Shopping for the right Ford truck can be a daunting task. This is because each model has multiple trim levels to choose from. It may get complicated when you select the Ford F150 and realize that it has various versions. You can narrow your options to consist of only the Lariat, King Ranch, and Platinum.
Differentiate between the three trim levels easily with this comprehensive guide. I discussed the Lariat vs. King Ranch vs. Platinum extensively with the help of a comparison chart for easy understanding. This will be followed by a detailed 2018-2022 model year review of all three versions.
Take your time to read my honest review of the products in the “Final Verdict” section. It will help you in arriving at an informed buying decision. Shoppers of Ford trucks can start and end their research right here!
Overview: Lariat, King Ranch, and Platinum – Things You Need to Know
You should have an idea of what a trim level or trim is in the automotive industry before moving further. A trim level is a collection of specs offered on a certain vehicle or vehicle model. You won’t be choosing every individual feature of the vehicle, but you will be selecting a trim from a list of packages, with each coming with a unique set of attributes.
Lariat
The Lariat is the mid-level trim of the F150. This is the same for Super Duty trucks. However, it is the highest trim for the Ford Ranger. It comes with better specs than the XLT and XL, but not the best possible. The Lariat can have a more powerful engine than lower-level trims. It usually offers superb interior specs that make it an exceptional mid-luxury trim.
King Ranch
The King Ranch is the higher of the two mid-level trims available on the Ford F-Series (F150). It is a popular mid-level option with magnificent luxury for those that want something not so expensive. King Ranch trucks offer a nice mix of high-performance and sophisticated features. They have been well-liked for several years.
Note that King Ranch trucks are typically more expensive than lower-level trims. But the high price is worth paying for the remarkable specs you will be enjoying.
Platinum
The Platinum is a popular high-level trim for many Ford truck buyers. It is the foremost of the two premium trim levels for the Ford F-Series (F150), equipped with sophisticated interiors, high-performance engines, and the best safety specs.
I’ve shown that the Lariat, King Ranch, and Platinum were worth curating for comparison in our guide. Now what is next is to differentiate between the three trim levels side by side.
F150 Lariat vs. King Ranch vs. Platinum: Side-by-Side Comparison
There isn’t much difference between the three trim levels, but the dissimilarities are worth exploring. We will first show the contrast between the three packages briefly in a table before going into details.
Comparison Chart
| Attributes | Lariat | King Ranch | Platinum |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting MSRP | $46,140 | $57,110 | $59,890 |
| Engine | 27L EcoBoost® V6 | 5.0L Ti-VCT V8 | 5.0L Ti-VCT V8 |
| Towing Capacity | 10,100 pounds | 13,000 pounds | 13,000 pounds |
| Fuel Economy | Highway: 26 MPG City: 20 MPG Combined: 22 MPG | Highway: 24 MPG City: 17 MPG Combined: 20 MPG | Highway: 24 MPG City: 17 MPG Combined: 20 MPG |
| Interior | Black leather-wrapped steering wheel. Color-coordinated carpet + carpeted floor mats. | Mesa leather-wrapped steering wheel. Color-coordinated carpet + carpeted King Ranch® Floor Mats. Flow-through center console + stowable floor shifter. Unique authentic wood interior trim accents. | Black leather-wrapped steering wheel. Color-coordinated carpet + premium floor mats. Flow-through center console + stowable floor shifter. Unique authentic wood interior trim accents |
| Seating | 6 | 5 | 5 |
| Technology (Standard Specs) | FordPass™ Connect 4G LTE Wi-Fi Hotspot SYNC® 4 with Enhanced Voice Recognition 12-Inch Capacitive Touchscreen SiriusXM® with 360L Class IV Trailer Hitch Ford Co-Pilot360™ 2.0 | FordPass™ Connect 4G LTE Wi-Fi Hotspot SYNC® 4 with Enhanced Voice Recognition B&O® Sound System by Bang & Olufsen® 12-Inch Capacitive Touchscreen SiriusXM® with 360L Connected built-in navigation Class IV Trailer Hitch Ford Co-Pilot360™ 2.0 Ford Co-Pilot360™ Assist 2.0 Intersection Assist | FordPass™ Connect 4G LTE Wi-Fi Hotspot SYNC® 4 with Enhanced Voice Recognition B&O® Sound System by Bang & Olufsen® 12-Inch Capacitive Touchscreen SiriusXM® with 360L Connected built-in navigation Class IV Trailer Hitch Ford Co-Pilot360™ 2.0 Ford Co-Pilot360™ Assist 2.0 Intersection Assist |
Note: Starting MSRP in the above table means the manufacturer’s suggested retail price. In other words, it is Ford’s recommended point-of-sale price. Some retailers refer to it as the list price. The term “MSRP” is frequently used with automobiles, but any retail product can have a recommended price attached to it. MPG stands for miles per gallon, while Ti-VCT means twin Independent variable camshaft timing.
Detailed Comparison
I’m about to compare the three trim levels side-by-side in detail. This will be in terms of engine, fuel economy, interior, exterior, price, seating, technology, and towing capacity.
Price
The starting MSRP of the Lariat ($46,140) is lower than that of the King Ranch ($57,110). It is roughly 25% less. Meanwhile, the MSRP of the Platinum is slightly higher, at $59,890. This will make it easy for Ford truck shoppers to choose the Lariat as the most affordable option. Your choice would be the King Ranch or Platinum trim if sophistication is a priority, while the price difference is not much.
Engine
The engine is probably the biggest dissimilarity between the Lariat and King Ranch. However, you can upgrade both trim styles to diesel or hybrid engines. The Lariat uses a standard 2.7L EcoBoost® V6 engine, while the King Ranch utilizes a 5.0L TI-VCT V8 engine. You can swap the latter’s engine with the former’s standard EcoBoost® V6 engine.
King Ranch and Platinum trucks use the same engine type, the 5.0L Ti-VCT V8. It features 410 lb.-ft. of torque and 400 horsepower. There is also a new Variable Displacement Engine tech that enables the engine to turn off half its cylinders when full power isn’t necessary. These models are great for shoppers that consider Ford truck’s powertrain as an important criterion.
Towing Capacity
A Lariat’s towing capacity is 10,100 pounds, while that of the King Ranch and Platinum is 13,000 pounds. Shoppers may prefer the former over the two latter models if towing capacity is of great concern.
Fuel Economy
The Lariat’s fuel economy is slightly better than that of the King Ranch, as seen on the comparison chart. The Lariat can go 2 MPG more on highways, 3 MPG more on city routes, and 2 MPG more on both road types than the King Ranch. Lariat trucks offer a standard fuel tank capacity range of 23-30.6 gallons, while it is 26-30.6 gallons for the King Ranch.
At the same time, the fuel economy of both King Ranch and Platinum trim levels is similar. Each can go for 24 MPG on highways, 17 MPG on city routes, and 20 MPG when you drive on both road types. They offer the same standard fuel tank capacity range of 26-30.6 gallons as well.
Interior
The Lariat’s interior is ordinary with only the black leather-wrapped steering with color-coordinated carpet and carpeted floor mats. However, the King Ranch has more to offer with an iconic interior design and King Ranch® floor mats. Nonetheless, its steering wheel is covered with mesa leather. Other attributes include a flow-through center console, a stowable floor shifter, and real wood trim accents.
The interiors of the Platinum and King Ranch are similar, but the differences are in their steering wheels and floor mats. The Platinum’s steering wheel is wrapped in black leather, while that of the King Ranch has a mesa leather covering.
Buyers of Platinum trucks will get premium floor mats, but the King Ranch offers carpeted floor mats. Both trim levels have color-coordinated carpets, a flow-through center console, a stowable floor shifter, and real wood trim accents.
Exterior
The Lariat has chrome front and rear bumpers, while those of the King Ranch are accent-colored. The Lariat’s grille comprises chrome two-bar and one-minor-bar style, black accents, and black surround. That of the King Ranch is different with a stone gray single-bar style, stone gray accents, and chrome surround.
Both trims have 18-inch machined aluminum wheels and magnetic-painted pockets, but there is still a distinction. The King Ranch’s wheels come with King Ranch® ornaments. Lastly, both trim levels feature a Class IV trailer hitch.
When comparing King Ranch to Platinum, you may think that these two trim levels have a similar styling from a distance. Wait till you get a closer look at them. The King Ranch has accent-colored front and rear bumpers, while those of the Platinum are vehicle body-colored. The King Ranch’s grille comprises a stone gray single-bar style, stone gray accents, and chrome surround. That of the Platinum is unalike with a chrome single-bar style, chrome accents, and satin-chrome surround.
There are more exterior dissimilarities that both trims share. The King Ranch has 18-inch machined aluminum wheels and magnetic-painted pockets, while the Platinum features 20-inch polished aluminum wheels.
Seating
The comparison chart shows that the Lariat can take 6 occupants, while the King Ranch and the Platinum can only take 5. It is so because the former’s front seat center console is optional. This feature is standard for the King Ranch and Platinum. There will be space for a sixth occupant when the center console is absent. These two higher trim levels make up for this inadequacy with standard heated rear seats, which are optional for the Lariat. Also, both of them have ventilated driver seats.
Technology
Lariat trucks don’t have a B&O® Sound System by Bang & Olufsen®, connected built-In navigation, Ford Co-Pilot360™ Assist 2.0, and Intersection Assist as standard specs. However, King Ranch and Platinum truck owners will enjoy these luxuries as part of the standard package.
Read more: Ford F150 XL Vs. XLT: Which Trim Level Is Right For You?
F150 Lariat vs. King Ranch vs. Platinum Model Year Review (2018 – 2021)
The above side-by-side comparisons are based on the 2022 model year. Now let us check out the 2018-2021 updates.
2018 F150 Models
Lariat
The 2018 Lariat is a truck that runs on a 2.7L V6 engine with 400 lb.-ft. torque and 325 horsepower. Its interior features a wood grain style and leather-trimmed steering wheel and seats. Heated and ventilated front bench seats come as standard specs with this trim level. The Lariat’s grille includes chrome two-bar style, four minor bars, and a black surround with background mesh.
King Ranch
The 2018 King Ranch uses a 5.0L V8 engine with 400 lb.-ft. of torque and 395 horsepower. It is more expensive than the Platinum but lower in level. Expect better sophistication with this truck than the Lariat. For example, both the front bucket and rear are heated and ventilated as part of the truck’s standard specs. The King Ranch’s interior is Western ranch-styled. It has a cool grille that features a chrome two-bar style and chrome surround with a caribou mesh insert.
Platinum
2018 Platinum trucks utilize the same engine specs as the King Ranch. Nonetheless, they are higher in level and lower in price than the King Ranch. Owners enjoy the luxurious look of this vehicle’s black carpet flooring and special authentic wood interior trim accents. Seat in comfort on multi-contour heated and ventilated power leather seats. The Platinum sports a spectacular grille that comprises a satin mesh two-bar style and satin-chrome surround with silver mesh inserts.
2019 F150 Models
Lariat
2019 Lariat trucks have 2.7L EcoBoost® V6 engines, which produce 400 lb.-ft. of torque and 325 horsepower. Their grilles comprise a chrome two-bar style, four minor bars, and black surround with background mesh. A family of six can sit comfortably in this vehicle.
King Ranch
The 2019 King Ranch performs better than that of the Lariat with a 5.0L Ti-VCT engine that delivers 400 lb.-ft. of torque and 395 horsepower. Its grille consists of a chrome two-bar style, and chrome surround with a caribou mesh insert. It has a lower seating capacity (5 people) than that of the Lariat. You will find the B&O® Sound System by Bang & Olufsen® in this truck which isn’t available as a standard spec for Lariat buyers.
Platinum
This is a higher trim level than the King Ranch, but it utilizes the same engine type as the latter. Their seating capacities aren’t different either. Buyers will also find the B&O® Sound System by Bang & Olufsen® here. The grille has a satin chrome two-bar style and chrome surround with silver mesh inserts. The former’s BLIS (Blind Spot Information System) with cross-traffic alert is a notable dissimilarity between the Platinum and King Ranch.
2020 F150 Models
Lariat
The engine of this model year’s Lariat is the same as the ones for its 2018 and 2019 model years. There are three optional engines for the Lariat trim level, apart from its standard 2.7L EcoBoost® engine. 2020 Lariat trucks have more comfort and convenience to offer than 2020 King Ranch vehicles, while both trims have the Ford Co-Pilot360 as a standard feature.
King Ranch
2020 King Ranch trucks are more luxurious than 2020 Lariat trucks. The former uses the same engine as the ones for its 2018 and 2019 model years-just like the Lariat. A King Ranch truck is powered by the 5.0L V8 engine, which is also utilized by a Platinum truck. King Ranch shoppers can choose from two optional engines offered in the Lariat trim level as well.
Platinum
The 2020 Platinum trim level offers an awesome mix of great power and modern luxury. Expect a 5.0L V8 engine and an interior that is lavishly furnished with premium leather upholstery. The Platinum stands out as the second-highest trim of the 2020 F150 model year with an uptown feel to it. There are close similarities between the technological specs of the King Ranch and Platinum.
2021 F150 Models
Lariat
The 2021 Lariat’s starting MSRP is $45,045. It uses a 2.7L EcoBoost® V6 and has a seating capacity of six people, just like its 2020 model year. Buyers will get a chrome two-bar, one minor-bar style grille with black accents and a black surround. The front and rear bumpers are chrome. 2021 Lariat trucks don’t have the following standard specs, which King Ranch and Platinum trucks do:
- Intersection assist
- B&O Sound System by Bang & Olufsen with HD Radio™ Technology
- Connected built-in navigation
King Ranch
You may see a starting MSRP of $56,015 when shopping for this 2021 King Ranch update. It utilizes a 5.0L Ti-VCT V8 engine and can occupy five persons. Anticipate a stone gray single-bar style grille with stone gray accents and chrome surround. The front and rear bumpers are accent-colored. 2021 King Ranch and Platinum vehicles are similar in the area of standard entertainment systems.
Platinum
A 2021 Platinum can be purchased for $58,795. Many of its attributes are similar to those of a 2021 King Ranch truck. They include seating capacity, engine types, technology, etc. This Platinum model year offers a chrome single-bar style with chrome accents and satin-chrome surround. Check out its vehicle body-colored front and rear bumpers as well.
Final Verdict (with Honest Review)
The model year with the latest updates is usually the best. So consider buying any truck among the 2022 Ford F150 Lariat, King Ranch, and Platinum trim levels. It is also logical to think that the 2021 model year is better than the 2020 model.
The Lariat is the most affordable option out of the three trim levels, but you won’t get some specs on it that the other two have to offer. However, it is a desirable option for those who want a better fuel economy and enough space for a family of 6. The King Ranch has a higher starting MSRP than the Lariat, but it has far more value to offer such as power, sophistication, luxury, etc.
Platinum trucks and King Ranch trucks are similar in many ways, but their dissimilarities are worthy of note. Don’t forget the contrasting grille and wheel specs. It would be easy to settle on either trim level if they were the two options available. This is in consideration of the very small difference in their prices, apart from their overlapping features. You can get a Platinum truck for extra luxury or the King Ranch for having something close to the former at a lower price.