The Ford F-150 has been the most popular truck in the US for more than 40 years and it’s easy to see why with its rugged stable build that can withstand most tasks that get thrown at it.
The impressive variety of 7 trims appeals to a large audience with tons of options to adapt to any basic or more luxurious design.
The XL trim is the base option for the F-150, with the XLT offering slightly more luxury with front bucket seats and some safety upgrades on top of everything the XL can offer. The features and availability all vary depending on what year of Ford F-150 you have.
Narrowing down the main differences by year gives you the best information when it comes to making your decision between the XL vs XLT.
The 2020 model has a few obvious differing features in performance, interior, and exterior design as well as appearance packages.
They are crafted with similar features such as halogen headlights, daytime running lights, and a rear underframe spare tire carrier on the exterior, and the interior of both the XL and XLT have FordPass Connect and a 2.3-inch productivity screen with fade-to-off lighting and manual single-zone air conditioning.
The differing features can help you to decipher between the XL and XLT 2020 models with each trim having factors that will create an enjoyable unique feature for any user.
The XL provides four additional wheel choices whereas the XLT has six additional options as well as silver-painted aluminum wheels and a 3.0 L Power Stroke Turbo-Diesel V6 engine option, unlike the XL.
The exterior of the XL hosts standard chrome front and rear bumpers as well as a black two-bar style grille with black nostrils whereas the XLT has black front and rear bumpers and a chrome two-bar grille with chrome nostrils and black features such as the background mesh and surround.
There is also a power lock tailgate on the XLT unlike the key lock tailgate on the XL.
There are also two appearance packages you can add to your XL such as the Chrome appearance package featuring 17-inch silver-painted aluminum wheels, chrome bumpers, and halogen fog lamps, and the Xl Sport appearance package with the same wheels and body-color front fascia but with a body-color bumper and sport box-side decal.
The 2019 XL and XLT trims are the most popular for the F-150 but both have the 3.3L Ti-VCT engine with 290HP and 265 lb/ft of torque to provide exceptional engine performance.
The exteriors of both the XL and XLT have a rear underframe spare tire carrier, daytime running lights, and two front tow hooks as well as an integrated center high-mounted stop lamp and cargo lamp.
The differences are what make this year stand out with cruise control, color-coordinated carpet floor mats, delayed power accessories, and a manual driver and front passenger lumbar featured on the XLT with the XL only having black vinyl floor coloring and none of the other handy features.
The exterior is no exception with the XLT sporting chrome front and rear bumpers instead of the XL’s black finish. The XLT also scores above the XL with its power lock tailgate, powered side view mirror and chrome two-bar grille and chrome nostrils, and black surrounding mesh.
Deciding between the 2018 Ford F-150 XL vs XLT is still not an easy choice with both having high towing capacity capable of pulling 13, 200 lbs the comparison does show some largely varying differences, but let’s look at the similarities you can expect first.
Both have the ability of remote start-up and the 3.3L Ti-VCT V6 engine can generate 395 horsepower and 19 MPG in the city and 25 MPG on the highway.
Both models have cruise control as standard unlike newer variations and the same 2.3-inch productivity screen and also sports LED lighting all around as well as the safety features of blind spot alerting technology.
There’s extra assistance in the trailer attachment system too for ease of use and less strain.
The big differences are what make these packages unique with silver-painted aluminum wheels on the XLT instead of the silver steel on the XL.
The XLT also has safety encouraging My Key technology to encourage seatbelt use, decrease audio volume, and limit the use of top speeds. There are also chrome two-bar grilles with matching nostrils whereas the XL has a black variation.
The 2017 models have a larger price variation of around $5000 from new and are largely due to the improvement in the XLT’s power tailgate lock, fog lamps, and chrome finish bumpers and grille. There are also improvements to LED lighting and power-adjust pedals.
At first glance, both options do visually appear similar with the chrome logo grille and bumpers being a small feature, but the interior both sport comfortable and spacious appeal.
Neither model have the famous double moon-roof interior but the XLT’s unique sync system provides you with live traffic reports, local news, and weather-appropriate to you which can be a big help if you’re planning to use your F150 as a reliable workhorse.
With both these trims for the F-150 being on the lowest end of the seven packages, Ford has a good available selection. They still do not disappoint with both having a whole host of impressive features that won’t leave any user disappointed.
Of course, with the price increase for the XLT, you do get some additional blind spot safety features, improved visual appeal to the exterior grille, and additional wheel choices.
However, overall both these trims provide their own variation of budget-friendly and reliable functions for work and personal use.
If you are looking for a truck with a more polished finish the exterior grilles, badges, and nostrils as well as some improved safety features and technology then the XLT is a great option, but the XL is just as visually impressive and has high performance without the extras you may not miss.
Ford XLT Trucks are the “Extra Luxurious Truck” offered first in 1969 on the F-Series light truck fourth trim level. Prior the Ranger was given the XLT trim name and has been a popular option ever since.
The trim packages on the ford start with the XL and XLT, the Lariat trim has proven as the best option for a larger variety of drivers as it provides luxury and comfort to a great variation with an EcoBoost engine and leather seating as well as dual-zone automatic climate control.
The XLT has the option of seated seats on the standard cloth finish next to the new 12-inch powered touchscreen.
The packages for the 2021 Ford F-150 start with the XL, STX, XLT, Lariat Sport, King Ranch, and at the top end are the Platinum and Limited models.
If you are wanting high-end performance and luxury then the XL and XLT may not be your best option and you should look into the Platinum or Limited trims first. But for many, the XL and XLT provide everything they need in a reliable truck for comfortable daily use.
The XLT does have a higher price tag, but the additional safety features, onboard technology, and polished exterior appearance deemed it worth the price to many in the market for an F-150 today.
The year of F-150 you are looking into purchasing also matters with varying features and optional extras across them all being a big make-or-break decision for most.
Regardless of year and trim, it is hard to go wrong with the Ford F150, and it is easy to see why so many fall in love with this truck and have made it the best-selling truck for so many years.
Regardless of trim, you can easily haul and tow using this truck or just use it for smooth reliable driving.
