News • Arts & Culture

March 29, 2019

2019 Ford F-150 Limited: Raptor Heart, Navigator Hug

Casey Williams

What makes a luxury truck? Is it a glitzy exterior? Coddling interior? Or, is it the capability to go or tow almost anything? While the name of Ford’s ultimate luxury pickup implies limits, you’ll be hard-pressed to find them. From style and luxury fit for a luxury SUV to a powertrain cribbed from the almighty Raptor pickup, the Ford F-150 Limited defines luxury in the pickup segment.

Looking Luxurious

From the White Platinum Metallic Paint to its shiny 22-inch wheels, the F-150 Limited looks luxurious. Satin finish on the chrome-surrounded grille adds panache – as do LED headlamps and bed lighting. Power retractable running boards and tailgate step that hides in the tailgate edge welcome occupants to the front cabin and rear bed. The rest of it is pure F-150 from the step-down side windowline, long Crew Cab, and high bed – all ready for moving people and their stuff.

Step inside and you’ll feel a big Lincoln hug. Stitched dash and console coverings, genuine wood accents, and soft leather seats are pretty posh, but those seats are heated and ventilated, rear seats are heated, and even the thick leather-wrapped steering wheel warms with a touch. A dual-pane sunroof, power rear window, B&O audio system, and power adjustments for the steering wheel and pedals add comfort and convenience. An easy-to-use touchscreen controls devices connected via Bluetooth, USBs, and 4G Wi-Fi.

There’s a load of safety gear, too. Adaptive cruise, forward collision mitigation, lane departure warning, and lane keep assist are part of the suite. There’s also blind spot warning that extends with trailers, 360 degree camera, and auto parallel parking system. A trailer brake controller in the dash keeps everything in line. Rear seatbelt airbags inflate in accidents to better spread crash loads across the body.

Strong Raptor Heart

It may have the luxury of a Navigator, but the Raptor’s heart comes on strong. The 3.5-liter twin-turbo V6 whomps out 450 horsepower and 510 lb.-ft. of torque – all routed to the four-wheel-drive system through a 10-speed automatic transmission. Step on it, and it moves. Hook on to a 13,000-lb. trailer and get down the road. Or, load it with 2,620 lbs. of payload. Keep the bed and trailer hitch clean to see 17/21-MPG city highway. Auto stop/start is needed to get ultimate fuel economy, but a button turns it off should it annoy you.

Ford’s chassis isn’t quite up to class leaders, but the truck rides nearly SUV smooth. It’s dreamy on the highway with that turbocharged V6 providing a cloud of power that pairs with the long wheelbase for pleasant driving – and riding. If you live in the city, check out the smaller Ranger because the F-150 is a big hoss in tight parking lots. All in, it is difficult to be unhappy traveling in the F-150 Limited.

Of course, all of this unlimited Limited luxury and power comes at a price. You can buy an F-150 for $28,155, but the Limited starts at $67,135. With all of the boxes checked, our truck came to $74,775. At that price, you’ll definitely believe in the value of luxury. Competitors include the GMC Sierra Denali, Ram Laramie Longhorn, Chevrolet Silverado High Country, and Nissan Titan Platinum Reserve, and Toyota Tundra Platinum.

Storm Forward!

Send comments to Casey at AutoCasey@aol.com; follow him on YouTube @AutoCasey.