By Derek Price
Automotive Writer
Whenever I drive a pickup truck, I tune the radio to the Willie Nelson station and cruise down a country road. It just seems fitting.
With this one, though, I keep finding myself tuning to the classical station and blasting symphonies through the Sony sound system. This truck just feels too upper-crust for Willie.
It’s called the F-150 Limited, and it’s Ford’s top-of-the-line half-ton pickup. It occupies an even higher perch than the King Ranch, Lariat and Platinum trims in Ford’s truck lineup and carries a starting price over $50,000 — about what I paid for my first house.
And it’s the kind of truck that’s getting more popular every year.
Ford says that 30 percent of its F-150 sales are now coming from these high-end models with prices from $35,000 to $50,000, and after a week driving the Limited, it’s easy to see why.
With 22-inch polished aluminum wheels and bold “Limited” badges, the top-of-the-line F-150 stands out with both style and substance.
This is a truck that feels as comfortable as a luxury car in many ways. From the quiet highway ride to the soft, supple seats that are like sitting in living-room recliners, the F-150 Limited makes you feel pampered.
At the same time, it’s still got the F-150’s tough credentials for towing and hauling cargo.
Ford chose the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 as the exclusive powertrain in the Limited truck, and it’s a good choice for its mixture of raw power and decent fuel economy. It offers V8-like performance with 365 horsepower but is still rated for 22 mpg on the highway with two-wheel drive.
I like the feel of the EcoBoost, which produces the kind of meaty, muscular torque that is surprising in an “Eco”-labeled vehicle.
It also comes with plenty of bells and whistles to justify its $50k price tag, including a voice-activated navigation system, rain-sensing wipers, power running boards, heated and cooled seats, piano black trim and even interior accent lighting that lets you set the mood in five different colors.
It’s missing two things you often find in high-end vehicles, though: push-button start and adaptive cruise control.
It’s also showing its age just a bit as the current F-150 platform reaches the end of its life. I could sense a little more chassis flex and wind noise than in its recently redesigned competitors from Ram and General Motors.
The seats in Ford’s F-150 Limited have a soft, recliner-like feeling. They’re also available in the red leather to keep up with today’s style trends.
As a whole, though, the Limited model exudes a modern, upscale style thanks to lots of little refinements, almost like a neatly trimmed Italian handbag. From an F-150 insignia inside the headlamps to 22-inch polished aluminum wheels to lots of “Limited” badges both inside and outside the cabin, it screams sophistication and style like few other trucks.
At a Glance
What was tested?
2013 Ford F-150 Limited 4×4 ($52,456). Options: Pickup bed extender ($250), tailgate step ($375), spray-in bed liner ($475). Price as tested (including $995 destination charge): $54,550
Wheelbase: 144.5 in.
Length: 231.9 in.
Width: 97 in.
Height: 76.7 in.
Engine: 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 (365 hp, 420 lb.-ft.)
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
EPA Mileage: 16 city/22 highway
RATINGS
Style: 9
Performance: 8
Price: 6
Handling: 5
Ride: 6
Comfort: 9
Quality: 7
Overall: 8
Video Review:
What’s cool about the F-150 Limited
http://bit.ly/f150limited
Why buy it?
It’s almost like two vehicles in one. It has the high-end feel and pampering technologies of a luxury car, plus the power and capability of any EcoBoost-powered F-150.