With key fob firmly in hand I approached the esteemed F150 that would be mine during the weeklong test period. From the outside, the new truck bears a familial theme that is all Ford. The new design abandons the rounded lines of the antecedent models in favor of a sharper, more defined facade that is strikingly similar to its F250 and F350 brothers. I find this to be a huge improvement which moves Ford to the upper echelons of pickup design in a manner similar to what the large grilled RAM pickup did for Dodge a few years back.

The new F150's design abandons the rounded lines of the antecedent models in favor of a sharper, more defined facade. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press)

A faint click and a flash of the lights told me that the F150 was unlocked and ready to impress. And impress it did! The new interior design of the F150 is unlike any other utilitarian workhorse I have ever experienced. Yes, it's extremely spacious, yes it's extremely comfortable, but most of all, it's cool. The "cool factor" within the F150 is cutting-edge, if equipped with the Flow-Through Console and floor shifter. Although even without the Flow-Through Console the F150 interior raises the bar in the interior design and quality category for pickups. I have not seen a sportier, better designed truck interior and dashboard in any competing pickup.

The new interior design of the F150 is unlike any other utilitarian workhorse I have ever experienced. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press)

In my Lariat test model, the driver faces a grouping of three large analogue dials of jewel-like quality. Collectively they display speed, RPM, oil pressure and battery charging status. Separate smaller gauges display fuel and engine temperature readouts. All of the gauges reside beneath a beautifully stitched canopy arching atop the large dash, which is dominated by a vertical center stack containing the audio and climate controls. Mineral based wood trim highlights the center stack as it descends at a 90 degree angle to squarely meet the center-console. The center-console is wide and flat. It houses the best-looking auto-box stick shift to recently find its way into a sports car, never mind a pickup truck. This man-sized, industrial-appearing lever feels as great as it looks and induces excitement every time the big rig is shifted into Drive.