the automaker’s 2018 decision to stop production of the Focus and Fiesta and delve deeper into SUVs, crossovers, and—you guessed it—more trucks.
Leave out the crossovers and SUVs, and you end up with the mid-size Ranger, the half-ton F-150, and the HD Super Duty lineup, including the F-250, F-350, and F-450.
And while still reeling from a global pandemic, in early 2021, Ford announced sales figures for its trucks that indicate that the Blue Oval is still holding steady as one of the auto industry’s top-selling truck makers.
Ford started 2021 strong with January sales outpacing the overall retail industry by four-percent on strong truck and SUV sales. F-Series began the year as America’s best-selling truck, outselling all competitors again in January.
In fact, Ford’s January total truck sales–including pickups and vans–posted their best January retail sales start since 2008.
Just two months into launch, the new 2021 Ford-150 posted a sales increase of 6.4 percent. Super Duty retail sales were up 17 percent for the month. Ranger retail sales increased 4.8 percent in January, making it Ranger’s best retail sales start since 2005.
Ford’s sales figures prove that there’s no denying that MoCo makes reliable, affordable, and popular trucks. One of the most important aspects of choosing the right Ford pickup truck for you is deciding what you want to do with it. The F-150 is perfect if you want the flexibility of moving a couch from time to time or other “truckish” tasks.
The Ranger gives you a smaller footprint and usually a lower cost. If you are pulling trailers or hauling freight and need a commercial-sized vehicle, a Super Duty HD pickup is the way to go.
However, in a world where only one pickup can reign supreme—which is the best Ford truck of them all? Before we answer that, here’s a bit of backstory on what a “Ford truck” meant before names like Ranger, F-150, or Super Duty even existed.
Ford Trucks History: Before the F-150
Henry Ford started Ford Motor Company in 1903 after his two previous attempts to get into the auto industry failed. In 1917, Ford produced the Model TT, its first truck.
The model T car served as the building block, but the TT sported a reinforced chassis and rear axle that gave it a one-ton rating. The Model 50, powered by a flathead V8, carried the load from 1935-1941 when production shifted to building vehicles for WWII.
In 1948 Ford introduced the round-fendered F-series truck which scrapped the car platform the older models were built on. The truck was available in eight sizes and weight ratings, from the half-ton capacity F-1 to the three-ton capacity F-8.
In 1953, Ford replaced the F-1 with the half-ton F-100, along with the three-quarter-ton F-250 and one-ton F-350.
Now that you know the origins of the F-Series, let’s look at each of the blue ovals’ currently offered pickups and tell you which is the best Ford truck out of the bunch.
Ford F-150: Half-ton Hero
The first Ford F-series truck donned the Ford F-150 nameplate in 1975, going on to become the wildly popular pickup that we all know and love today.
The F-Series lineup has been a top seller for 43 consecutive years. Ford F-150 trucks are purpose-built to be capable, reliable, and productive. It is reputed to be the most powerful light-duty full-size pickup truck on the market.
“F-150 is our flagship, it’s 100 percent assembled in America, and we hold ourselves to the highest standard to make sure our customers can get the job done and continue to make a difference in their communities,” says Jim Farley, Ford’s chief operating officer.
The newest edition of the pickup truck, the 2021 Ford F-150 features the most towing, payload, torque and horsepower of any light-duty full-size pickup and has new engine and technical innovations such as over-the-air updates and an available all-new 3.5-liter PowerBoost hybrid powertrain with Pro Power Onboard, an integrated power generator.
“The F-150 is tougher than ever, and with fully connected over-the-air updates, it opens up a much wider range of potential enhancements, from system upgrades to feature offerings,” says Craig Schmatz, the Ford F-150’s chief engineer.
Additional updates and innovations over the history of the F-Series include:
- Second-generation (1953-1956): The F-1 became the F-100. F-2s and F-3s became F-250s, and F-4s became the F-350. The V8 engine appeared for the first time in 1954 when a commercial truck division was created.
- Third-generation (1957-1960): The third-generation also saw a major update and got four-wheel-drive added as an option, and the front fenders were integrated into the truck’s body for a more streamlined look.
- Fourth-generation (1961-1966): The fourth generation launched with a twin-I beam suspension system.
- Sixth-generation (1973-1979): The Club Cab showed up in the sixth generation as the F-100 was replaced with the F-150. In later generations, the trucks began to sport plusher interiors.
- Seventh-generation (1980-1986): In the Eighties, the F-Series got an all-new chassis and an exciting new body design that was aerodynamically optimized to improve fuel economy.
- 10th-generation: Ford divided its extensive truck line into two divisions, rebranding the F-150 for a consumer market and supplying the working world and commercial businesses with the heavy-duty F-250 and F-350 trucks. In the most extensive redesign of the F-Series in 17 years, the chassis got an independent front suspension. The F-150 received a range of engines new to the F-Series, and the SVT Lightning made its return.
Now in its 13th-generation, the 2021 F-150 remains one of the top contenders in the half-ton truck market, even receiving the “Best Buy Award” from KBB for its seventh separate time.
J.D. Power gave the 2021 Ford F-150 an 84 out of 100 overall, spread across categories such as quality, reliability, driving experience, resale, and more.
Owners seem to love their F-150’s just as much as critics, with Vehicle History data showing an average satisfaction rating of 4.6-stars between 2015-2020.
Available Trims
2021 F-150 prices range from about $28,000 to $70,000 or more. Much of the manufacturers’ suggested retail price (MSRP) depends on which trim level you go with, which, on the F-150 includes the XL, XLT, Lariat, King Ranch, Platinum, Limited, and Raptor.
Picture an XL as your basic “work” truck, complete with fabric seats, a black front fascia, and steel wheels. However, in typical Ford fashion, even the base trim packs a lot of value, including a 290 hp 3.3L V6 that’s paired to an advanced 10-speed transmission, as well as fuel-saving engine start-stop technology, a standard rear-view camera with hitch assist, and more.
On the other side of the MSRP range lies the luxurious Limited and the Baha-ready Raptor. The former packs all the latest premium amenities, like Fords’ Co-Pilot360 suite of safety features, a power tailgate, Active Motion full leather “massaging” seats, a twin-turbo V6 putting out 400 hp, and more.
On the other hand, Fords’ monstrous Raptor, is precisely that, a monster, regardless of the terrain you intend to tackle. While you won’t get the ride quality of the Limited’s 275/45 R22 BSW all-season tires, you will get the off-road capability provided by the Raptor’s 315/70R-17 BFGoodrich All-Terrains.
In between the XL and the Limited are four other trims, meaning there’s more than likely a trim that will suit your needs without going too far over budget.
Known Mechanical Issues
One issue that’s been plaguing the 2021 F-150 is premature undercarriage rusting, with some owners report having found significant amounts of visible rust within just 1,200 miles.
Ford responded that the rust had no effect whatsoever on the performance of the truck or its lifespan, which has not gone over too well with their fanbase. As for recalls, there’s only one as of April 2021, involving an inadequately bonded front windshield that may detach during an accident.
While the 2021 model has only been on the market for a short while, if it’s anything like its predecessors, it will not disappoint. Does this mean the F-150 is the best Ford truck? We can’t answer that until we review the other two pickups in their lineup, starting with the Ranger.
Ford Ranger: Mid-size and Reliable
The Ford Ranger began its life in 1983 as Ford’s entry into the compact truck market. Initially, it was an amalgam of its larger F-series brother, combined with the DNA of the Explorer, which replaced the beloved Bronco as the prototype SUV.
Buyers could get a Ranger as a Super Cab, with either a 2.5L I4, 3L V6, or a 4L V6. It could be ordered with either rear or four-wheel-drive configurations. A four-door version became available in 1999 and ran up until its discontinuation in 2012.
Ford would spend the next few years focusing on its F-series lineup, before reintroducing the Ranger in 2019. However, this time around, Ford wasn’t content letting the Rangers’ sales number rest on its name alone—no—being competitive in the mid-size truck market was finally a focus.
The 2021 Ranger holds an overall score of 76 out of 100 on Forbes‘ list of Best Midsize Pickup Truck for 2021, which is about average across the board. While it does have all the latest safety and convenience tech like the Co-Pilo360 system, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto, as well as 9 wheel choices and three separate trims, there’s only a single engine option—thankfully it’s a peppy one.
The 2.3L EcoBoost turbo-four puts out a solid 270 hp and 310 lb.-ft. of torque, which, when compared to an F-150 from just a decade ago, could easily stand toe-to-toe.
Available Trims
The Ranger keeps things simple with its available trims, which include the XL, XLT, and Lariat. Prices range from $24,820 for a base extended cab XL to $38,785 for a SuperCrew Lariat with 4WD.
Similar to the F-150, the XL is the entry trim, boasting standard features like Pre-collision Assist, a rear-view camera, and FordPass Connect with 4G LTE to name just a few. Upgrade to the XLT for Ford’s CoPilot360, a suite of advanced safety features including BLIS with cross-traffic alert, lane-keeping, adaptive cruise control, a trailer sway controller, and more.
If you’re seeking a mid-size truck with full-size luxury, the Lariat trim should easily fit the bill. A few of the Lariate’s standard features include leather seating, led headlamps and taillamps, and push-button start.
Known Mechanical Issues
The Ranger has stayed true to its reliable name since its 2019 reintroduction, accumulating only 8 recalls as of 2021. The most widespread of these include a distorted/inoperative rearview camera on some 2020 models, which affected over 620,000 vehicles. The fix involves taking the affected truck to a certified Ford dealer where they will replace the rearview camera free of charge.
For 2019, just 56 complaints were reported to the NHTSA, which is a far cry less than the Tacomas 130, but a bit higher than the Colorados 48. However, of those 56, just a single injury has been reported.
Ford Super Duty: Endlessly Capable HD
In 1998 Ford made a big move forward in the commercial truck market by designing a separate platform and assembly line for its new Super Duty line of HD trucks.
They came with roomier interiors, a stronger frame, and bulkier axles. Its gross combined weight rating went as high as 20,000 pounds on F-250 and F-350 models with a maximum payload capacity of 4,930 pounds.
The Super Dutys were available in 44 different configurations. There were Super Cabs, Crew Cabs, and dual-rear-wheel versions. In addition to the standard gasoline-powered V8 Triton, buyers could get a V10 or a V8 diesel. Five years into the production cycle the Super Duty was selling more of its giant trucks than Dodge and GM combined.
Ford’s commitment to building innovative, quality trucks with near-limitless capabilities shows no clearer than in their 2021 Super Duty lineup. Powertrain options include two gas-powered V8’s, the longstanding 6.2L “Boss” block, and a 7.3L known as the “Godzilla” engine (released in 2019).
At the top of the list is the 6.7L Powerstroke turbo-diesel, which packs 475 hp and best-in-class 1,050 lb.-ft. of torque. Translated into real-world numbers, that equates to a max-tow capacity of 21,000 lbs. on F-350, a 0-60 of about 7.4 seconds on F-250, and a statistically proven lifespan of 500,000 miles or more.
J.D. Power gives the 2020 F-250 an 86 out of 100 overall, with a score of 86 for quality and reliability. We couldn’t agree more.
Available Trims
Where the Ranger stuck to simplicity with its choice of available trims, the Super Duty is closer to the F-150, offering 6 to choose from. These include the XL, XLT, Lariat, King Ranch, Platinum, and Limited.
The XL and XLT offer most of what you’d expect if you’ve read this far, and it’s clear that the Platinum and Limited are the top of the line, but the trim that really stands out among the others is the King Ranch.
The King Ranch trim is about as recognizable as they come, with two-tone paint and saddle-bag leather seats. The interior safety, comfort, and convenience features mostly match those of the Platinum or Limited but cater to a slightly less “flashy” crowd.
Prices for the King Ranch start at $59,595 for a rear-wheel-drive SuperCrew with the 6.2L V8.
Known Mechanical Issues
The NHTSA reported over 500 complaints with the 2019 F-250, as well as four recalls and two investigations. Of these recalls, two stood out, including one that affected over 410,000 models and involved a corroded block heater connector.
The other plagued nearly 640,000 units and stemmed from weak seatbacks that might not restrain passengers adequately in the event of a crash. Ford sent out notifications on all 2019 recalls alerting owners of their free-of-charge fix.
Ford’s Toughest & Most Reliable Truck
The 2021 F-150 wins our Best Ford Truck title for being the most well-rounded pick of them all. With its endless number of beds, cab, powertrain, and feature combinations, the F-150 offers something for just about any type of driver. Prefer the price of a Ranger? There’s only a $4,120 increase in its base price.
Think you need a Super Duty to handle your difficult tasks? The F-150 has a max tow-capacity of 14,000 lbs. and a payload capacity of 3,325 lbs, which is more than enough for most.
Even if you’re used to driving a smaller pickup like a Ranger, with Ford’s CoPilot360 system, your vision of the world outside the cab drastically improves. The same goes for the Super Duty in terms of capabilities.
If you’re used to the older 6.0L or 6.4L diesel engines or the 5.4L or 6.8L gas-powered engines, the F-150’s current offerings will not only handle what you’re used to but save you in fuel along the way. Can you imagine not having to lug a 22-ft truck around if you didn’t have to?
Photos: Ford
