The Ford F-150 is finally heading for Australian showrooms in 2023 complete with the steering wheel on the right-hand side, and Ford Australia has finally revealed how much the USA’s best-selling pickup truck will cost Down Under.
Prices start from $106,950 before on-road costs with two trim levels available – XLT and Lariat – in both SWB and LWB body styles, the latter accruing a mere $995 premium. For comparison’s sake, the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LTZ Premium costs $121,000 here in Australia, while the DT-Series Ram 1500 Laramie is $123,900, giving the base F-150 a significant price advantage. Only the last-generation DS-Series Ram 1500 (which is still sold alongside the newer DT model) is cheaper at $85,950, but it’s a far less advanced truck than this.
All Australian-delivered F-150 models will come in Crew Cab configuration and with the same driveline across the range: a 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol engine making 298kW and 678Nm, which is backed by a 10-speed automatic transmission and four-wheel drive.
SWB models ride on a 3683mm wheelbase and feature a 1676mm (5.5ft) tray on the back, while LWB models extend the wheelbase to 3987mm with a longer 1981mm (6.5ft) tray. Both SWB and LWB variants come with a spray-in bed liner as standard, and both are rated to tow up to 4500kg.
The base F-150 XLT comes as standard with 20-inch six-spoke machined alloy wheels, chrome bumpers and grille surround, black running boards, underbody skid plates, and a tailgate with an integrated step and work surface on the outside.
Inside, cloth seats with 12-way driver and 10-way passenger power adjustment, an 8.0-inch SYNC 4 infotainment system with satellite navigation, 8.0-inch instrument cluster display, seven-speaker audio system, dual-zone climate control, power adjustable pedals, a column-mounted shifter, and a fold-out work desk are all standard. Standard driver assistance technology includes cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, blind spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert and trailer coverage, lane-keeping assist, a rear-view camera, and Ford Pro-Trailer Back-Up Assist.
Stepping up to the 2023 Ford F-150 Lariat sees pricing jump up to $139,950, but this top-spec version transforms the F-150 from a big work truck to a borderline luxury vehicle. LED headlights, fog lights, and taillights are added outside along with an expanded chrome appearance package, a mesh grille, a panoramic sunroof, and even a powered tailgate.
The Lariat’s interior is where the real goodies are, though. Heated and cooled leather-accented front seats (with memory settings for the driver and 12-way power adjustment for both), heated rear seats, a retractable floor console-mounted shifter, wireless phone charging, 12.0-inch infotainment and instrument cluster displays, and 18-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system are all added.
Meanwhile, safety technology is significantly expanded to include Level 2 semi-autonomous lane centring and adaptive cruise control, speed sign recognition, evasive steering assist, intersection assist, front parking sensors, and a 360-degree camera are all added as well.
Oxford White is the only standard paint colour, while Agate Black, Iconic Silver, Antimatter Blue, and Carbonised Grey are all available at an extra cost on both models. Additionally, Lariat models are available with an exclusive Rapid Red paint option.
Following significant customer demand, Ford Australia collaborated with RMA Automotive to help bring the F-150 to Australian showrooms. The US-made trucks are brought to Melbourne where they are ‘re-manufactured’ from left- to right-hand drive. This approach is required due to the small volume of right-hand drive models Ford would end up selling, making it unviable to produce from the factory in right-hook form.
However, local conversion work ensures the F-150 will meet ADR requirements, and given Ford Australia’s involvement in the process, the 2023 F-150 will be covered by the same five-year unlimited kilometre warranty as all other Ford models sold in Australia.
“We’ve torture-tested, tuned, and re-worked the right-hand drive F-150 so that Aussie customers know they’re getting the full factory F-150 experience,” says Dave Burn, performance and customisation chief program engineer for Ford Australia. “We’re doing everything to make sure the truck will be right at home here in Australia.”
The F-150 is now available to order in Australia, with first deliveries slated for Q3 this year.
2023 Ford F-150 Australian pricing
- XLT SWB – $106,950
- XLT LWB – $107,945
- Lariat SWB – $139,950
- Lariat LWB – $140,945
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