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The F-150 comes in a wide range of body styles and bed lengths, and it's up to you how to configure it. The Regular Cab has either a 6.5-foot or 8-foot bed, and so does the extended SuperCab. The SuperCrew four-door pickup also comes with short- and long-bed options, as well as a wheelbase six inches longer than other versions, with all the additional room going to the rear seats. All F-150s can have well sculpted bucket seats, and even the basic bench isn't a bad alternative. In back, the seats have a truly flat floor, and the cushions fold up against the back on four-door models so huge packages can be carried inside, safely and securely. A tailgate ladder and a side box step are stamped into each version.

All F-150s have a package of safety gear that blends electronic assistance with the usual airbags. Stability control is standard, and so are trailer sway control, which uses anti-lock brakes to mitigate the motion of a trailered vehicle, and hill start assist. A rearview camera and Bluetooth are available, too, and the F-150 has done well in crash tests. Especially of note is that the F-150 is the only one of the Big 3 full-size trucks to be an IIHS Top Safety Pick and achieve 'good' scores in the important, rollover-related IIHS roof-strength test.

More than most any vehicles on the road, pickups still offer the custom-order experience, not just in hard points but in soft points. The F-150's no different: it comes in no less than eleven packages that run from stripper XL editions to Harley-Davidson, King Ranch, Platinum, and Limited editions. The F150 can be fitted with Ford's SYNC media controller, with real-time traffic information, and even with features like a Sony sound system, DVD entertainment players and second-row heated seats. If you want to get an idea of how luxurious an F-150 can be, step into the King Ranch, upholstered in natural leather, surrounded by LCD screens and a navigation system. It's like sitting in the world's most sophisticated baseball glove--and the price tag of more than $44,000 adequately underscores that impression.

One of the highest-rated pickup trucks here at The Car Connection, the Ford F-150 earns its keep, year after year, with class-leading towing, luxury and tech features, and as of late, its improving gas mileage.

With King Ranch editions, EcoBoost V-6 turbos, and a Harley-Davidson model wearing basic black like it owns it, how can the F-Series Ford truck get better? The best-selling vehicle in the U.S. since the Carter administration returns for the 2013 model year with few changes, but one of them adds connectivity to its cabin that's not matched by any other pickup truck on the planet.

In their 1990s heyday, pickup trucks excelled at smooth V-8 power. Now they're truly muscular, especially at Ford, where the 5.0-liter V-8 endows the F-150 with a Mustang GT powertrain and its sizzling exhaust note, too. The 5.0 puts out an EcoBoost-identical 360 hp: the engine's retuned from the Mustang application for better low-end torque and to maintain the truck's 10,000-pound tow rating. At the top of the range is a new 6.2-liter V-8 with a monster output of 411 hp and 434 pound-feet of torque, fitted in the most luxurious models and in the Raptor off-road special edition.

Electric power steering was adopted along with the new engines, and it's also carlike in feel, with quick, light responses to inputs, more so than any other full-sizer. The ride and handling of the F-150 is probably where it gets nudged by Silverados and Rams: it handles pretty well for such a large pickups, but the ride is just a touch tougher than either. Four-wheel drive is available across the lineup, of course, and a new mechanical setup comes with automatic 4x4 mode that shifts power to the front wheels when needed.