2026 Ford Report Card: 5 Biggest Wins & 5 Staggering Failures!

Ford Truck Highest Highs & Lowest Lows

As we head into 2026, we thought we would take a look at the top five things the Ford Motor Company is doing to the best of its abilities... and five areas where the company desperately needs to improve. 

If Ford can address the five things they are doing wrong and keep on doing the five things they are getting right, we'd argue they're set up to have a banner 2026 and 2027 and so on. And as Ford truck enthusiasts, we will as well.

So, what are Ford's biggest wins and staggering failures? Keep reading to find out. And as always, we welcome your feedback. Please share anything that you think should be added to the list.  

Big Win #1 – Engine Options

One of the bright spots in the Ford truck lineup is the variety and quality of engines offered. In the Super Duty lineup, we get two powerful gas engines and two absurdly powerful diesel engines. The F-150 comes with a couple of EcoBoost engines, a hybrid engine, and the beloved 5.0L V8. The Ranger lineup offers a couple of stout EcoBoost engines. And in the Maverick, you can go with a hybrid or an EcoBoost. Ford has a truck for any need and an engine to go with it.

Failure #1 – Recalls

Damn, Ford, what happened last year? CarBuzz tallied up the data from 2025, and Ford issued a staggering 143 recalls. For some perspective, that is more than Chrysler (51), GM (26), VW (23), and BMW (20) COMBINED. And those other auto groups contain multiple brands. For example, Chrysler includes not just Chrysler but also Fiat, Jeep, Dodge, and Ram. To be fair, the Ford recalls also include Lincoln models, but come on, Ford, how in the world did you have so many recalls? This is embarrassing and something that Ford really needs to correct ASAFP.

Big Win #2 – Work-Oriented Technology

Modern Ford trucks have more technology than ever before. Some of it is for pure entertainment purposes, but a lot of it is geared towards making the life of the working man and woman easier. Pro Power Onboard, Pro Trailer Backup Assist, Pro Trailer Hitch Assist, Onboard Scales with Smart Hitch, and more are all available on many Ford trucks. Some folks may miss the days of the simple Ford truck, but it is nice to have these options available for those who want to make their jobs easier.

Failure #2 – Price Creep

Have you shopped for a new Ford truck lately? If not, we suggest you sit down before browsing the website. Base prices have gone up, but the option prices have also increased dramatically in recent years. Not too long ago, the thought of a $100K+ Ford truck was absurd. But it's surprisingly easy to do today. And even just a nicely equipped F-150 Lariat can easily cost over $70K... which doesn't even include leather seating anymore.

Ford needs to rein in the pricing a bit. We understand the macroeconomic challenges at hand, but Ford won’t sell new trucks if no one can afford them. 

Big Win #3 – Off-Road Options

Do you like to go off-road? Ford has a truck for you. Actually, they have several of them. Of course, there are the Ranger Raptor, F-150 Raptor, and Raptor R models. But there is also a whole family of Tremor models that are more than capable of taking you deep into the wilderness. Can’t fit any of those in the budget? No problem, grab any number of FX4 off-road packages, which are more capable than you think (just a little light on tire tread). It'ss a great time to be a Ford fan as well as an off-road enthusiast.

Failure #3 – Weak Sauce Lobo Models

If you like your performance to be more street-oriented, then Ford trucks are a bit of a letdown. We give them some credit for offering a couple Lobo models that are the street performance trucks in the lineup. And they're not bad trucks by any means. They look good, but they don’t really pack any extra performance to back up the dramatic styling. Alas, they aren't quite as hardcore as the first two SVT Lightning generations. If you are going to offer street performance trucks, give them some actual performance. Or at least an upgraded exhaust note.

Big Win #4 – Upfitter Friendliness

Ford knows many owners are going to upfit their trucks with additional gear, and they make it easy to do so. And the upfitting doesn’t have to be as extreme as installing cranes and snow plows. A lot of folks just want some extra lighting. Which is easy to do thanks to the plethora of models with included upfitter switches. This ease of flexibility is something that Ford is getting right today.

Failure #4 – Complexity and Cost of Advanced Powertrains

We mentioned at the start that one of the things that Ford is getting right is the wide range of engine choices. However, this has a downside. Cost and complexity. Do you want to add the high-output 6.7L diesel to your F-250 Lariat? That'll be $13,495, please. And that engine is wonderful, but it's also jammed with complex emission control equipment and a fuel system that needs to be maintained with vigilance. The PowerBoost hybrid in the F-150 is another great engine, but it, too, is complex, even if Ford made it a no-cost upgrade over the standard 3.5L EcoBoost. We don’t know if there is really any way around this, to be honest. But high cost and complexity is not something that most Ford truck owners get excited about.

Big Win #5 – Truck Lineup Variety

It's impossible not to find the perfect new Ford truck. The compact Ford Maverick is really the only game in town when it comes to trucks that size. We don’t consider the Hyundai Santa Cruz to be serious competition. Then there is the perfectly sized Ranger, and the F-150 and Super Duty lineup offer near limitless configurations. No matter if you live in a congested city like New York, have a 1,000-acre ranch in Montana, or anything in between, Ford has a truck for you. And if you are not the truck type, they also offer an extensive variety of SUVs. 

Failure #5 – Ruining Iconic Names (Lightning / Mustang)

The first two Ford Lightning pickup truck generations were iconic performance machines. The third generation was an EV that nobody wanted, and Ford quickly killed it. The Mustang is the best-selling sports car of all time. The Mustang Mach-E is an all-electric jelly-bean-shaped crossover. It's a pretty good jelly-bean-shaped crossover, mind you. But still, Ford, please stop sullying your most iconic nameplates. We understand that you are trying to cash in on the name recognition, but you are ticking off your loyal Ford fans. Ford, if you decide to launch a new EV sedan this year, please don’t call it the e-Super Duty.

Images: Ford