Ford sells way more trucks than any other brand, but even in forums like this, the F150 gets a fair share of criticism. So, what makes the F150 the best-selling truck by far, even with its issues?
For me, I went with a 2024 Lariat 3.5 this year because it offered more tech and a nicer trim than a Tundra for a lower price. What really sold me was the payload and the flat rear floor with the seats up, making the cargo space great. I didn’t worry much about towing since all the brands can pull more than I need.
I almost bought a Tundra Platinum, but its payload was only 1,000 pounds despite Toyota’s site saying 1,800. Also, the rear seats had a hump and a platform underneath. I liked the look of the GM trucks but felt I’d have to go for a high trim to get a nice interior. Rams just weren’t for me.
So far, I love my Ford, the payload is perfect, my wife loves it more than I expected, it’s super comfy, and the highway ride is amazing (I’m coming from a 2019 Frontier). The power is incredible. But some days, I worry about long-term reliability. Will it make it to 150,000 or even 250,000 km without major repairs (like transmission, turbos, or electrical problems)? Also, the fuel economy is nowhere near the advertised numbers, even though I drive carefully.
These are my thoughts, but I’m curious to hear why others chose the F150 over other brands or what you think makes it sell so well.
For me, it was always going to be an F150. Dodge’s crash ratings were bad at the time, and Chevy didn’t have the EcoBoost engine. I also learned to drive on an older F150.
Overall, Ford just makes the most capable light trucks. That sealed the deal for me.
I found an F150 with 220,000 miles that hadn’t run in 5 years. Bought it for $500, spent about $1,000 on parts and a few days getting it roadworthy, and it’s been my daily driver for 6 years now. Sure, it’s had problems, but nothing I couldn’t fix in the driveway. It still has issues, but I’ll keep fixing it until it just doesn’t make sense anymore.
I got a 2018 Lariat Crew Cab 4x4 with the 2.7L in December 2018.
Titan didn’t interest me.
Tundra’s tech and interior didn’t appeal to me.
Silverado’s steering and seats felt off.
Sierra looked great, but it was out of my budget.
Ram had cool tech, but I worried about reliability, especially with the air suspension.
The F150 checked all my boxes, had good tech, looked nice, and rode well. I really liked the 2.7L engine, and the powered running boards became my favorite feature.
On any car forum, you’ll mostly see criticism and a few die-hard fans who won’t hear anything bad. The rest are quiet.
Ford trucks have problems, but other brands have more. The F150 wouldn’t be the top-selling truck for decades if it didn’t generally get the job done at a fair price.
Every truck has its pros and cons, but Ford’s balance of features, price, and capability makes it the top choice.
Kai said: @Emory
Modern Toyotas aren’t really that much more reliable than domestic brands. RAM trucks, with the ZF8 trans and Hemi, are also pretty solid.
True, but reliability isn’t the main point. There really aren’t any truly unreliable cars anymore. Each brand has its strengths and weaknesses. Ford’s popularity shows that it satisfies its customers more often than not.
F150s are cheaper than other full-size pickups. You can get a crew cab FX4 for less than a TRD Off-Road. Ford also has big incentives for fleet sales, and the EcoBoost engines offer plenty of power.
I wouldn’t stress too much about long-term reliability. Ford does push new tech, so recalls happen. But even Toyota had a lot of issues when they updated their trucks. I don’t think Ford is significantly less reliable than other brands. Contractors and fleets wouldn’t keep buying them if they were junk.
People tend to post more when they have issues. This forum leans negative on F150s, but think about the huge number of trucks out there running fine that nobody talks about. I have a 2012 3.5L EcoBoost with 253,000 miles, and it’s only needed regular maintenance.