Is a Ford F-150 a Good First Vehicle?

For over four decades, the F-series has been the best-selling vehicle in the United States, with Americans buying 103 F-series cars every hour. Texans buy Ford trucks more than any other demographic – the Lone Star State accounts for 20% of Ford truck purchases.

A Ford F-150 is a good first vehicle because it is cheap to run, has a high towing capacity, and has a spacious and luxurious cabin. Also, the F-150 has advanced safety features, is durable, and is likely to fetch a reasonable resale price.

We will delve deeper into why an F-150 is an excellent first vehicle, so read on!

Why You Should Buy an F-150 as a First Vehicle

Buying your first car can be challenging because the options are seemingly endless. The indecision is partly fueled by the fear of making the wrong choice.

The sales record of the F-series shows that it’s, at the very least, a good car; otherwise, it wouldn’t have held the top spot for over four decades. Here are some reasons that make the F-150 a great first vehicle.

An F-150 Is Cheap To Maintain

The base 2023 F-150 – the XL – will cost you around $34,000, and the top 2023 model – the Limited – will cost you a little over $77,000. Purchasing a vehicle is one thing; running and maintaining it is another.

The F-150 models with internal combustion engines need fuel to run. With the recent fluctuations in fuel prices, fuel economy has become a top priority among car purchasers. The powerful F-150 engines perform pretty well in the consumption department.

The most economical F-150 motor is the 3.5-liter hybrid: the 2-wheel drive model consumes 25 mpg (10.6 km/l) in the city and 26 mpg (11.1 km/l) on the highway. Its four-wheel drive equivalent averages 23 mpg (9.8 km/l) on congested city streets and fast-moving highways.

The thirstiest F-150 is the 3.5-liter V6 in Raptor trim: the 4-wheel drive-only model consumes 14 mpg (6 km/l) in the city and 18 (7.7 km/l) on the highway. Therefore, consumption figures for the F-150 range from 14 mpg (6 km/l) to 26 mpg (11.1 km/l).

Considering the power and torque produced by F-150 engines, they are reasonably economical motors. Alternatively, you can go for the F-150 Lightning and avoid paying for fuel.

The F-150 Lightning is an all-electric truck that can travel between 230 miles (370 km) and 320 miles (514.9 km) on a full charge, depending on the battery pack.

It costs about $800 annually to maintain an F-150, which is lower than the average maintenance cost for full-size trucks.

An F-150 Has a Competitive Towing Capacity

The F-150 can match its closest rivals – the Chevrolet Silverado and Ram 1500 – in terms of towing capacity.

The 3.3-liter V6 engine can tow up to 8,200 pounds (3,719.5 kg), the lowest figure among F-150 engines. With a trailer tow package, the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 can tow a maximum of 14,000 pounds (6,350.3 kg), the highest tow capacity in the F-150 range.

The EcoBoost has the lowest payload capacity at 1,410 pounds (639.6 kg). Manufactured to carry a maximum of 3,325 pounds (1,508.2 kg), the mighty 5.0 liter V8 has the highest payload capacity of all F-150s.

The Lightning falls between the EcoBoost and 5.0-liter V8 in terms of payload capacity but has more carrying space than other F-150s. As it has no engine, you get an extra 400 liters of payload space in the frunk.

A Spacious and Luxurious Cabin

Part of the reason why trucks gained popularity through the 80s and 90s is they became luxurious without losing utility.

With an F-150, you can enjoy the latest in cabin luxury while transporting a couple of thousand pounds of animal feed. The cabin has an easy-to-use infotainment system that comes with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay as standard, as well as a plethora of optional extras. Ford’s Sync 4 software updates automatically as the company improves its systems.

The F-150 cabin contains several small, almost negligible features contributing to its practicality. For instance, the gear shifter can be folded flat to create a large flat workspace on the center console.

Space is another advantage of an F-150, with all passengers getting enough legroom. It’s the perfect cabin for a family with young children, with enough space to accommodate car seats.

Advanced Safety Features

With every car update, Ford improves its vehicles’ safety features. An F-150’s collision avoidance system notifies you of potential danger and automates braking to avoid a collision. The vehicle’s self-steering technology prevents accidents by subtly stopping your car from encroaching into the next lane.

The rear-facing camera has many uses, including assisting with parking and allowing the driver to monitor a trailer.

The F-150 Is Tough and Durable

An F-150 is a durable car that, with the proper maintenance, can run for miles on end. Ford claims that F-series vehicles have over 250,000 miles (402,336 km) clocked, which is more than any other brand.

Ford tests its F-150s rigorously to ensure they last long regardless of usage and weather conditions. However, poor maintenance and over-usage will shorten an F-150’s life, irrespective of the vehicle’s toughness. You can expect your F-150 to last up to 300,000 miles (482,803.2 km).

The F-150 Retains Its Value

Thanks to its bulletproof durability, an F-150 retains its value. Car Edge states that the F-150 depreciates 24% after 5 years. Therefore, you can expect to fetch a reasonable price if you decide to sell your first F-150. Conversely, you can purchase a good, used F-150 at an affordable price.

I’ve also written a guide on how easy it is to work on a Ford F- 150s. If you want to work on your vehicle, it’s a good choice because parts are accessible, and you can find several online resources to learn what to do.

Toronto, Canada - Oct 14, 2017: Black Ford F 150 SVT Raptor Dakar Edition on a parking lot in the city of Toronto

Conclusion

An F-150 is a great car to start your car ownership journey with. Some of its models might be in the higher price range, but all F-150s are easy to maintain and run. Furthermore, they are guaranteed to last many years while retaining most of their value.