The F-150 is easily one of Ford’s most well-known and popular vehicles. Part of its appeal is that it can be a luxury truck, a hard-working vehicle, or a powerful off-roading machine. With its many available configurations, buyers can design a truck that is exactly what they want. The problem with this is that the 2023 Ford F-150 pricing gets so high so quickly that many buyers will never be able to afford anything beyond the lower trims.

Ford F-150 pricing escalates quickly

The 2023 Ford F-150’s price can range from almost $40,000 to $80,000. This isn’t staggered gradually, however. The cost rises so quickly that it can give potential F-150 shoppers sticker shock.

There are eight trim levels for the 2023 F-150, and the base price starts at $33,835, according to Ford. The next trim up is the XLT, and it has an MSRP of $41,940. The Lariat costs $57,480, the Tremor $61,330, the King Ranch $63,225, and the Platinum $64,915. From there, the price leaps to $76,775 for the Raptor, and the Limited is the most expensive trim with a cost of $83,010. With prices like this, many shoppers can look at the higher trims, but that’s about it.

Many Ford F-150 fans can’t afford the truck of their dreams

The base trim of the 2023 Ford F-150 is a decent truck. For $33,835, you’ll get a vehicle that can seat up to six people, with a 3.3-liter V6 engine which makes 290 hp and 265 lb-ft of torque. It has a max towing capacity of 14,000 lbs and a max payload capacity of 1,785 lbs. The transmission is a powerful 10-speed shiftable automatic, and it has rear-wheel drive.

The size is impressive as well. It has a bed length of 67.1 inches and 8.5 inches of ground clearance. Lane keep assist, lane departure warning, and both wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay also come standard.

The price increase prevents drivers from purchasing what they really want, however. To get the next trim up, the XLT, truck shoppers must invest $8,105 more. For many consumers, this is simply too much to pay.

Of course, they can choose to opt for extra packages, but this also increases the price. For example, more powerful engines like the 2.7-liter EcoBoost with 325 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque are available for $1,285. Another option is the 5.0-liter V8 with 400 hp and 410 lb-ft of torque for $2,560.

Ford F-150 shoppers can also add four-wheel drive, but this increases the price by $5,660. It’s clear with just a few clicks through the “Build and Price” option on Ford’s F-150 page that going beyond the basics is going to cost dearly.

Are so many choices beneficial to buyers?

While it’s always good to have choices, there are times when it can do more harm than good. This is the problem with the 2023 Ford F-150. Yes, it’s true that there are some affordable models. The trims which have more attractive features, such as the hybrid, electric version, the Pro Power Onboard, which makes the F-150 a generator, and more advanced safety tech, are so expensive that many shoppers won’t bother looking.

Because of the price, many F-150 truck shoppers are left picking the base trim, which is why Edmunds reports it’s the most popular trim. The best route to getting a more powerful F-150 might be to find one used. These prices are also very expensive, however, so many consumers are left dreaming of owning a higher trim with no realistic means of actually buying one.