Most products don’t get better value the less you get. Look at the toilet paper; the bigger the pack you buy, the cheaper each roll is. However, that’s not the case with the new Ford F-150 Lightning. In fact, the higher you go in trim levels, the more the value degrades. How is it possible ? What’s the game in getting the best value out of a Ford F-150 Lightning.
What is the best finish for the Ford Lightning 2022?
After attending a Ford Lightning event, a MotorTrend reporter found that the nicer models offered less value. This prompted him to suggest that you should spend as little money as possible on the Ford F-150 Lightning. The base model might actually be a better value. However, MotorTrend’s favorite version is the second-tier XLT model.
2022 Ford F-150 Lightning trims:
- Pro: From $39,974
- XLT: From $52,974
- Lariat: from $67,474
- Platinum: from $90,874
After testing all four versions, MotorTrend finally landed on a favorite version of the F-150 Lightning. There’s a huge price gap between the base Pro model and the Platinum version, around $50,000 when you really get down to it. However, that doesn’t mean you have to spend all of that to get the best value on a Ford F-150 Lightning.
There’s only one option that really matters for the 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning
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Sure. Higher trims come with more luxurious features, but there’s only one feature you really need; the long-lasting battery.
The upgraded battery boosts the Lightning’s power from 452 hp to 580 hp while maintaining 775 lb-ft of torque. More importantly, the more powerful battery extends the Ford Lightning’s range from 230 miles to 320 miles. So you get a massive increase in power and range. The XLT skipped the Pro for top trim because Ford doesn’t offer the $10,000 option to the Pro yet unless you’re a fleet customer.
Now the super premium Lariat trim comes with this expensive option as standard. For starters, it costs almost $30,000 more, and due to its many features and 22-inch wheels, the range is reduced to just 300 miles. This makes the Platinum version objectively less capable than the cheaper XLT.
Getting the most powerful Ford F-150 doesn’t come cheap
While this option saves you money, that doesn’t mean it’s cheap. It’s not. MotorTrend explains that the XLT starts at $54,769, plus the $10,000 extended-range battery, plus the required $9,500 XLT 312A option package. Although we’re optioning for a lower trim, this 312A option package comes with plenty of bells and whistles, as it should, given the cost. This package includes a heated steering wheel, heated front seats, power open/close tailgate, running boards, sleek 20-inch wheels, keyless entry, 10-way power driver’s seat and active safety features Ford’s CoPilot360 Assist 2.0. . It all adds up to a total of $74,269.
It’s hard to imagine that this sum could represent the best value for money on a Ford F-150 Lightning, but the logic is confirmed. Electric trucks will come to us at a higher price for some time. The market is too hot and the technology is too new to be cheap.
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