Ford Just Killed Its Final $30k F-150
Last year, you could choose between multiple full-size pickup trucks for less than $30k. But with the price of manufacturing on the rise, every automaker had to increase its MSRPs. Ford killed its last sub-$30k full-size truck by adding over $3k to its sticker price. Yet the 2023 F-150 XL is still the cheapest modern half-ton you can buy.
How much did a 2022 Ford F-150 XL cost?
At the beginning of 2022, Ford advertised its F-150 XL’s MSRP at $29,990. This was before destination fees and other markups. By the end of the year, Ford had increased the MSRP to $31,520.
Truck manufacturers have been clinging to the $30k MSRP for years. Here’s an illustration: by 2000, the F-150’s MSRP was almost $20k. But the same year, the Big Mac cost $2.39. While the price of a burger has more than doubled, the entry-level F-150 has only crept up to $30k. You might call it the $5 footlong of the truck world.
How did Ford keep prices so low? By deleting every possible feature. The 2022 Ford F-150 XL had no carpets or floor mats. It had automatic emergency braking–like every F-150–but no cruise control. It even had crank-up windows.
It may surprise you how much Ford increased the F-150 XL’s MSRP between the beginning of 2022 and 2023. But the extra dollars have allowed Ford to bring its entry-level half-ton into the 21st century.
How much is the 2023 Ford F-150 XL?
At the time of writing, Ford is advertising the 2023 F-150 XL’s MSRP as $33,695. The experts at Edmunds estimate that with fees, you can expect to pay closer to $36,380. This is a dramatic increase over 2022’s MSRP of $29,990.
Even though the XL is the entry-level F-150, Ford has packed the 2023 version with technology. It features selectable drive modes, a shift-on-the-fly transfer case, wiper-activated headlamps, 8-inch capacitive touchscreen, cruise control, and–finally–power windows and door locks.
What configuration do you get for this truck’s MSRP? The entry-level F-150 XL comes with a naturally-aspirated 3.3-liter V6 that makes 290 horsepower. It has a two-door regular cab and 2WD. Like every F-150, it also comes with a 10-speed automatic transmission.
How much do full-size pickup trucks cost in 2023?
There is no half-ton pickup truck available for less than $30k. At $33k, the F-150 XL is the cheapest modern truck, though Ram still builds its fourth-generation 1500 as the “Ram Classic” for just over $30k. Several other automakers have done away with two-door regular cabs, and thus their MSRPs are all above $36k.
Technically the cheapest half-ton MSRP right now is the 2022 Ram 1500 Classic, at $30,235. Though this is far from a 2022 truck. It is actually a newly-built 2018 Ram 1500 targeted at fleet owners who need a two-door truck. Ram has not yet released a 2023 Classic.
Chevrolet’s last truck for under $30k was its 2021 Silverado 1500 “Work Truck” or WT. Other automakers have done away with the two-door regular cab and thus had to abandon the $30k price point long ago. Here are how 2023 pickup truck prices stack up:
| Configuration | Manufacturer’s Advertised MSRP | Edmunds’ Estimated Total | |
| Ford F-150 XL | Regular cab (2-door) | $33,695 | $36,380 |
| Chevrolet Silverado 1500 WT | Regular cab (2-door) | $35,600 | $37,395 |
| GMC Sierra 1500 Pro | Regular cab (2-door) | $37,200 | $38,195 |
| Ram 1500 “Classic” (2022) | Regular Cab (2-door) | $30,235 | $31,445 |
| Ram 1500 Tradesman | Quad cab (small 4-door) | $37,090 | $38,295 |
| Toyota Tundra SR | Double cab (small 4-door) | $36, 965 | $38,000 |
| Nissan Titan S | King Cab (rear suicide doors) | $39,700 | $41,495 |
Next, read about the cheapest full-size 4-door pickup truck or see the best $25k used trucks in the video below:
