Top 10 Pickup Truck Innovations

6. Luxury Trims

There was a time when a truck was nothing more than a simple tool, more closely associated to a hammer or drill than a luxury car. But luxury trim levels are coming on strong, and now represent a significant portion of the market. About 30 percent of all Ford F-150s that leave the showroom are dolled up in luxury trim.

Amenities usually include a touchscreen interface, leather surfaces with contrasting stitching, unique badging, more chrome, larger wheels, and small trim bits that set these trucks apart from a standard pickup.

While the Lincoln Mark LT initially started the segment, Ford didn’t find success with the truck when it was first launched. Seems as though the Lincoln pickup was actually ahead of its time. The Ford F-150 King Ranch then took the reigns, and sales have been growing ever since.

All three Detroit truck makers and even Toyota now offer a southwestern-inspired luxury truck, while Ford and GMC even offer a luxury trim beyond their kitschy cowboy trucks.

While these trucks don’t work any harder, they sure looks better doing it than their plain-Jane brethren.