Justifying the Lariat package over the bargain XLT or upper trim levels Platinum, King Ranch or Limi

Reviewing the Ford F-150 Lariat 4x4 is a bit like reviewing my son’s truck, which is a 2017 XLT Sport 2WD CrewCab. Both are cladded in Velocity Blue with black interior, yet that’s where the similarities stop. By choice, his is equipped with the 5.0-liter Coyote V8 found in the Mustang GT, producing 385-horsepower, which is a shy less than the 2017 GT has, at 435. But it still kicks some major butt, even against the 5.7-liter 395-hp. Hemi found in the RAM. But that has been rectified by the Coyote engine now upping the ante by matching the Hemi’s numbers, not to mention a 10-speed tranny instead of the 6-speed found in my son’s truck.

As I mentioned, when he went truck shopping, he first looked at the price conscience XL STX with the 2.7 liter EcoBoost V6; and although it was a decent engine (as I can certainly vouch for) it lack to oomph that the 3.5-liter has. But the V8 exhaust note, and more simplistic fuel injection, as opposed to the more complex supercharger, made his decision all the better. Reliability was not the EcoBoost original forte’, although a lot of improvement has allegedly been made since those early years. At close to 80k miles a friend of his traded his 2014 3.5-liter EcoBoost for a 2016 for this reason.

Trim wise, these two trucks were almost exact clones, excluding powertrains. Whereas my son’s truck comes in high-grade cloth, the Lariat comes standard with leather; also my son’s truck still has a key (as well as a FOB) whereas the Lariat has push start, which is the norm for trim models which are above the Lariat’s pay grade as far as available as an option. The Platinum, King Ranch and top tier Limited includes them as standard affair. Another item is the XLT’s fixed running boards as oppose to the retractable running boards of the Lariat and above trim levels. Also, whereas my son’s truck, which came with the 302A package, includes Sat/Nav, Pro Trailer backup assists, as well as a backup camera and backup sensors, it doesn’t have the level of safety conveniences the Lariat and above has, as far as front sensors and optional adaptive cruise control. And my son’s XLT only comes with single-zone manual climate control, as oppose to the Lariat’s dual-zone automatic temperature control.

I say this because as nice as his truck is, it’s my opinion that these conveniences need to be considered for the XLT model. The more basic XL I can justify is simply a truck that is more minimalist for budget conscience buyers, although it’s still a nice rig. But my son saw value in upgrading to the XLT and hasn’t looked back. He may or may not considered upgrading to a 2021 model because of all the features we’re hearing, including an Infotainment screen to rival the upscale Ram trucks.

One option I’ve been gaga over is that Ford established the panoramic moonroof for CrewCab trucks, which Ram followed suit for 2019 on the redesigned Laramie Longhorn, and now even Nissan has followed suit for their Platinum Reserve. Yet, apparently GM didn’t get the memo, for their redesigned light duty and heavy-duty models don’t offer this feature as of yet. Given time, I believe the upcoming 2021 Toyota Tundra will. Now with my son, he didn’t give a hang, even though all our other vehicles (including a classic convertible) has a hole in their roofs.

The GMC Sierra may have an innovative tailgate but Ford has perfected (what Howe Long likes to call a "Man Step).

One thing he is excited about is the optional 36-gallon tank, which was not part of the Lariat’s package. With the amount of on the road driving, he’s ecstatic about the nearly 800-mile range he has between fill-ups. The fact that our GM with Five-Star Ford tried to convince him that every demo that the managers order includnes the off-rod package (for immediately resale), given our climate here in the DFW Metroplex, its not really needed. Besides, there’s no way he intends to take it off-road, and if he did, there’s always a 2-inch lift kit. His main concern is towing, which with the Coyote engine does this job admirably.

Our F-150 Lariat tester did not come cheap, whereas out the door the window sticker was $65,180. That’s considering the upper echelon models can fetch close to $80k, but the XLT Sport was more like in the mid-fifties (which is not considering a hefty almost $10-grand off the top.

The F-150 pickup has been Ford’s top-selling model for 41 straight years. The handsome hauler can be outfitted for every job and every personality, with three cab and bed styles and numerous appearance packages. Its modern aluminum-body construction helps save weight, which improves performance and fuel economy, and a slew of advanced engines and high-tech driver assists are on board. Looking for something more capable off-road? Check out the undisputed King of off-road beast, the F-150 Raptor.

What was new for 2019 and not much else for 2020?

A diesel engine is now optionally on Lariat, King Ranch, and Platinum models. The Navy Pier interior color scheme changes to Camel Back two-tone. FordPass Connect is now standard for the F-150 XLT, while the CD player is finally laid to rest. The XLT Sport Appearance Package gets new five-inch angular step bars, and new exterior colors include Agate Black, Abyss Gray, and Silver Spruce.

We think the mid-level Lariat SuperCrew with the larger cargo bed represents the best combination of versatility and value. The 2.7-liter 325-hp twin-turbo V-6 is the standard engine; upgrading to the more powerful 3.5-liter 375-hp version costs an extra $1,600. That engine is responsive and quick, and it pumps out 470 lb.-ft of torque. Every Lariat has standard features such as a power-adjustable driver's seat, a touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability, and heated and cooled front seats.

Engine, Transmission, Towing, and Performance

Pros: Wide range of engine choices including a diesel, optional turbo V-6 is fast.

Cons: 10-speed automatic seems slow to react under hard acceleration; plus, the stop start feature was finally added in 2018 for the 5.0-liter V8 (although there is a way to disengage it every time the engine is turned off).

The F-150 has an excellent selection of sophisticated engines including a 3.0-liter diesel that is good for 440 lb.-ft of torque. Most engines pair with Ford's 10-speed automatic transmission. The strongest engine isn't a red-blooded V-8 but a powerful twin-turbo V-6 that is capable of towing a class-leading 13,200 pounds. An F-150 without the Trailer Tow package can tug up to 7000 pounds with either the V-8 or the top-tier V-6.

The 2018 Platinum model we tested with the 375-hp V-6 finished among the best in all categories against the competition's largest V-8 engines. The V-8 F-150 was slower to 60 mph at 6.3 seconds, but its 50-to-70-mph time was nearly identical to that of the V-6. The V-6 model's 10-speed automatic was slow to react under hard acceleration, but otherwise operated without issue. The F-150 doesn't reach the level of comfort of the Ram 1500's available air-spring suspension offers. The ride is composed on smoother surfaces but not over harsh bumps, where jittering can be felt in the rear.

Safety and Driver-Assistance Features

The F-150 pickup can be equipped with almost every advanced safety system that is available on passenger cars, plus a clever driver aid that makes the confusing work of backing up a trailer as easy as twisting a knob. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has rated the F-150 as one of the safest pickups on the market with its 2017 Top Safety Pick rating.

Key safety features include:

Available automated emergency braking with pedestrian detection
Available adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go technology
Available lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assist

Warranty and Maintenance Coverage

The F-150 has competitive limited and powertrain warranties that are only bettered by the Nissan Titan (five years or 100,000 miles). Unlike the Toyota Tundra and the GM pickups, Ford doesn't offer complimentary scheduled maintenance.