The unintended, fundamental safety feature of the F150 is its size, ride height and mass. As any student of physics will explain, the severity of a crash is usually greatest in the object carrying the least amount of mass. Also, the taller ride height of a pickup truck assists in raising its occupants above the point of contact, however negative the resulting higher bumper may have on the occupants of the opposing car. Also negative, the high center of gravity may contribute to the likelihood of a rollover crash. But such are the pros and cons of pickup truck safety.

The F150 can fit six adult passengers comfortably. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press)

The F150 is capable of carrying a maximum of six passengers, depending on the cab and seating configuration selected. Both the Supercab and Supercrew cabs are equipped with a rear bench seat. Front seating is either of split bench design or the captain seats that I praised earlier. The Supercab design enables rear seat access through two small doors that open opposite to the front doors and can only be opened after a front door has been opened. This arrangement provides a wide-open access point to the passenger area that is not restricted by the presence of a B-pillar between the sets of doors.

A flip-out box extender is available to accommodate those items, which may exceed the capacity of the shortened bed. (Photo: Rob Rothwell, Canadian Auto Press)

My Lariat test vehicle had the full-meal deal by way of doors. The Supercrew cab is a true 4-door unit, with large openings that optimize ingress and egress, enhanced further with the factory-installed running boards. Also noteworthy are the full-opening power windows in the rear doors. Depending on cab selection, a variety of box sizes are available, including a 2.0 meter (5.5-foot) box on the extended-cab versions, which results in more "garageable" overall dimensions. A flip-out box extender is available to accommodate those items, which may exceed the capacity of the shortened bed - definitely one of Ford's "better ideas."