Like in most car communities, there's a lot of fighting among truck enthusiasts as to which manufacturer is the best. Some say it's Dodge or Chevy, while others debate on whether American trucks are worth the money. Through all of this; however, there still stands a company that constantly receives praise from a lot of the trucking community: Ford pickups.

Updated March 2022: As Ford continues to push out great trucks year after year, we've updated this list to more accurately reflect their greatest pickup truck accomplishments and how they rank based on quality, competence, and significance.

Ford began the automotive age, along with the bedded pickup trucks that would follow. Since the dawn of the 20th century, Ford has made outstanding truck after outstanding truck, culminating in what we have today. In honor of Ford's accomplishments and their high-quality off-roaders, here are the fifteen greatest Ford pickup trucks ever produced, ranked worst to best.

15 2009 Ford F-150 Platinum

2009 Ford F-150 Platinum
mullinaxford

In 2009, Ford decided to begin the "Platinum" series for their F-150, and beyond, models. The idea is to have a capable work vehicle and off-roader that still feels luxurious and high-quality. Almost everyone loved the idea, as evidenced by the Platinum series still going on to this day. 2009 F-150s are currently some of the best pickup trucks to buy used, and thanks to their reliability, maintaining one is also a breeze.

14 2005 Ford F-650 Super Duty

2005 Ford F-650 Super Duty
Via: flickr.com

The Ford F-650 is the sort of truck that you'd get if you were (A) as big as Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, (B) needed to pull an entire house, (C) love huge vehicles, or (D) all the above. Whatever the task is, the '05 F-650 Super Duty will get the job done and take up an entire lane in the process.

13 1998 Ford F-150 NASCAR Edition

1998 Ford F-150 NASCAR Edition
Via: flickr.com

It's not every day that a carmaker produces a unique, one-off, version of their vehicles. These are, occasionally, joint-ventures/partnerships between other brands; i.e. Ford's '98 F-150 NASCAR Edition. With a slightly larger Triton V8, NASCAR badging, and 200+ horsepower, the '98 NASCAR F-150 became an instant classic.

12 1940s Ford F-2

Ford F-2
Via: Ford-Trucks

In the late-1940s, Ford had just built, and sold, the first F-series' to exist. One of them was the F-2, a truck whose image brings thoughts of the 1950s and late '40s. It was Ford's first 3/4-ton pickup truck, but it would certainly not be their last! Nowadays, the F-2 is hailed by enthusiasts as the beginning of an era.

11 2020 Ford Super Duty

2020 Ford super duty
via consumerreports.com

Though Ford has had issues with reliability and recalls in the past, almost all of its trucks are still well-built and very popular. In fact, Ford is the best-selling truck-maker in the U.S. Among their F-series is the spectacular Super Duty: A huge, yet not too big truck that looks like the newer Raptor and can tow significantly more.

10 2021 Ford Maverick

Ford Maverick 600 Mile Range Featured Image
via Ford

Released in 2021 as a way to fulfill the ever-growing compact pickup niche, the new Maverick sets the standard for an affordable do-it-all truck that won't bankrupt you with fuel costs. It received stellar reviews thanks to cleverly combining crossover-esque passenger comfort and practicality with the usability of a pickup truck and stuffing it into a small and city-friendly package. One of the highlights of the Maverick is its extremely affordable price tag, as the model starts at just $19,995 brand-new!Related: 5 Japanese Pickups We'd Buy Over The New Ford Maverick (And 5 American)

9 Ford F-150 Shelby Super Snake

Ford F-150 Shelby Super Snake
via VossenWheels

In a shocking late-2019 reveal, Ford and Shelby announced that the F-150 Shelby Super Snake would be making a triumphant return. As you'd probably expect, the F-150 Shelby is, basically, a Mustang GT500 inside a truck's body. With a starting cost of between $93,000 to $105,000, you'll get a remake of a classic, Shelby tuning/styling, and the Ford F-series' utility.

8 Ford F-100

Edmunds Cars Ford F-100 Eluminator concept quarter front
Via Edmunds Cars on Twitter

The Ford F-100 has evolved into a prominent vehicle in drag racing and hot rodding circles recently. After all, the F-100 is a fantastic platform to build a powerful race car or a low-riding hot rod. Without all of that, though, the F-100 is still reliable and regarded as a stepping stone into true 4x4 trucks, due to it being Ford's first 'real' 4x4.

7 Ford SVT Lightning

Ford SVT Lightning
Via: mecum.com

Back in the '90s, the Lightning series of Ford F-150s were gaining popularity and status. However, for some reason, Ford halted production of the Lightning. Eventually, though, Ford relented and made the '99 SVT Lightning, which is a dragster as much as it is a truck! Hopefully, under Ford's good graces, we'll get another SVT Lightning in the future.

6 2020 Ford Ranger

2020 Ford Ranger
Via: wall.alphacoders.com

To expand their registry and offer consumers a smaller, more fuel-efficient, pickup truck, Ford re-released the great Ford Ranger. So far, the latest Ranger has seen a wave of praise for its quality as both a truck and a commuter vehicle. The best parts, though, are that the Ranger looks aggressive and only cost about $24,000 brand-new.

Related: These Are The 10 Most Reliable Used American Trucks

5 2007 Saleen S331 Supercharged

2007 Saleen S331 Supercharged
Via: mecum.com

During the early-2000's, if you had an American car and wanted to turn it into a horsepower-hungry beast, then there was one place to take it—Saleen. Saleen has tuned Fords for quite some time, including their 2007 F-150; renamed the S331 Supercharged. Obviously, the S331 is a supercharged V8 that, surprisingly, cost as low as (about) $45,000 new.

Related: Here's What You Didn't Know About Steve Saleen And His Mustangs

4 2021 Ford F-150 Raptor

2021 Ford F-150 Raptor
Via Wsupercars

Ford's marketing and design team really do a great job in their respective fields. An apt example of this is with their F-150 Raptor. It was marketed as a jaw-dropping pickup that was quick and useful for work-related purposes, while, simultaneously, the engineers/designers made good on Ford's promises.

Although not everybody likes trucks, car enthusiasts can (usually) rally behind the consensus that the Ford Raptor is a good-looking and decent truck!

3 Ford V8

Ford V8
Via: en.wheelsage.org

The Ford V8 isn't just any Ford pickup truck. No, it's really the genesis of modern trucks and the reason why Ford is so dominant in that industry. Starting in the mid-1950s, the Ford V8 was the F-series truck before the F-series actually came out. The V8 inside of the Ford V8 is a masterpiece of the time period and should be revered as such.

2 Ford F-150 LightningFord-F-150_Lightning-2022

Ford has taken every possible measure to make sure the first electric pickup it releases is as close to perfection as possible, and that's evident from the stir-up caused when they debuted the F-150 Lightning in 2021.

Besides a forward-looking yet still traditional F-150-esque design, the Lightning also comes with a massive 563-horsepower and 773 lb-ft of torque. It offers all the bells and whistles of a modern car, and more, with futuristic tech features, touch-screen connectivity, and a respectable 300-mile all-electric range—all for an MSRP under $40,000! Purists may never agree that it's the best ford pickup yet, but it's definitely up there.

1 Ford Lightning

Ford Lightning
Via: Hagerty.com

In the number one spot sits a truck that revolutionized the industry: the original Ford Lightning. The Ford Lightning is, arguably, the truck in which racers realize that trucks weren't just good dragsters, but full of potential too. Without the Lightning, we'd probably not have the truck/pickup competition series' that we are present now.