The F-150 XLT has dual air bags with a passenger-side deactivation switch. It comes with air conditioning, a back panel cover and rear storage tray, dual map lights, map pockets, an upper vinyl applique, courtesy lamps, color-keyed carpeting and headliner, complete instrumentation including a tachometer, an auxiliary 12-volt power point, power windows and locks, an electronic AM/FM stereo CD/cassette system with four speakers, cloth split bench seats with recliners, armrests, and manual lumbar support on the driver's side, speed control, tilt steering wheel, remote keyless entry, and speed-dependent interval windshield wipers.

Compared to full-sized cars, pickup trucks come with ample amounts of head, leg, hip and shoulder room. They offer a lot of interior space for the money. Even the F-150 XLT regular cab, which comes without the rear seats and without the extra rear doors, offers plenty of room to stretch out. The XLT's cloth seats have a recline feature and a lumbar support on the driver's side for even more driving comfort.

All pickups share another trait: a relatively high ride height, even on 2x4 models. That can be a blessing when you're trying to see out over the traffic ahead, but it's a curse when trying to load equipment into the bed, nor does it help when trying to go around corners. Bed heights on the two-wheel-drive models are three inches lower than on four-wheel-drive trucks (32 inches vs. 35 inches on the SuperCrew, for example), a huge difference when loading heavy items.

The 2001 SuperCrew Lariat we drove had handsome leather seating surfaces. Getting into and out of the rear seats was easy. The rear seats are comfortable and offer good legroom, allowing passengers to slide their feet under the front seats. Rear-seat comfort is such that and adult should be able to ride back there for longer trips.

SuperCrew's rear seats fold down (and are split 60/40), offering a nearly flat cargo space. It's a great place to put cargo or for big dogs. Small storage compartments behind the front seats add utility.