The Ford F-150 has dominated the full-size truck market for more than 30 years, ticking off all the items on the list of priorities for truck owners. Affordability is one of the features that buyers check on their list every time.

Kelley Blue Book gave the 2020 F-150 their “best buy” ranking for the sixth year in a row. US News combines cost with value, reporting a 5-year cost of ownership lower than all other trucks in its class while giving an overall rating of 9.1/10 to echo KBB’s assessment.

What makes 2020 Ford F-150 the most affordable full-size truck?

Given its track-record, it is no surprise to find the Ford F-150 at the top of the full-size truck list in 2020. Though some trim packages have a higher sticker price than other models in the same class, F-150’s base and intermediate packages remain more affordable than those of their competitors. What sets the 2020 F-150 apart is the quality available for each dollar spent.

Towing and payload are still priorities for F-150, demonstrating Ford’s commitment to provide exactly what truck owners what most in a pickup. To compliment towing capacity, the 2020 model includes a 10-speed automatic transmission as a standard feature on all models as well as providing five engine choices for lower and intermediate trim packages, which includes a Power Stroke 3.0L V6 turbo diesel.

Ford did not limit their design upgrades on the 2020 F-150 to performance features. Comfort also shows up among this truck’s best features. Space for passengers of varying heights in both front and rear seating is a major comfort feature that carries over into providing the best driver positioning of the trucks in this class. A smoother ride and improved noise handling as well as upgrades to available infotainment features represent an effort by designers to keep up with the technological demands of the market.

Predicted reliability is an area where F-150 has remained strong for decades, maintaining owner confidence and contributing to resale value. With improvements to comfort sandwiched between performance and reliability, the 2020 F-150 provides the value asked for by full-size truck buyers at a price that beats the competition.

Dodge Ram 1500 takes second place on the U.S. News list

The measure of a leader is either built up or broken down according to the strength of the closest rival. The 2020 Dodge Ram 1500 provides fierce competition with a formidable towing capacity and the availability of a diesel engine for this model. Where the Ram 1500 outclasses F-150 is its interior, equaling available passenger and driver space, but with higher quality interior features that are more refined and give Ram and edge when it comes to overall passenger comfort.

However, payload capacity, available engine options and off-road capabilities of the 1500 lag behind those of F-150. To round out the reason Dodge takes second place in this class comes down to reliability and the average sticker price paid by Ford F-150 buyers.

Affordability and value place the 2020 Ford F-150 atop the full-size truck list

Affordability means little if buyers do not encounter the features they value most in a full-size truck. The 2020 Ford F-150 continues the trend of conceding interior feature quality to competitors while focusing on towing and hauling performance and continuing to provide high-level reliability to meet the priorities of full-size truck owners.

While focusing on these characteristics, Ford designers provide buyers with more options at a more affordable price to buyers considering base and intermediate trim styles. Ford’s capacity to recognize what features are critical to full-size truck owners has placed the 2020 Ford F-150 at the top of its class once more.