Ford's F-150 deftly combines practicality with comfort, technology

In its final year before being redesigned, Ford's F-150 remains not only the best-selling full-size pickup in the U.S., it is simply America's most popular motor vehicle.

So much more than just a work truck, the F-150 sold 645,316 units last year. That's almost a quarter million more than the biggest-selling car in America, Toyota's midsize Camry.

Ford's F-Series has remained the top truck for 36 years straight, building a reputation for toughness and dependability. But it hasn't stayed out front by coasting on reputation alone. Trucks such as the 2013 FX4 Off Road model I drove from Detroit into rural Macomb County are loaded not only with practicality, but also more comfort and technology than ever.

I met loyal F-150 owners everywhere: The woodworker in a cabinet-making shop; the hot rod hobbyist who tows his drag racers; and the hearing aid specialist who pulls a travel trailer on family adventures. They all love their F-150s.

And then there was the woman who told me how she lost her F-150 in a divorce. She misses the Ford more than the man.

Today's full-size pickups are big vehicles for a big country. They are used not just for work, but for taking the kids to school and daily commutes. I heard stories from owners who were willing to pay more at the pump because they believe size equals safety. The F-150 has an impressive array of air bags, an insurance industry Top Safety Pick, and four out of five stars in government collision and rollover testing.

I felt like I owned the road driving the FX4, but it didn't keep me from getting cut off by a woman in a small car frantic to get to an Interstate 94 exit ramp. I took it in stride. The move certainly was at her risk, not mine.

I won't kid you, though. There were parking spaces I didn't even attempt with the 145-inch wheelbase FX4. It stands so tall that even this six-footer did a little jump every time I got out.

The truck comes in so many configurations that the F-150 is like a separate car company. There are 10 trim levels, from a plain work truck for as little at $24,665 all the way to high performance and luxury models costing up to $57,533. There are three different cabs to choose from: The regular cab with front seat only; SuperCab with large jump seats you reach through narrow rearward opening doors; and a SuperCrew with four doors and room for six to sit in comfort. There are three different cargo box lengths, and six different wheelbases ranging from 130 to 163 inches.

Luxury interior

The four-wheel-drive SuperCab I drove with black 20-inch alloy wheels, sporty graphics and leather-trimmed cloth seats was very nice. But it should have been. It listed at $51,230.

The interior contained almost everything you'd find in luxury cars. The MyFord Touch system for hands-free connectivity of cellphones, mobile devices and operation of audio, navigation and dual zone climate control paired my smartphone and downloaded its phone book with ease. If you don't like touch screens and voice commands, there are big knobs and buttons to perform the same functions while wearing gloves. It had heated and cooled front seats. The stitched leather was glove soft. The dash had hard but attractive and practical surfaces. The Sony audio system sounded great.

The truck I drove didn't have blind-spot assistance. Butit had huge electronically folding and extending mirrors. It also used the stability and traction control system to manipulate the brakes and throttle to protect the truck against trailer sway.

The SuperCab model turned out to be quite the grocery-getter. Eight big paper bags fit side-by-side across the wide back seat. Legroom back there is very limited and suited only to people smaller than me. I fit only with my knees splayed and wedged against the back of the front seat.

In 2011, Ford shook up the truck business with an engine lineup for the F-150 that focused on fuel economy without sacrificing power. Now, half of all F-150s are ordered with V-6 engines — not traditional V-8s.

V-8s remain an option, including one that produces 411 horsepower. The standard 3.7-liter V-6 produces 306 horsepower and gets an EPA rated 17 mpg city and 23 highway. The $2,395 optional 3.5-liter twin turbocharged EcoBoost V-6 produces more horsepower than the $1,000 optional 5.0-liter V-8 and almost as must torque as the big 6.2-liter V-8. The EcoBoost and largest V-8 are both rated for 11,300 pounds of towing capacity, but the V-6 does it using far less fuel. I got 17 mpg with the EcoBoost engine.

Rivals not standing still

Faced with Ford's continuing innovation, the competition isn't holding still.

With 418,312 sold last year, Chevrolet's Silverado pickup was the second best-selling vehicle in the U.S. General Motors also dramatically redesigned and updated its near-twin Silverado and GMC Sierra pickups slated for dealerships this summer.

Ram pickups ranked seventh in overall sales last year with 293,363 sold. That was aided by an all-new model named Truck of the Year at Detroit's North American International Auto Show.

The Ram's fuel economy and optional air ride suspension outperform the F-150.

Toyota last month announced a new Tundra is due next year, after selling 101,621 in the U.S. in 2012. Tundra's sales growth this year has been larger than any of the American brands.

Ford has teased that the next-generation F-150 will look larger and even more angular, like the Atlas concept truck revealed in January.

It will contain more cutting-edge technology — much of it aimed at reducing fuel consumption with aerodynamic devices like a front spoiler that automatically extends and grille and wheel covers that close openings at speed.

The 13th-generation F-150 also will have next-generation EcoBoost turbocharged engines with fuel-saving automatic shutoff whenever the truck comes to a halt.

Plans are in place to keep the F-150 out front, but Ford also is keeping the last of the current generation loaded with the stuff that makes it America's favorite work, live and play truck.

dguthrie@detroitnews.com

Follow me on Twitter @DougGuthrie

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