2008 Ford F-150

The F-150's fully boxed frame with hydroformed front rails reduces shake on rough roads. Its coil-over-shock double-wishbone front suspension reduces unsprung weight for better ride and stability on rough surfaces, and its Hotchkis rear suspension's rear shock absorbers are mounted outboard of the frame rails for a smooth ride and reduced body lean. Four-wheel anti-lock brakes with vented-discs are standard, and 4x2 V-8 models can be ordered with traction assist to improve acceleration and stability on slippery surfaces.

New Features

New and significant for 2008 are a factory-installed Cargo Management System and a reverse camera. Available on any F-150 with a 6.5-ft. Styleside box, the former provides easy-to-use storage for all types of cargo. It begins with two-each side rails, crossbars and bins and a header bar, and extra bins and crossbars are easily added. The double-channel, extruded aluminum rails have cleat positions every 90 millimeters, and each cast-aluminum cleat can hold up to 600 lbs. The extruded aluminum crossbars can hold up to 100 pounds with T-Slots on all four sides for hanging skis or fishing poles. The side-mounted plastic bins hold up to 60 pounds, and their double wall construction can keep beverages cold when they're used as coolers. Each bin's lock automatically keys itself to the first ignition key that is turned inside it, so an owner can use a single key for all of them.


The tailgate handle bezel-mounted reverse camera is activated when the transmission is shifted into reverse, giving a clear view of what is behind the vehicle displayed in the auto-dimming rearview mirror, a natural place for a driver to look while backing. It is also tremendously helpful when backing up to a trailer to precisely line up the hitch.


Additional new features include a standard tachometer for manual-transmission XL and STX models, manual telescoping Trailer Tow Mirrors and a Tire Pressure Monitoring System for the Heavy Duty Payload package. A new Wheels and Stripes package is offered for the F-150 STX, and two new models are XL SuperCrew and a high-style F-150 Limited package. The latter wears White Sand Tri-Coat Metallic monochromatic paint and packs a host of unique features, including body color bumpers, fascia, wheel lip moldings and door-handle bezels and a billet-style grille accented with a chrome surround, dark gray headlamps, smoked taillamps, polished stainless steel tubular running boards and a chrome exhaust tip. It rolls on 22-inch polished, forged-aluminum wheels, while inside its commodious cabin are two-tone leather trimmed captain's chairs, leather wrapped steering wheel and shift knob and a unique instrument cluster face.

Models and Options

The base F-150 XL comes with AM/FM radio, a vinyl 40/20/40-split-front seat with manual driver lumbar support and 17-inch steel wheels. The STX adds body-color front and rear step bumpers and grille surround, cloth seats and a single CD player. The XLT comes with chrome bumpers, a black honeycomb grille insert, automatic headlamps, remote keyless entry, carpeting and floor mats, power mirrors, power locks and windows, privacy glass, outside temperature and compass display and a premium cloth seat.