The Ford F-150 stomps into 2023, ready to take on any other half-ton truck that might challenge it for domination. This pickup has been and continues to be the top model in the market, giving us options, trims, and the quality we want and demand. With that in mind, here are six things you want to know about the F-150 from Ford.

1. The big Ford F-150 news: The Raptor R arrives

As if the Raptor wasn’t enough, Ford dropped a massive 5.2-liter supercharged V8 engine into the front of the F-150 to give us the Raptor R. This Ford truck delivers 700 horsepower and 640 lb-ft of torque. The off-road prowess of this truck should put it ahead of the Ram TRX for good.

2. An engine option added to the Tremor version of this Ford truck

A little engine swapping takes place in the Tremor model of the F-150. As we enter 2023, we see Ford offering the 5.0-liter V8 engine as part of the standard package in the Tremor trim level. The 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 becomes an option, but now you have that option. Previous versions of this truck only came with the EcoBoost engine.

3. No more Super Cab for the F-150 Lariat

Starting in 2023, the Ford F-150 Lariat is offered exclusively with the SuperCrew cab. This means you only have two trims, XL and XLT, with the Regular Cab and Super Cab configurations.

4. Color swapping is a real thing in the Ford F-150

New colors for the 2023 Ford F-150 pickup truck are:

• Area 51 Blue
• Avalanche
• Azure Gray Metallic Tri-Coat
• Hot Pepper Red Metallic Tinted Clearcoat

Colors deleted from the lineup are:

• Smoked Quartz Metallic Tinted Clearcoat
• Space White Metallic

5. Two cool new packages: Rattler and Heritage

The new Rattler Package for the F-150 is available for the base XL trim, and it adds a few off-road items to this truck. These items include:

• Blacked-tipped dual exhaust
• 18-inch dark wheels
• All-terrain tires
• Rattler logo
• Halogen fog lights
• Black interior with bronze color accents
• Hill Descent Control
• Off-road tuned shocks
• Rock Crawl mode
• Skid plates

If you opt for the XLT trim, the Heritage Edition becomes available to you. This package brings you:

• Two-tone exterior paint
• Black honeycomb grille
• Body-color grille surround

6. The base XL trim isn’t as basic as it used to be

Instead of offering some of the equipment groups as available options, Ford rolls these features into the various trims to make them part of the standard items. This means the XL trim for 2023 has more features than it did for 2022.

How much can a Ford F-150 tow?

The maximum tow rating for the F-150 pickup is 14,000 pounds and carries as much as 3,325 pounds of payload. This Ford truck reaches these numbers with the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 engine and the right towing equipment.

How long do Ford F-150 engines last?

When properly cared for, the average miles for a F-150 engine can be 150,000-300,000 miles. These engines are made to last a long time and could give you many years of service before you need to rebuild the engine or replace the Ford truck.

What trucks do mechanics recommend?

The top eight trucks recommended by mechanics are:

• Honda Ridgeline
• Ford Ranger
• Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra
• Ram 1500
• Nissan Frontier
• Toyota Tundra
• Toyota Tacoma
• Ford F-150

The F-150 tops the list as the most recommended truck in the industry.

Next, learn more about how Lexus is correcting its one big mistake, or watch this Ford truck video below: