2013 Ford F-150 Expert Review
Reviewed by Staff Writer
Sum Up
A vehicle with a long tradition of quality and performance, the 2013 Ford F-150 delivers all the features and options befitting a large pickup of its class. Several models with varying features are available to suit the needs of any consumer, including the luxury Platinum model which offers all the amenities one could want. An excellent work vehicle, the Ford F-150 is also practical for everyday driving as it offers a comfortable ride and can seat up to six passengers when properly configured. This year's F-150 also offers the usual excellent towing capacity, with optional upgrades to enhance this feature. Coming with a solid list of standard features, an assortment of great options and packages are available as well.
New For 2013
A new grille on most models, Sync with MyFord Touch, and available HID headlights. Ford adds the new upmarket Limited trim level this year: unique 22-inch wheels, box-side lettering, full-grain leather, and high-quality trim pieces. Besides HIDs and Sync, the SVT Raptor gets optional beadlock-capable wheels and a desert camouflage color.
Exterior
The 2013 Ford F-150 is distinguished for its classic styling, including such prominent exterior features as a power dome hood and oversized Ford badge. Its large grille and slab sides accentuate the muscular style consumers in this market are looking for in a full-size pickup. Getting away from the softer look it took on in the nineties, the 2013 Ford F-150 looks as macho as ever. It is available in a regular cab, the SuperCab, or the four-door Super Crew. The F-150 can be fitted with either a 5.5-foot box, a 6.75-foot box, or an eight-foot box. Dual rear wheels are also available with the eight-foot box, which augments the F-150's towing capacity. Equipped with standard 17-inch wheels, 18-inch and 20-inch wheels are available as options as well. A trailer hitch receiver is also a standard features on the Ford F-150. Exterior options to spruce up the vehicle's exterior include power moon roof, rear parking sensors, PowerScope towing mirrors, and tubular side steps or running boards.
Interior & Cargo
The 2013 Ford F-150 is just as tough looking on the inside. Featuring boxy outlines and an upright dash, the cabin is well laid out, with controls that are intuitive to use and gauges that are easy to read. Various trims offer a more luxurious arrangement, the Platinum and Limited in particular. The F-150 includes a roomy interior, and offers a choice of a front bench seat for three or bucket seats. The bench seat offers the option of an under-seat storage compartment and the bucket seats offers an available spacious center console large enough to fit a laptop computer. The upper trim levels such as the Lariat, King Ranch, Platinum, and Limited get MyFord Touch, which features an eight-inch touchscreen in the center of the dashboard. The other trims receive a new 4.2-inch screen on the dash for the stereo and climate control. The upgraded Lariat trim level features several additional goodies in its interior, including cooled and heated front seats with power and memory. Standard equipment includes air-conditioning and tilt and telescopic steering wheel. Interior options include navigation system, LCD display of fuel economy information as well as other details, and power-adjustable pedals. An AM/FM sound system is included as standard with the XL, while the better models feature CD and MP3 playback, as well as audio controls on the steering wheel. Cruise control comes equipped as a standard feature on all but the XL model.
Safety
The 2013 Ford F-150 includes all the basic safety features one would expect, such as four-wheel, anti-lock brakes, and electronic stability system with roll stability control, and traction control. The F-150 includes front-seat side-impact airbags and side curtain airbags as standard equipment as well. Rear parking sensors and a rearview camera can also be outfitted on the F-150 as options. The upgraded Platinum model features the SOS Post Crash Alert System and a remote anti-theft alarm system as standard equipment. Seeing no structural changes this year, crash test scores are expected to be the same. Last year the F-150 Super Crew received an overall score of four out of five stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, with three stars for frontal impact and five stars for side impact tests. This same vehicle was also awarded the designation as a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, getting top scores in several categories.
Driving Experience
Overall, the 2013 Ford F-150 packs a great performance no matter how the pickup is equipped, however this performance can be tweaked in a number of ways depending on the needs of the consumer. Offering lots of versatility in terms of its capabilities, several engines are available for the vehicle. Ford has been actively pushing the newer six-cylinder engines for the F-150 as they can be just a powerful as some of the V-8 predecessors equipped on models in the past, with better fuel economy. To start with, there is a 3.7-liter, six-cylinder engine, which is the same one found in the newer Mustangs. It produces an ample 302 horsepower and 278 lb-ft of torque. It runs quite smoothly and is fairly powerful for the average truck buyer, though it doesn't leave much room for towing power. It gets 17/23 mpg city/highway. Next is a turbocharged version of this engine which makes a better 365 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque. Towing capacity with this engine stands at an impressive 11,300 pounds. The 5.0-liter, eight-cylinder, also borrowed from the Mustang, includes the characteristic roar many seek out, and it makes 360 horsepower and 380 lb-ft of torque. Finally there is the hefty 6.2-liter, eight-cylinder which produces 411 horsepower and 434 lb-ft of torque. More power means less fuel economy. It gets an estimated 11/14 mpg city/highway. A six-speed, automatic transmission is standard across the lineup, and all but the 4.2-liter engines come with electric power steering, which offers more nimble steering and greater maneuverability.
Key Competitors For The 2013 Ford F-150
- Dodge Ram 1500
- Chevrolet Silverado 1500
