Took both the Flash and Lariat for a spin today. I need the extended range, but am I crazy for thinking the $8k+ jump just for leather seats and a sunroof is ridiculous?
Am I missing something, or is there another trim I should be looking at?
The Lariat does have a few other perks, but it really depends on what matters to you.
For me, memory seats are a must. I use my truck for work—one setting for driving, another for lunch breaks, and a third for laptop time. Might sound silly, but I won’t buy a truck without them.
Ventilated seats are another big one. Black truck, black interior, summer heat? No way I’m going without those.
There’s probably more, but those are the ones that matter to me. If I could’ve deleted the sunroof and saved $2k, I would’ve, but that’s not how trim packaging works, unfortunately.
It’s more than just the leather and sunroof.
- Phone as a key
- Ventilated seats
- Memory settings for seats, pedals, wheel, and mirrors that adjust automatically when you unlock the truck
- Sliding rear window
- Tailgate light bar
The memory settings were huge for me since my wife also drives the truck, and she’s way smaller than I am. When I got mine, the difference between a fully loaded XLT (before the Flash trim came out) and the Lariat was only $5k, so it was a no-brainer.
@Quin
Also, power-folding mirrors.
Wilder said:
@Quin
Also, power-folding mirrors.
And rain-sensing wipers.
Wilder said:
@Quin
Also, power-folding mirrors.
And rain-sensing wipers.
…Which you can actually add back for like $100 with Forscan! 
For me, the extra convenience features weren’t worth the price. And the fact that the Lariat doesn’t come with 9.6kW Pro Power was a deal-breaker.
That’s one of the coolest features of this truck, and honestly, it’s pretty rare to find on a Lariat or Platinum.
@Wylie
Pro Power is probably the most useful feature. Thought it was still standard on the 2024 Platinums?
Sunny said:
@Wylie
Pro Power is probably the most useful feature. Thought it was still standard on the 2024 Platinums?
I could be wrong. There were no Platinums near me, and none of the Lariats I saw had it.
A lot of Lariats don’t qualify for the government rebate… and honestly, I love my Flash. Leather seats aren’t a big deal to me.
Tan said:
A lot of Lariats don’t qualify for the government rebate… and honestly, I love my Flash. Leather seats aren’t a big deal to me.
Leather is ‘meh’… until you have messy kids.
@ChrisF150Fan
No kids, but my workers aren’t the cleanest guys either haha.
@ChrisF150Fan
Sport cloth cleans up super easily.
Tan said:
@ChrisF150Fan
Sport cloth cleans up super easily.
The Pro trim has vinyl, right? Either way, I was planning to get the Flash and maybe do Katzkin later if I really wanted leather… but then I found a used Platinum for $47k, so that settled it.
One thing that really annoys me is how Ford locked certain features behind the Lariat and Platinum trims—like the sliding rear window, sunroof, phone as a key, and foldable mirrors.
They don’t do this on the gas-powered versions, but for some reason, they did it on the Lightning.
I’m 99% happy with my Flash, but I really wish Ford hadn’t hidden the sliding window and sunroof behind the pricier trims.
@TaylorFordLover
Ram is doing the same thing—hiding simple stuff like a 360 camera (which should honestly be standard by now) in a package that costs $10k. Same with ventilated seats.
You’d think it’d be cheaper for them to limit the number of different configurations, but they know people will pay extra for these features.
@ChrisF150Fan
Yeah, Ram has been doing this for years. They even hid the hands-free unlock behind the Laramie trim. Ford’s just as bad with the garage door opener.
Vega said:
@ChrisF150Fan
Yeah, Ram has been doing this for years. They even hid the hands-free unlock behind the Laramie trim. Ford’s just as bad with the garage door opener.
That annoyed me with the Silverado ZR2 too. Even with the tech package, I still had to hit the button on the door to unlock it. At least it came with a HUD.
I test drove both, and the only thing I wish my Flash had was the memory seats… but that alone wasn’t worth the price difference for me.
Leather seats? Too slippery. I’d probably just put covers over them anyway, which kinda defeats the purpose.
Sunroof? Looks cool, but I’d never use it. I don’t like the sun baking through glass onto my head while driving.
Sliding rear window? Had them in previous trucks, barely ever used them.
Plus, the Lariat actually has a lower bed weight capacity.
If Ford made a Flash with memory seats, that’d be the perfect trim in my opinion.
Edit: Also, I could not care less what other people think about my truck’s trim level. 
People underestimate how much a sunroof improves the feel of the cabin. It’s not just about the window itself—it also gives you extra headroom, making the space feel much more open.