It doesn't matter if you're male or female. The new interiors inside Ford's 2004 F-150s are a hit.

I admit the interior usually isn't the big reason someone buys a pickup truck, much less a full-size pickup. But it can help be a clincher when a family is all involved in the truck purchase decision.

Not only are the interiors of the 2004 F-150 fresh and new, they're trendsetting in the way their vertical sections of dashboard are mixed and matched to customize for different appearances, based on each trim level. Outside, the same strategy is employed, to lesser effect, to mix and match grille and bumper treatments for each style of truck buyer.

Styling isn't all that's new. There's more Regular Cab and Super Cab room in the new F-150. Ford dropped two-door base F-150 models and instead now gives every Regular Cab a body with four doors — two of them small, rear-hinged, so-called access doors.

For women who might fret about parking a large truck, Ford also has a new solution: An F-150 Super Cab model with a shortened, 5.5-foot-long pickup box that's easier to fit inside a garage.

"We have a huge owner base and … we used our customer insight to help us anticipate the 'next big thing' in the market," said Matt DeMars, executive director for Tough Trucks at Ford Motor Co.

It's difficult to understate what the new, re-engineered F-150 is in today's truck market. The best-selling vehicle — car or truck — in the United States for some 20 years and the best-selling truck, period, for 25 years, the F-150 changes are big news.

And there are lots of changes. Besides those already mentioned, the new F-150 has a stiffer frame, improved brakes, more towing capacity, quieter ride, more V8 power and deeper pickup beds than its predecessor. Starting manufacturer's suggested retail price, including destination charge, has changed, too — going up.

At introduction in the 2004 model year, the new F-150 started at just over $22,000 for a base XL Regular Cab 4X2 with 4.6-liter V8.
This compares with just under $20,000 for a 2004 Dodge Ram 1500 with V6, two-wheel drive and regular cab and a base 2004 Chevy Silverado Regular Cab with V6 and two-wheel drive. Also note that during the 2004 model year Ford officials continue to sell the predecessor F-150, too, as the Heritage F-150 while production ramps up fully on the new model.

For all the upgrades given the '04 F-150, the exterior styling remains familiar — maybe too familiar. The old front styling is emboldened in the new model as the hood is raised — it's also weight-saving aluminum now — and grilles are different. But the overall look still doesn't stray far from the 2003 model. This explains why most of the attention tends to focus on the interior, where Ford designers split the dashboard into three areas and tailored the looks for each of the five trim levels accordingly.

Thus, the new FX4 trim level oriented for outdoor enthusiasts has jazzy, "warm steel"-look center console with floor shifter -- the first in a full-size pickup. Nissan's first full-size truck, the 2004 Titan due out in December 2003, offers a floor shifter, too. Meantime, the top-of-the-line 2004 F-150 Lariat, which was the test truck, is oriented to those preferring some luxury in their pickup.

Accordingly, the dashboard here had some appropriate woodgrain touches and unique gauges with cream-colored background.
The roominess inside the new F-150 passenger compartments was noticeable. Both Regular Cab and Super Cab models benefit from 13 additional inches of interior room.

The SuperCrew tester provided good room for six riders, with rear legroom at an impressive 41.3 inches. This compares with 41 in. for the '04 Dodge Ram Quad Cab and 38.8 in. for the '04 Silverado Crew Cab. Thank goodness there were running boards on the test F-150. It can be a big step up to get inside a 4X4.

The updated 5.4-liter, Triton V8 is revised and includes variable valve timing for the first time. The result is better low-speed and peak torque. Horsepower now is 300, up 15 percent from before. Ford officials boast best-in-class low-end torque, with more than 80 percent of the 365 foot-pounds of torque available at 1,000 rpm. It tops out at 3,750 rpm.

Ford increased the tow rating for the new, light-duty F-150, putting it at 9,900 pounds. This leads the class.

Engine sounds from the 5.4-liter, Triton V8 are confident but don't intrude often or much into the passenger compartment. Neither do many other sounds, thanks to Ford's efforts to insulate the cabin via door seals, thicker front-door windows and noise-and-vibration-absorbing engine mounts.A 231-horsepower, 4.6-liter Trion V8 remains the base F-150 engine. Both V8s are paired with four-speed automatic transmissions.

Riding on a new, stiffer architecture, the 2004 F-150 was a noticeable step up in ride comfort. The ride was smoother than I expected, and body motions were managed better than in any previous F-Series.

In fact, I noticed a bounciness only occasionally, on broken-up pavement and some off-road terrain. Otherwise, the ride felt quite controlled and pleasant. Steering, too, was much improved and provided a direct-feeling response not necessarily found in a pickup truck. This new model has the largest rack-and-pinion steering system ever in a Ford vehicle.

Wheels and tires are upsized this year, so even the base F-150 rides on 17-inchers, and brakes are larger and discs at all four wheels. Ford added a nifty new feature — tailgate assist — that makes lowering the large tailgate easier. If you're short, watch as you try lifting items up and over the sides of the pickup bed.

With the sides on the new F-150 made taller by a couple inches, I found I could scarcely see over the bed sides, much less lift anything sizable up and over.

Click here for more information on the all-new Ford F-150.
For the Ford Trucks 2004 Model Guide : Click Here