With more than 70 F-150 models available, all with different prices and equipment, this article will cover the test vehicle only, the four-door Supercrew Lariat model with a base price of $32,910. The bottom of the F-150 line, the Heritage regular cab with a six-cylinder engine, starts at $20,000.

The Ford F-150 picks up top sales from top dependability.

Although American truck manufacturers have been using upgraded old style “pushrod” V-8 engines in their trucks for generations with considerable success, Ford has introduced a more efficient intermediate size overhead camshaft engine for the F-150, the new 330 cubic inch, SOHC, 24-valve, 300 hp V-8.

The new engine, although quiet and smooth, could use a little more grunt to move this 7,000-pound behemoth around. In most circumstances the power is adequate, but in some passing situations more thrust would be nice.

Driving the F-150 is remarkably pleasant with a firm, almost luxury car ride, powerful brakes and a quiet interior. It steers and handles remarkably well for a truck. You can really throw it into corners without concern, unless the road is rough. Rough road corners invite some rear wheel “hopping” because of the live rear axle that most cars do not have.

Although the full size pickups for sale in the U.S. are all capable and compare very well, the owners appear to be sharply divided into their own biases and prejudices, largely about nameplates. There are Chevy guys, Dodge guys and Ford guys, and most of them would not be seen dead in any truck make other than their own. It seems, considering the sales success that the F-150 enjoys, that there are more Ford guys.

Standard equipment on the F-150 Lariat is generous, close to that of a luxury car with four-wheel, antilock disc brakes, power everything, keyless remote entry, entry-system keypad on driver’s door, fog lights, garage door opener, extra gauges, auto headlamps, dual heated mirrors with turn signals, adjustable power pedals, two power outlets, leather surfaced split bench seats, cruise control, tilt steering wheel, trailer harness, trip computer and aluminum wheels. The cab is nicely finished but a little cheap looking. The white instruments are pleasant, if you like white instruments. They turn black at night.

Extras include heated seats, power passenger seat and seat memory system for $645, a trailer tow package for $350, power sliding rear window for $245, limited slip rear axle for $285, a bed extender for $195, a full entertainment system with rear seat DVD player, rear seat audio controls, two wireless headphones and remote control for $1,295, fully upgraded stereo system with six-disc in-dash CD changer for $475, a reverse sensing system for $245, polished running boards for $350 and leather surfaced captain’s chairs for $595.

The Ford warranty is 36,000 miles or three years. The two-wheel-drive EPA fuel consumption is estimated at 15 mpg city and 19 mpg highway. The test truck computer indicated 13.8 mpg during the test, mixed freeway and city. The EPA estimate for the four-wheel drive version is 14 mpg city and 18 mpg highway.

Reliability and dependability surveys indicate the Ford is the most reliable of the “Big Three” trucks, with Dodge second and Chevy third. Big pickups appear to be men’s territory with only 23 percent of the F-150’s bought by women; however, that is significantly more than the 6 percent of Dodge Ram pickups bought by women.

The test truck was borrowed from Mossy Ford. If you need a full-size pickup truck, whether you are biased for or against a Ford, take a test drive in one of the many F-150s available.

Motoring since 1952, Austin Lynas has owned 55 cars and at one time raced mini-sedans in England. An aerospace engineer, he was instrumental in developing the anti-skid systems used in British military aircraft that preceded today’s ABS systems. Lynas can be reached by e-mail at osten@aol.com.