It took several rounds of innovation, but it stayed ahead. The North American Awards have awarded the crown to three consecutive Ford trucks: the Ford F-150 (2021), Maverick (2022), and F-150 Lightning (2023). Here’s why the jury voted EVERY Ford.
The 2021 Ford F-150 stands out among standard pickup trucks
Ford has launched the 14th generation of its F-Series truck for 2021. Class-leading features include fold-flat bucket seats, a digital instrument cluster and Active Driving Assistant.
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The 2022 Ford Maverick is an offer you can’t refuse
The journalists in charge of the North American Car of the Year awards admitted that, until recently, it was easy to pick a winner in the Truck category. The five automakers offering full-size pickup trucks tend to redesign them intermittently, so juries simply choose the truck with the newest design—like the 2021 F-150. But by 2022, things were changing.
This model year saw several new compact pickup trucks hit the market and even the world’s first electric pickup, the Rivian R1T. The F-150 took the trophy home by not only drawing on engineering with the Maverick-based Bronco but also carefully considering consumer needs. The nonchalant compact van boasts 40 mpg around town and a starting price of under $20,000.
iSeeCars analyst and executive Carl Brauer has expressed strong opinions about the Maverick:
Ford has revived the pickup segment with one of the most compelling packages you can buy in 2022. The Maverick’s efficient packaging provides an urban-friendly, highly practical truck with an impressive list of standard equipment, even in the basic equipment. But the most impressive standard feature is In Maverick is value – an increasingly rare trait in modern cars.”
Carl Brawer
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The 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning is the best of both worlds
By 2023, American drivers are beginning to accept that the future will likely be electric. What remains to be seen is what that future will look like. The Tesla Cybertruck, Rivian R1T, and Hummer all emphasize competing visions of this future. The Ford F-150 Lightning offers something more familiar. Ford suggests that as the powertrain revolution comes along, there’s no reason to give up on what works.
The Ford Lightning maintains the dimensions and much of the equipment of the current F-150. It adds a battery pack and one electric motor to each hub. One of the main benefits of this choice is that the vast F-150 aftermarket community can quickly adapt to the Lightning. Another benefit is that one’s lead is statement, but not abrasive. The result is that Ford can’t keep up with Lightning’s orders.
Bengt Halvorsson, juror and writer for Green Car Reports, was particularly keen on the lightning:
“Save Renewal. The F-150 Lightning shows how the most iconic car in American life can be made even better as an EV, and it’s awesome.”
Bengt Halvorson
The Awards is an independent organization with 50 jurors who are professional automotive journalists. Gives out annual awards for a new car, SUV, and truck. We’ll have to wait and see if Ford can maintain its streak and claim a truck award again in 2024.
Next, read the features that make MotorTrend’s Truck of the Year or watch the MotorTrend Truck of the Year feature in the video below:
