Ford today unveiled a refreshed 2024 Ford F-150 that won’t dramatically change the calculation American truck buyers make. Instead, it brings a few new features and tweaks a few others to keep buyers interested.

But when you have a consistent lead in the race, your task is not to make mistakes.

Ford’s F-Series trucks have held a sales lead in the United States for more than four decades. The company knows how to hold a lead.

Everything that works about the truck stays the same. But it’s getting a few cool new tricks and a refreshed face.

A New Look, Not a New Truck

The 2024 F-150 is not an all-new design. The F-Series on dealer lots today appeared for the 2021 model year and isn’t old enough to need a complete remodel yet.

This is what automakers call a mid-cycle refresh – an update to the truck’s look and a few tweaks to features to keep it competitive.

Ford hasn’t released updated pricing for the new model year. The 2023 F-150 starts at $33,835 and can push the $90,000 line fully equipped.

Highlights of the changes include a new, more versatile tailgate, separate looks for each trim level, and a new emphasis on hybrid trucks at a time when many Americans are unsure of going electric.

So the basics stay the same – a fully boxed, high-strength-steel frame, aluminum body, and options for regular, SuperCab, and SuperCrew editions. Regular cab buyers can choose 8-foot or 6.5-foot beds; the SuperCab can be had with a 6.5-foot bed; and SuperCrew buyers can choose 6.5 or 5.5 feet.

Each trim level gets its own separate grille, so truck enthusiasts will spot the differences while casual drivers won’t. A few get other visual cues, like Bronzed Copper accents on the Platinum Plus edition or Electric Lime accents on the sporty STX.

Dual Displays, With an Optional Third

Inside, buyers of every trim level now get a pair of 12-inch screens – a digital display in the traditional driver’s instrument bezel space, and a touchscreen in the center. But crucial volume and climate control functions are still accessible via knobs and buttons big enough to use with gloves on.

For the first time, a head-up display will be offered at every trim level.

The second row gets a new flat load floor with built-in cargo management features.

Ford says, “The 2024 F-150 will be the first vehicle available in North America with Ford Stolen Vehicle Services.” This alerts the owner, through a cell phone app, “if someone has gained unauthorized access to the vehicle such as any attempt to access, tow or tamper with the truck.”

Ford Joins the Tailgate Wars

However, the feature most likely to appear in advertisements isn’t in the cabin. It’s in the bed.

Ford has finally joined GM and Ram in developing a multi-function tailgate to make loading easier. Ford’s new Pro Access Tailgate will be available on all but the base XL trim levels and standard on some upper models.

It has a center section that swings out like a door, allowing you to access the bed without lowering the entire tailgate. A deeper, wider rear bumper step lets you climb in and out more easily through the door-like opening. The fold-out tailgate step and its upright handle remain to make getting in and out easier when the tailgate is lowered.

Buyers also get a small, locking storage box in the bed wall.

An Alternative to Home Generators

The Pro Power Onboard system is now standard on hybrid models and available at every trim level. It, Ford says, lets owners “run extension cords to critical household appliances such as refrigerators, Wi-Fi connections, or space heaters” in the event of a power failure. It’s also useful at the job site, powering tools.

Gas-powered trucks get a 2.7 kW system, while hybrid models ship with a 2.4 kW system standard. Hybrids can upgrade to a more powerful 7.2 kW setup.

A new interface lets customers track available power through a cell phone app.

New Base Engine, Emphasis on Hybrids

The 290-horsepower 3.3-liter V6 engine standard on the 2023 F-150 has disappeared from the lineup for 2024. That makes the 325-horsepower 2.7-liter twin-turbo EcoBoost V6 the new standard engine.

Other options include a 3.5-liter EcoBoost, 3.5-liter PowerBoost hybrid, and 5.0-liter V8 as options on most trim levels. The 3.5-liter High Output V6 engine is still standard on the F-150 Raptor, and the 5.2-liter supercharged V8 is still standard on the Raptor R.

Ford hasn’t provided horsepower figures for the available powerplants, so we’re unsure if they have changed for the new model year.

Ford would rather you notice the hybrid options, anyway. The company says it “plans to double the mix of hybrid trucks manufactured for the 2024 model year to give even more customers access to this advanced technology.”

Ford offers its F-150 Lightning electric truck for those looking to go all-electric. But the company believes hybrids may be a better option for many customers who lack access to extensive electric car charging infrastructure.

So, the company plans to answer their need with hybrids at no additional cost. “The starting MSRP on PowerBoost Hybrid, available on XLT through Platinum Plus, will now match the starting MSRP on the 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine,” Ford explains. “Cost parity means customers will no longer need to grapple with paying a premium price just to have the benefits of a hybrid powertrain.”

Advanced Driver Assists, Standard and Optional

Standard equipment will include pre-collision assist with automatic emergency braking, a lane-keeping system, and a blind-spot information system with cross-traffic alert.

Available Pro Trailer Backup Assist and Pro Trailer Hitch Assist should make maneuvering to tow easier.

Every F-150 above the XL trim level now comes equipped for Ford’s BlueCruise hands-free highway driving system. Owners get a 90-day free trial and can then choose to activate it for a monthly or annual fee. The latest version, BlueCruise 1.2, “can perform a hands-free lane change at the tap of the turn signal.”

Tremor, Raptor Return

Ford has made no secret of its strategy of using special editions to boost sales. So, the specialist F-150 models return.

The F-150 Tremor returns for “customers seeking a purpose-built off-roading vehicle that maintains all the truck functionality of F-150.”

Those who can compromise some hauling capacity for extraordinary off-road capability will find a new Raptor with “new FOX Dual Live Valve shocks to provide a more confident, controlled riding experience.” A new rebound control function, Ford says, “allows greater possibilities to adapt damping to match body control to the off-road environment via Ford Performance-developed off-road algorithms.”

Raptor and Raptor R models with 37-inch tires get a new bumper designed to “expose more front tire compared to the traditional bumper offering – adding to the aggressive styling of Raptor and allowing for more capability in rough terrain compared to the non-modular Raptor bumper.”

Evolution Is Probably Enough

The changes aren’t revolutionary, but they don’t need to be.

Ford’s lead in the truck market means it needs to make just subtle changes to keep buyers coming back. The Pro Access Tailgate is a nice feature, but perhaps less versatile than GM’s Multi-Flex tailgate or Ram’s Multifunction option. But it keeps the competition from offering something Ford can’t answer.

That will probably be enough to keep the F-Series on top for another year.