Business casual.
Ford’s mega-selling F-150 pickup rolled into the 2013 model year packing no fewer than 10 distinct trim levels. Starting with the entry-level XL, the line climbs through the STX, XLT, FX2, Lariat, FX4, King Ranch, SVT Raptor, and Platinum trim levels before finishing off with the new-for-2013 Limited. Although the bewildering number of choices might appear to be overkill to the uninitiated—and we haven’t even touched on the myriad cab-and-bed combos or powertrain choices—Ford claims that more than 30 percent of F-150s have prices cresting $35,000, a statistic that’s bound to keep blue-oval showrooms stocked with as many luxed-out F-series trucks as bare-bones workhorses.
Start at the Top
Ford already had a good bead on what made the luxury-truck life one worth living, but we had to experience the new-for-’13 range-topping $53,890 4x4 Limited for ourselves, so we sidestepped the bulk of the options sheet and secured one for a test. Our rig added a few nominal extras, including a spray-in bedliner ($475), a tailgate extender ($250), a tailgate step ($375), and a coat of White Platinum Metallic paint ($595), so it landed wearing a $55,585 sticker. For thrifty readers, consider that a comparable F-150 XL with the SuperCrew cab, EcoBoost engine and six-speed auto, four-wheel drive, and 5.5-foot bed starts at a low $37,425, but you’ll have to add any hedonistic elements à la carte.
What you get for the roughly $16,000 difference is a check list of the latest and greatest in luxury and tech options available to pickup buyers: heated and cooled leather-trimmed front seats, heated 60/40-split rear seats, a power sunroof, a two-tone leather-wrapped steering wheel with power tilting and telescoping functions, ambient interior lighting, a rearview camera, a 110-volt power outlet, remote start, satellite radio, navigation, and Sync with MyFord Touch. Special shout-out to the range of the power-adjustable pedals and 10-way power driver’s seat: If we found one comfortable driving position, we found a half-dozen. If Shaquille O'Neal and Muggsy Bogues were forced to select and share a single vehicle for the rest of their lives due to some obscure NBA pension bylaw, this would be the one.
Size Matters
The sole Limited configuration is the four-door SuperCrew with a 5.5-foot bed, and like the rest of the F-150 lineup, it uses an independent front suspension with a stick axle and leaf springs at the rear. Steering is handled by a reasonably communicative electrically assisted rack-and-pinion setup (F-series trucks with the jumbo 6.2-liter V-8 engine still get the older hydraulic boost). It does a good job of taking the muscle out of three-point turns—which is good, because at 231.9 inches long overall and sporting a 144.5-inch wheelbase, you’ll be doing plenty of them. Gleaming polished aluminum 22-inch wheels are unique to the Limited, and it’d be a shame to scuff them up off-roading or doing, you know, actual work. Sturdy, power-deployable running boards tuck under the doors.
All F-150 Limiteds leave the factory with Ford’s 365-hp, 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 engine and six-speed automatic transmission. All-wheel drive costs $3275. (If you can deal with the shame of an F-150 Platinum, you can order the SuperCrew with the standard 5.0-liter V-8, the 6.2-liter V-8, or the EcoBoost V-6, not to mention the choice of a 6.5-foot bed.) All Limiteds get an electronic-locking 3.73 rear axle at no extra cost, and such trucks also include a trailer-towing package rated for a hefty 7300 pounds. Max payload is 1300 pounds.
Specifications
VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, 4-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door pickup
PRICE AS TESTED: $55,585 (base price: $53,890)
ENGINE TYPE: twin-turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 24-valve V-6, aluminum block and heads, direct fuel injection
Displacement: 214 cu in, 3510 cc
Power: 365 hp @ 5000 rpm
Torque: 420 lb-ft @ 2500 rpm
TRANSMISSION: 6-speed automatic
DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 144.5 in
Length: 231.9 in
Width: 79.2 in Height: 76.7 in
Curb weight: 6029 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS:
Zero to 60 mph: 6.6 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 18.8 sec
Rolling start, 5-60 mph: 7.2 sec
Top gear, 30-50 mph: 3.7 sec
Top gear, 50-70 mph: 5.3 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 15.3 sec @ 92 mph
Top speed (governor limited): 101 mph
Braking, 70-0 mph: 169 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad*: 0.78 g
FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city/highway driving: 15/21 mpg
C/D observed: 12 mpg
*Stability-control-inhibited.
Andrew Wendler
Associate Editor, Buyer's Guide
Andrew Wendler brings decades of wrenching, writing, and editorial experience with numerous outlets to Car and Driver. His work has appeared in numerous publications, including Car and Driver, Esquire, Forbes, Hot Rod, Motor Trend, MPH, MSN, and Popular Mechanics, among others. A Rust Belt native and tireless supporter of the region, he grew up immersed in automotive, marine, and aviation culture. A lifetime of hands-on experience and a healthy dose of skepticism provide him the tools to deliver honest and informative news, reviews, and editorial perspective. Of note, he once won a $5 bet by walking the entire length of the elevated People Mover up track that encircles downtown Detroit.
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