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The 2018 Ford F-150 underwent numerous changes that made it even better than its predecessors. Here's why it's still a worthy buy.

When it comes to the American car industry, the pickup truck segment has always been one of the most populated and competitive of all, and both national and international brands continuously find themselves battling to win over loyal customers. For dozens of years, however, the same winner has always come out on top of the pickup brawl - the Ford F-150.

Seeing hundreds of thousands of sales each year, Ford’s F-150 full-size pickup truck is easily the most sold vehicle in the states, and that’s because it’s the perfect package for pickup enthusiasts. With countless spec options and trim levels, buyers can customize their F-150s to fit their specific needs and budgets, with variety spreading from the most barren layout to fully specked luxury-type configurations.

For the 2018 model year, Ford made several vast improvements over the previous F-150, which was already arguably the best full-sized pickup to begin with. Let’s go over how they managed to do that, and why the 2018 F-150 is still worth buying today.

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Before listing all the ways in which the F-150 is immensely practical, we should first mention a major change that was made to the 2018 model that many might now know about. While previous models were made out of steel, Ford opted to build the 18’ F-150 out of lightweight aluminum, making a noticeable impact on the truck’s fuel economy and performance.

The cabin within is loaded with storage compartments; you’ll find a massive space underneath the center armrest, another cubby next to the dual cup holders, one more on the dashboard, and a pair of gigantic door pockets too. Furthermore, you can fold up the rear seats to accommodate even more gear, and when you add the truck bed to the equation, you’ve got yourself the equivalent of a toolbox on wheels. Additional cost options include pop-out side steps, a bed extender, integrated loading ramps, and even a tailgate with an integrated step and grab handle.

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A whopping total of 6 trims were offered by Ford on the 2018 F-150, from the base level XL trim with an original starting price of around $29,000, to the range-topping Limited trim with a starting price of nearly $63,000 (this doesn’t include the F-150 Raptor). Trim levels determine interior quality and equipment, as well as overall tech. Lower trim levels are relatively basic, while the more expensive ones offer tons of up-to-date tech, like a 360-degree camera system, automatic parking, blindspot monitoring, and even a trailer backup assist system.

Regardless of your desired trim, the 2018 F-150 could be specked in three different sizes: Regular, Supercab, and the larger Supercrew. The F-150 Regular provides no rear seats, while the Supercab does, albeit in what is quite a tight fit, especially for larger people, and both options can be specked with either a 6 ½-foot bed or an optional 8-foot bed. The more expensive Supercrew variant is by far the most desirable, with a larger cabin that allows for plenty of headspace and legroom for rear passengers; though that option only comes with a 5 ½ or 6 ½-foot bed.

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There are plenty of engines to choose from when it comes to the 2018 F-150, starting with a base level 3.3-liter V6 with 290 horsepower and 265 pound-feet of torque. The next in line is a twin-turbo 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 capable of putting out 325 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque, followed by a naturally-aspirated V8 that makes 395 horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque. Lastly, there’s the best engine spec for the 2018 F-150: a twin-turbo 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 that puts down 375 horsepower and an impressive 470 pound-feet of torque, capable of running from 0-60 in around 6.6 seconds and towing 13,200 pounds. All engines come paired to a 10-speed automatic transmission aside from the base engine, which is mated to a six-speed automatic.

For the segment, a well-specked 2018 F-150 offers great acceleration, poise, and extremely confident brakes. Reduced body roll is aided by the vehicle’s new lightweight aluminum build, and the ride is mostly smooth except for rear-axle jittering over bumps.

The conclusion is really quite simple: Ford managed to make the 2018 F-150 even better than it already was, which only further solidified the model’s seemingly unbreakable hold of the full-size pickup crown. With enormous variety, good build quality, and impressive performance, it’s no wonder so many get sold each year.

Santi for short, has been into cars for as long as he can remember, and took up writing as a hobby for nearly a decade to this day. As a student currently studying English Literature and Creative Writing, it's a dream come true to be able to combine both passions in this new chapter as an evergreen writer for HotCars. With a great range of knowledge about the past and current car industry, he looks forward to bringing new and engaging ideas to the website.