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I was skeptical of the Ford F-150 Lightning. Very skeptical. But hear me out: after spending a week with a 2024 Lariat trim, I think the Lightning might just be one of the best F-150s you can buy..
I honestly was, pardon the pun, shocked at how good this truck is to drive and to live with. As Kyle Hyatt of Jalopnik wrote, "Should you buy a Ford F-150 Lightning? If you've got the cash, you're prepared to deal with the current crappy state of America's charging infrastructure, and you don't need to tow crazy loads, then yeah, absolutely. It's a killer drive, offers unique and useful features, and, thanks to Ford's 'Power Up' over-the-air updates, is likely only going to get better with time. It lives up to the F-150 name and adds new value to it too, which is a massive achievement."
Here are a few reasons why I enjoyed my time with the F-150 Lightning and why you should consider it for your next truck purchase.
The ride quality is amazing
I've always enjoyed driving F-150s and can easily see why they've been the best-selling vehicle in America for more than 40 years. However, I hadn't realized that the F-150 had not adopted an independent rear suspension — until now with the Lightning — and holy cow, what a difference it makes.
Within an hour of getting the Lightning, my wife and I picked up two of our friends to head off for dinner in Layton, 20 minutes from our house in Bountiful. It took only the first five minutes on the freeway for everyone to comment on the exceedingly smooth and comfortable ride.
And it's true. I've driven plenty of F-150s, and the Lightning rides the best of all of them — by far. It feels more akin to a full-size luxury sedan than your typical full-size truck. Couple that smooth-as-glass ride quality with the serene interior, and the Lightning becomes an exceptionally lovely place to spend time and commute in — especially with Ford's BlueCruise, but more on that in a minute.
David Gluckman of Car and Driver said it well when he wrote, "Not only were we pleased with the Lightning's, ahem, lightning-quick acceleration but we were also pleasantly surprised that it managed to maintain the normal F-150's refined road manners. If anything, the Lightning's ride and handling are slightly more agreeable, thanks to a lower center of gravity that helps keep body roll in check and independent rear suspension in place of the gas model's less sophisticated solid rear axle."
If you can charge at home, I can see the Lightning being an excellent daily driver. It's super comfortable, easy to drive, nice to commute in and extremely practical and versatile.
It retains all the best features of a gas-powered F-150
One of my favorite things about the F-150 Lightning is that it retains all the best and normal features of a gas-powered F-150. The Lightning really is a normal truck, but electric and with some features you don't get in one of the gas-powered versions.
The interior is still as spacious and feature-rich as ever and overall, it looks just about the same on the exterior as the gas-powered siblings. Some EVs can tend to look a little extra, but the Lightning, to most onlookers, will appear like any other F-150.
The F-150 Lightning is capable, too. It offers up to 580 horsepower, 775 pound-feet of torque, a maximum towing capacity of 10,000 pounds and up to 2,000 pounds of payload capacity — all pretty impressive numbers for any half-ton truck, electric or not. The maximum range of 320 miles will be significantly reduced when towing, but if you need to haul a trailer or other load for a short distance, the Lightning has you covered.
The Lightning also has several other cool features that regular F-150s don't have, like a genuinely useful and spacious frunk and backup generator capability, which means the truck can supply up to three days of electricity for a house in the event of a power outage.
In his piece highlighting why the Ford F-150 Lightning was the 2023 MotorTrend Truck of the Year, Scott Evans summed it well when he said, "Towing aside, the Lightning performs its intended functions better than any other F-150 model. It drives better both empty and loaded down with cargo, it's more efficient, and it's significantly cheaper to charge on home or business 240-volt power than a gas-powered truck is to fuel. It has significantly more lockable storage and can export 25 percent more power through its 120-volt and 240-volt outlets than any other F-150. When not loaded down, its range and charging speed are as good as the competition, and its route planner for road-trip charging is excellent … Best of all, Ford's decision to repurpose the existing F-150 bed for the Lightning means nearly every accessory designed for a gas-powered F-150, be it for work or play, will attach to the Lightning just the same."
It's a great value
When it comes to buying a truck, the Lightning, even despite recent price hikes, is a pretty impressive value. Every Lightning comes standard with dual motors, all-wheel drive and an electronically locking rear differential. All Lightnings also come in the cavernous SuperCrew cab configuration, providing ample space for passengers and gear.
You also get a large infotainment display (measuring 12 or 15.5 inches, depending on trim and options), including wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and Ford's wonderful Co-Pilot 360 2.0 suite of safety features, including BlueCruise. Even if the truck only included BlueCruise, Ford's hands-free driving technology, it would be worth your consideration. The technology will transform your commute and longer drives — I promise.
Our tester, a Lariat trim, priced out at just under $80,000. Expensive, yes, but not all that different from a similarly equipped gas-powered Lariat — and the electric Lightning arguably is more capable and feature-rich.
Final thoughts
Pickup trucks are the ultimate go-to choice for those who want something that can handle various tasks. Whether it's hauling a load of lumber, moving your daughter's apartment furnishings or just comfortably commuting to work or transporting the family, trucks are designed to tackle it all. Their versatility is a significant part of their appeal, and they need to be just as good at transporting people as they are at towing heavy loads or hitting the trails.
And that's where the F-150 Lightning succeeds. The Lightning offers a true truck experience, It delivers features and increased versatility that are impossible on traditional gas or diesel-powered trucks. For what 90% of truck drivers use their trucks for, e.g., commuting, daily driving and the occasional Home Depot load, the Lightning makes a lot of sense and is a very compelling option — especially for how well it drives. This thing is smooth as butter, and I'm honestly sad not to be driving to work in it anymore.
The F-150 Lightning is the best of both worlds. It offers the convenience of an EV while retaining all the best qualities of a traditional F-150.
In summary, I agree with Kyle Hyatt of Jalopnik when he wrote, "Even with its mega price tag and its handful of flaws, the Lightning remains a massive achievement for Ford. It feels like a real truck, ready to do all the real truck things owners buy trucks for. As a first effort, it's a staggering achievement."
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