10 Reasons Ford Trucks Crush the Competition (& 2 Major Concerns)

Intro

There are many advantages to putting a Ford truck in your driveway instead of one of the other brands. Many people consider nothing else. But for those who cross-shop Ford trucks against other makes, we put together the top ten reasons why Ford trucks absolutely CRUSH the competition.

To be honest, there are so many reasons, it was a bit of a challenge limiting the list to just ten. Nobody makes anything like the F-150 Raptor R. And, on the other end of the spectrum, the only real competitor for the Ford Maverick is the Hyundai Santa Cruz. But the Maverick outsells the Santa Cruz by about six to one, so it’s not much of a competition at all.

But all is not well in Ford truck land. In addition to our list of ten reasons Ford trucks stand above the rest, we also included two reasons why owning a Ford truck should concern you. And these are significant concerns that might have you looking at other brands.

Let’s get into it!

1. Variety – Small, Medium, Large, Super... Duty

What size truck do you want? It doesn’t matter because Ford has one of each. The Maverick is the market-dominating compact truck. The Ranger is one size up from there. Then you get to the meat and potatoes F-150 half-ton truck. Still not big enough? Walk this way to the Super Duty section of the lot. No other truck manufacturer gives you these many options when it comes to size. This variety is a major competitive advantage over other brands.

2. Special Editions – Tremor, Lobo, Raptor, King Ranch

Ford not only offers a variety of truck sizes, but within each of size, Ford offers plenty of unique, enhanced, and special editions. Lobo Maverick and F-150 for street driving. Raptor Ragner, F-150, and Bronco for desert shenanigans. And for off-roading you can now get Maverick, F-150, and Super Duty Tremors (not to mention Explorer and Expedition).

3. Engine Options – Economical to Performance

Ford has myriad engines to go with all the different flavors of trucks that they offer. Do you want a fuel-sipping 4-cylinder hybrid? No problem. How about a diesel with more torque than any other engine in its class? No problem. The naturally aspirated V8 is an engine that is disappearing from many manufacturers, but Ford offers three different variants in their trucks. And there are several powerful twin-turbo V6 engines, not to mention some all-electric goodness too.

4. Interiors – Bigger and Better

The interior of the Maverick is pretty basic, which makes sense given its price point. But the interior of the Ranger outclasses other mid-size trucks like the Tacoma. And all the F-Series models feel like you're driving around in big-ass 1970s Lincolns. They not only offer a lot of space but a lot of luxury as well, depending on the options you choose. Overall, the inside of a Ford truck is a very nice place to spend time.

5. Mobile Generator – Pro Power Onboard

Pro Power Onboard is available in the F-150, Super Duty, and Lightning pickup trucks. And it turns your truck into a mobile generator that can power everything from a blender to your entire house. You can power a job site right from the back of your truck. It is an extremely useful and unique aspect of your Ford truck.

6. Towing – Many Ford Trucks Are Best in Class

Do you tow heavy loads frequently? Well, you need a Ford. Period. There are other trucks on the market that are very good at towing. But Ford offers several models with best-in-class towing capacity.

Properly configured you can get a Super Duty to tow 40,000 pounds. Even the diminutive Maverick can tow 4,000 pounds and the mid-size Ranger is good for a stout 7,500 pounds. The F-150 maxes out at 13,500 pounds. Ford trucks can tow and they can tow everyday for a long time.

7. Technology – From Onboard Scales to Massaging Seats

Ford trucks are positively loaded with technological features. 360-degree cameras, Onboard Scales and Smart Hitch, massaging seats, Connected Navigation, and more are all available on modern Ford trucks. There was a time when trucks were just for doing work and nothing else. But the Ford trucks of today can do more work than ever, and make that work easier and more comfortable than ever.

8. Pricing For (Almost) All – Work Truck to Luxury Truck

The nice thing about all of the options we touched on so far is that they are just that, options. You don’t have to select and pay for any of them if you don’t want to. Look at the F-150. You can grab a regular cab F-150 XL for about $40K. It is a basic work truck that comes with rear wheel drive and a Coyote V8 engine.

You want to be pampered? Go for the Platinum Plus and get quilted leather seats, a twin-panel moonroof, power running boards, 22-inch chrome wheels, and a whole lot more. It will cost you more than double the price of that basic XL but if you have the funds, Ford will deliver you an all-out luxury truck.  

9. Made in America

Yes, the Maverick is built in Mexico at the Hermosillo Assembly Plant. Outside of that, Ford builds all other truck models in the U.S. Ford employs the most hourly workers in the country. Ford assembles the most vehicles in the country. Ford trucks are the most American trucks you can buy. That is important any time of the year, but it should feel a little extra special with Independence Day right around the corner.

10. Community – Ford Truck Enthusiasts

Is there a better truck community in the world than the Ford truck community? Or shall we say the Ford truck family? Because that's what it is. When you own a Ford truck you are part of the family. There are fantastic events such as the Ford Nationals at Carlisle.

And of course, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the Ford Truck Enthusiasts community. It goes without saying that we have the best writers and editors in the world. But even more important is that we have the best members. Members who help each other out like family on our forums. You really can’t beat that.

11. Concern 1 – Pricing is Insane

Now it is time to examine the other side of the coin. Owning a Ford is not perfect. One reason is that they are getting very expensive. We mentioned previously that pricing variety is one of the best aspects of ownership is price. That's true because you can control the pricing with the individual options you choose.

But the reality is that very people buy a zero-option truck.

Most new Ford trucks today are getting crazy expensive, even the cheap ones. And you don’t have to splurge on something wild like the Raptor R to get the price into uncomfortable territory. The F-150 XLT reasonably optioned with just the V8 and XLT Mid Equipment Group is about a $60,000 truck. Yikes. A new Ford truck is a swift kick to the wallet region.

12. Concern 2 – Quality Control

We are halfway through the year and Ford has already issued over 70 recalls. At this rate. they're going to cross the 100-recall mark for the year. The 2025 F-150 has been recalled seven times already. That is more than once a month. The 2025 Ranger has been recalled three times, the Super Duty three times and the Maverick twice. That is 15 truck recalls in six months. Ford builds and sells a lot of trucks, so recalls are going to happen. But this is an alarming rate.

Quality control really needs to improve at Ford.

Images: Ford