2013 Ford F-150 XLT SuperCab: The Everyperson's Pickup

The 2013 Ford F-150 is a fan favourite in Canada, and it's easy enough to see why.  Selling more units than any other truck in the country - and occasionally, the best-selling vehicle overall - the Ford F-150's greatest strength is its diversity.  You can order the truck in a barebones regular cab XL trim, which limits niceties to a basic radio, or you can spring for one of the several luxury-oriented models aimed at those who either spend significant commuting time in their trucks (Lariat, King Ranch) or who simply want to own a pickup that could rival an Escalade in terms of features (Platinum, Limited).

In the real world, contractors snatch up most of the XL models and site supervisors are riding around in the King Ranch editions, and while I'm not sure who, exactly, is buying Platinum and Limited F-150's starting at $50,000 a pop, the premium truck space is so hot that Ford now offers four different flavours of fancy for the discerning driver.  I was therefore pleased to spend some time behind the wheel of a 2013 Ford F-150 XLT SuperCab, which represents a more realistic assessment of what the average truck shopper is looking for in terms of comfort, utility, and pricing.

• Also: 2014 Ford F-150 SuperCrew STX
• Also: Ford Will Delay Production of the 2015 F-150

Keep An Eye On Your Pennies And Dimes

Although it starts at a very affordable $23,000 in regular cab form, the 2013 Ford F-150 XLT SuperCab I drove featured an extra set of rear doors and cabin space to accommodate three more passengers, as well as four-wheel drive.  Factoring in a few additional options, my test vehicle featured an MSRP of more than $40,000, which is a huge price jump that just brushes underneath the starting cost of the F-150's more premium-oriented offerings.  This is entry-level Lariat country, and you get there quickly when you're paying close to $4,000 for the privilege of four-wheel drive, $1,600 for the XTR chrome package, and $500 for an admittedly useful bed extender.  How does Ford keep the metal moving?  The truck I drove featured roughly $10,000 in price adjustments, a common full-size truck tactic that creates a sort of la-la-land when cross-shopping these vehicles against each other.

V6 Holds Its Own

Gone are the days when sticking with a large pickup's entry-level V6 meant being passed by grandmothers in their AMC Pacers every time you trucked up-hill.  It might not be much more efficient than Ford's 5.0-liter V-8, but unless you need to regularly haul a very heavy load you can save some cash by staying loyal to the F-150's 3.7-liter, six-cylinder mill.  Capable of producing 302 horsepower and 278 lb-ft of torque - numbers that would have required eight cylinders just a few short years ago - the V6 trundles along with very little complaint, even when flooring the accelerator during a passing manoeuvre.  Like all versions of the F-150, this motor is matched to a six-speed automatic transmission.

Ever Useful

Ford, along with several of its competitors, has gone out of its way to add small features to its pickups in order to improve their day-to-day utility.  Some call them gimmicks, but the retractable steps positioned at the front of the cargo bed on either side of the truck are definitely a boon to anyone not spry enough to leap up inside the box without assistance.  I also appreciated the optional bed extender, which can be used inverted within the bed so as to hold items upright, or to keep a toolbox from sliding around on the admittedly slick bedliner.

If you find yourself regularly transporting more than a couple of additional passengers, then you might also want to look into the SuperCrew model.  Yes, it costs more, but the small, rear-hinged doors on the SuperCab are not the easiest arrangement to finagle when wedged into a tight parking space, and it's always easier to have to open only a single door to access the rear of the cabin instead of two.  The front bench in the pickup can transport a sixth passenger in a pinch, but I wouldn't recommend making anyone sit there for more than a few miles.

A Daily Driver?  Maybe

The 2013 Ford F-150 XLT SuperCrew might not have the same accoutrements associated with the F-150 Limited, but that hasn't stopped a surprisingly high percentage of buyers from using these trucks as their daily drivers.  While I was happy to use the F-150 as my mule for moving furniture, I wasn't quite as enamoured of its large turning radius, its disconnected steering feedback, and its vague braking.  All of these drawbacks are part and parcel of truck ownership, which means you'll have to learn to live with them if you intend to make a vehicle like the SuperCab your only ride.

On the other hand, it's very hard to argue against the utility embodied by the F-150 XLT SuperCab.  There are very few vehicles on the market that can handle the same diverse range of tasks as a full-size pickup, and while the truck's V6 isn't well suited for towing its wide open box and four-wheel drive give it a 'haul anything, go anywhere' vibe.  It won't be as comfortable as a crossover or an SUV, but then again, have you ever tried to load a refrigerator into a Murano?