2021 Ford F-150 King Ranch CrewCab Hybrid 4x4

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In 2001, Ford's marketing department leveraged a partnership with the 825,000-acre King Ranch in south Texas, which is the largest ranch in both Texas and the United States and which operates a large fleet of Ford trucks. The truck was emblazoned with the King Ranch's Running W brand and upholstered in saddle leather. It was the industry's first full-size lightweight pickup truck with a full rear passenger compartment and four full-size doors, becoming the SuperCrew cab. Along with the Limited and Platinum, the King Ranch continues to comprise the luxury end of the F-150 spectrum. 40% of King Ranch F-150 sales are in Texas, Ford's largest pickup truck market.

However. it might come as a shock that fans of the F-150 King Ranch does not occupy the highest rung on the pickup pecking order. That honor goes to the Limited, which carries a base price of $70,825. In fact, the King Ranch doesn't even place second, because that honor goes to the model we just tested, the Platinum Super Crew which carries a base price of $62,535. Sliding into third is the storied Kang Ranch at $56,330, followed in descending order by the Lariat at $44,695, the XLT at $35,050 and the entry level XL at $28,940.

It should be noted that any gradient of F-150 can quickly be optioned to replicate trim levels far above its humble beginnings. For example, my tester's base price was elevated by the following pricey enhancements: Equipment Group 701A (Platinum) : $2,685; 3.5-liter PowerBoost Full Hybrid: $2,500; FX4 Off Road Package: $1,005, plus a number of other useful, but less expensive additions, brought the final total of our F-150 to $72,310.

Ford has taken what appears to be a rather simplistic mode of transport - a five and a half foot long open box attached to frame rails with rear leaf springs - and turned it into a masterpiece of convenient conveyance. When you approach it, this truck greets you like your favorite retriever. Instead of wagging its tail, it flashes all its lights in greeting. It simultaneously extends both running boards outward to assist your ascent into the cab.

One reason this is the bestselling truck in America is that Ford doesn't mess around with intricate, attention sucking, menu-driven control schematics. This is a company that still likes to use great big, serrated knobs that are clearly marked as to function, and a joy to operate with the utter certainty only tactile grasp can bring you. There are seven of these spread across the dash face. Want 2WD Hi or 4WD? Just turn the dial to the appropriate physical position. Same goes for the grippy Temperature knobs, the Trailer guidance assistant, and just about everything else of importance to your comfort and safety. As a sop to the fact that this marvel is actually a product of the 21st century, Ford has added a huge 12-inch Synch4 screen to the center of the dash so that smartphone users will have plenty of visual challenges to keep them occupied with the infotainment and navigation systems. In Platinum editions, no less a luminary than Bang & Olufsen provides the vibrant "Sound System Unleashed" for cab concert attendees.

My tester featured the new-for-2021 3.5-liter Hybrid V6 which significantly upgrades power output to 430 hp. and a whopping 570 lb.-ft. of torque. This $2,500 "Full Hybrid" option means you can tow a trailer weighing 12,700 lbs. To enable such activity, Ford provides this 6,500 lb. F-150 with a 10-speed automatic gearbox, electronic locking rear differential, and standard trailer sway control which uses Roll Stability Control as part of the AdvanceTrac portfolio of towing technology.

As far as hybrid technology, the F-150 is the only one in its segment that does, as well as make you forget about the 3.3-liter diesel V6. EPA ratings are 25 mpg city and 26 mpg highway with rear-wheel drive or 24 mpg city and highway with four-wheel drive.

For more check out Ratti's Rides on the King Ranch Hybrid pickup:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84S88RNRIt4