2023 Ford F-150 Reviews, Pricing & Specs

When shopping for a new 2023 Ford F-150, it is helpful to set a budget and know what you need from a full-size, light-duty pickup truck. That’s because the number of configurations is seemingly endless.

For example, the 2023 F-150 model lineup includes regular, extended (Super Cab), and crew cab (SuperCrew) styles paired with short (5.5-foot), standard (6.5-foot), and long (8-foot) cargo bed lengths. Eight core trims range from the workhorse XL work truck to the Raptor performance truck, and multiple engines are available. Ford also sells an electric truck called the Ford F-150 Lightning, but that’s considered a separate model.

Prices range from $44,055 for the regular cab with two-wheel drive for a Ford F-150 XL to $105,275 for the high-performance F-150 Raptor. You’ll need to add a mandatory $2,395 charge to have it delivered to your local dealership, plus other fees.

Then you confront a lengthy optional equipment list. For example, our Ford F-150 XLT Super Crew test truck added four-wheel drive, a twin-turbocharged 3.5-litre V6 engine, a Max Trailer Tow Package, an XLT High Package, an XLT Sport Appearance Package, and a Heritage Edition Package. In addition, it also had a spray-in bedliner, a twin-panel moonroof, On-Board Scales with Smart Hitch technology, a 2.0-kWh Pro Power Onboard system, power-adjustable pedals, and manual telescopic and folding side mirrors. All of these extras bring the Canadian manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) to $77,675, including the destination charge.

The end result looked good, especially in Ford’s blue-gray Area 51 paint colour. The F-150’s styling is comfortingly familiar and inoffensively appealing, a common theme across all of its rivals except the somewhat wild-looking Toyota Tundra. Better yet, while the Ford F-150 breaks no new design ground, it also doesn’t stumble over unusual details or proportions that can turn customers off.

Inside, the F-150 adopts a modular, Lego-like approach, right down to the quality of some surface plastics. The emphasis here is on function, not form. However, similar to the exterior, Ford makes no egregious errors in the cabin.

The test truck had the available Ford Work Surface upgrade, which allows you to fold the transmission shifter and deploy a flat interior work surface on the centre console. However, this makes the truck’s shifter feel loose and flimsy. Also, the test truck’s steering wheel controls creaked under the pressure of a press, adding to a sense of cheapness.

Cloth seats are surprising in a truck at the as-tested price point, but we like them for their more agreeable surface temperature in cold and hot weather. Plus, the fabric Ford uses looks good and feels durable.

Overall, the 2023 Ford F-150 is an appealing truck, inside and out.

Ford offers numerous engine options in the F-150, and our test truck featured the optional twin-turbocharged 3.5-litre EcoBoost V6. It makes power specs of 400 horsepower and 500 pound-feet of torque, and while it may not emanate the satisfying signature note of a traditional V8, it certainly does produce effortless acceleration.

The V6 pairs with a 10-speed automatic transmission that, despite what you might assume, always picks the right gear at the right time and without delay. Rear-wheel drive is standard on lower grades, but our truck’s drivetrain also had an optional four-wheel-drive system with a two-speed transfer case. It lacked a full-time or automatic 4WD mode.

Ford says the 2023 F-150’s maximum towing capacity is 6,350 kilograms (14,000 pounds) and the maximum payload rating is 1,503 kilograms (3,315 pounds). Of course, this depends on the configuration and powertrain, so make sure you understand exactly what any F-150 that you purchase can handle. According to Ford, you can find this information on the truck’s doorjamb.

Our test truck had the standard suspension tuning, and when driving the F-150 unloaded it can feel harsh and skittish in town while floating, bobbing, and woozing down highways. It rides better than the last standard-tuned Chevrolet Silverado 1500 we drove but isn’t as composed as the Ram 1500. And while it can buck over speed humps and drainage dips, it isn’t as irritating as the Toyota Tacoma. We bet the F-150’s ride would improve with some people and cargo aboard or with a trailer attached. You could also try the FX4 Package, select the F-150 Tremor model, or upgrade to a Ford F-150 Lariat or higher to obtain an adaptive damping suspension.

Nevertheless, the F-150 feels structurally solid and provides secure handling, though the towing mirrors on the test truck were a liability on narrow roads with overgrown brush. The brakes are stout, resisting rumble, vibration, and fade during high-heat mountain descents. Again, the truck was unloaded, so we cannot comment on how the brakes might perform under more significant duress.

The steering is unremarkable, which means it isn’t a source of irritation. On winding roads with tight hairpin turns and in urban and suburban parking lots, you’ll get a workout. For long highway stints, the steering wheel has a spot at the six o’clock position for the driver to comfortably hold the rim. The F-150 we tested was also unexpectedly quiet inside at highway speeds.

According to Natural Resources Canada, our F-150 should have returned 12.1 litres per 100 kilometres in combined driving, but we averaged 13.8 L/100 km on our testing loop, falling short of expectations. But we’ll also admit to a minor addiction to the twin-turbo V6’s seemingly endless supply of thrust.

Trucks aren’t easy to climb into and out of, but step rails help even if they simultaneously reduce the breakover angle. You’ll need to assess whether or not they’re compatible with your lifestyle. But we wouldn’t be surprised if researchers could track a reduction in the nation’s divorce rate to their existence.

Once you’re aboard an F-150 XLT equipped like our test truck, you’ll find comfortable seats for five people. The optional High equipment package supplied power front seats, 10-way power adjustment for the driver and eight-way for the front passenger, and thanks to the optional power-adjustable pedals it was easy to find a perfect driving position. During a high-30s heat wave, nobody complained about the cloth seats, which saved seared thighs on the relentlessly sunny summer days.

Storage is everywhere. Under the front centre armrest, you’ll find a large bin. In addition, there are trays and cubbies on the centre console and door panels, and dual glove compartments. For added in-cab cargo room, you can flip the rear cushion up or fold the seatback flat. During our test, three people used the F-150 for a day at the beach, and the cab easily accommodated umbrellas, chairs, boogie boards, towels, a cooler, and a backpack.

The test truck’s cargo bed had a factory-applied spray-in bedliner and the 2.0-kW Pro Power Onboard system, which exports power from the truck to operate electric tools, appliances, etc. Climbing into the bed was a challenge without Ford’s available tailgate step (part of the Bed Utility Package), especially since the bed and bumpers lack integrated stepping points.

With XLT trim, the F-150 comes with Ford’s Sync 4 infotainment system, which the automaker can improve over time through over-the-air software updates.

Sync 4 includes a 12-inch touchscreen display, enhanced voice recognition, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and SiriusXM 360L satellite radio with a complimentary three-month All Access subscription. In addition, Ford Pass Connect services are standard and provide access to a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot. Our test truck also had an active subscription to a connected navigation system.

During our test drive evaluation, Sync 4 didn’t load as quickly as expected, especially the SiriusXM satellite radio service. In addition, Ford needs to use bolder graphics with more colour contrast for improved readability while driving. However, the system is easy to understand and use, and the voice recognition system passed every single one of our tests with flying colours. It is excellent. Also, the standard stereo offered decent sound, though Ford’s available eight-speaker Bang & Olufsen premium audio system is a worthy upgrade.

In addition to Sync 4, the test truck had remote engine starting, remote tailgate locking, an integrated trailer-brake controller, and Pro Trailer Backup Assist. The latter system provides semi-autonomous driving assistance when reversing the F-150 with a trailer attached, which can be a challenging and counter-intuitive task. In addition, the test truck’s On Board Scales with Smart Hitch helps prevent overloading the bed with payload and assists with determining the tongue weight of a trailer.

Our test truck had Ford Co-Pilot360 Assist 2.0, a comprehensive collection of advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS).

The standard 2.0 part of the package equips the F-150 with automatic high-beam headlights, forward collision warning with pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, rear parking sensors, and automatic reverse braking.

The Assist part of the package adds adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability, lane-centring assist, evasive steering assist, intersection assist for left turns, and a speed-sign recognition system.

Naturally, a driver can safely evaluate only a few of these technologies. Overall, the adaptive cruise control and lane-centring assist systems work well. However, at a mid-curve intersection, the lane assist wanted to hug the double yellow centre line and tug us into the left turn lane. Ultimately, the technology self-canceled mid-curve. Also, on tighter curves, the truck automatically slows to reduce speed, usually unnecessarily.

On a less challenging highway section, lane-centring assist did most of the heavy lifting. It proved accurate in this environment, though it displayed some minor indecision each time we passed by an exit ramp. It’s also a fairly aggressive system, perhaps because it is one step down from Ford’s hands-free Blue Cruise technology. So, you must make an effort to override it when the truck is steering in a way you’d prefer it did not.

Similarly, on the rural two-lane farm roads, the adaptive cruise and lane-centring worked well. The truck slowed smoothly when coming upon slower vehicles, and though the technology displayed a delay in response when passing, the F-150 quickly accelerated back up to speed after it no longer detected a vehicle ahead.

The more useful ADAS is the blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert systems, which you’ll use regularly. Also, the test truck’s surround-view camera is indispensable when parking, especially in conjunction with the front and rear parking sensors.

In addition to these safety features, the F-150 has a post-collision braking system. Often overlooked by consumers in terms of its importance, this technology brings a vehicle to a stop as soon as possible following a collision in order to prevent the potential for injury in secondary accidents after the airbags have been deployed.

As far as crash-test ratings go, the F-150 SuperCrew earns high marks from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and nothing but five-star ratings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), coupled with a four-star rollover resistance rating.

You may have heard that the average price of a new car in Canada is closing in on $50,000, and our love affair with pickup trucks and SUVs is helping to fuel that statistic. Case in point: the 2023 Ford F-150. Our test truck had several expensive upgrades, but it also had the second most-affordable trim level and cloth seats. Yet, the window sticker approaches $80,000. A King Ranch blows past that mark, and if you opt for a Platinum or Limited, and you’re looking at a new vehicle price of $90,000 to $100,000-plus to start.

Is that cost-effective? Not in our view, especially if you have no plans to tow a heavy trailer or haul a heavy load. Sure, you can buy a cheaper version of the F-150, but we checked to see what a modestly equipped regular cab XLT might cost, and with an engine upgrade, 4WD, the FX4 Off-Road Package, the Bed Utility Package, and a spray-in bedliner, the MSRP is still well over $60,000.

Of course, it’s not like you’re going to get a better deal elsewhere unless you decide to buy an ancient Ram 1500 Classic, the engineering for which dates back 15 years. So, you need to establish different criteria for determining value.

Our opinion is that the Ford F-150 is the best full-size, light-duty truck you can buy. It tows more weight, hauls more payload, provides impressive infotainment and safety technologies, and it’s quite safe in a collision. Plus, you can get a PowerBoost hybrid version with an electric motor, a fully electric version, and a beast of a performance version. The only rival that poses a significant threat to the Ford F-150 is the Ram 1500. As of this writing, during the 2023 model year, Chevy, GMC, Nissan, and Toyota are also-rans in this competition.

Note: Images show a US model.