IS the Lariat worth the extra money?

[Packer Bill]

IF you can afford the Lariat, then the Lariat is worth the added costs. IF you can not afford, don't order a Lariat. When I was younger in my 20s and 30s, I could not afford new cars, let alone the highest trim level. Being retired now, I can afford the creature comforts of the Lariat trim. I especially appreciate the heated seats and steering wheel along with the updated safety features (360 camera too!).

Best of luck in your decision making.

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[710-oil-614]

The Lariat is lipstick on a pig. The 20k XLs in 2022 are built the same way as the 43k Tremors today. Whether the lipstick is worth it to you...you decide. Just don't be fooled by the Lariat badge because the refinement will not be anywhere close to that of an F-150.

I bought a Lariat, and I don't regret it, but mine was 33k plus tax. Not sure I'd buy one today at today's prices and interest rates.

Is there a vehicle that the higher trim levels don't represent "lipstick on a pig"?

The F-150 you mentioned began production for the 2021 model year and had a base price of just $29,290. Today's 2025 $65k F-150 Lariats are built the same way as the $29k XLs. The F-150 is built to a $30k price point and any additional trims or options is just lipstick on the pig.

Ford isn't selling XL F-150s for a loss so the F-150 was designed and engineered to a $30k price point, actually substantially less.

 

[Deleted member 37952]

Outside of my house, the truck is the most expensive thing I own (or the bank owns and I am paying them). IF you can swing it, I think the extra bits and bobs that come with the Lariat are worth it and it's a good way to treat yourself. I have one and I don't think I would want to "downgrade" to a lower trim unless it was purely a cost decision of what I could afford.

I am also the kind of person who owns a car for as long as they can so paying upfront for some nicer things that give me a little extra QoL tend to be worth it IMO.

 

[bgn]

Is there a vehicle that the higher trim levels don't represent "lipstick on a pig"?

The F-150 you mentioned began production for the 2021 model year and had a base price of just $29,290. Today's 2025 $65k F-150 Lariats are built the same way as the $29k XLs. The F-150 is built to a $30k price point and any additional trims or options is just lipstick on the pig.

Kinda. The F-150 Lariat today can be had for thousands off MSRP. The lower trims, like the STX, is 10k off MSRP easily. So both Ranger and F-150 pricing has come down a lot. Not so on the Maverick, at least yet, so we should compare sales prices, not MSRP.

On the quality - the interior door cards, etc. are certainly way nicer on the F-150 Lariat than the XL. On the Maverick, I gain vinyl on the elbow rest and a B&O sticker on the grille...that's it for going to a Lariat.

 

[Benilla]

For me, the Lariat was not worth it but the Lux package on the XLT was

 

[piwtrnr]

The Lariat is lipstick on a pig. The 20k XLs in 2022 are built the same way as the 43k Tremors today. Whether the lipstick is worth it to you...you decide. Just don't be fooled by the Lariat badge because the refinement will not be anywhere close to that of an F-150.

I bought a Lariat, and I don't regret it, but mine was 33k plus tax. Not sure I'd buy one today at today's prices and interest rates.

My 2019 F 150 XLT cost me more than $20,000 than my 2025 Maverick Lariat and had just tons of neat stuff less than the Maverick. I liked my F 150 but with my back getting in and out was getting harder. The greatest thing about it was that with my trade of the F 150 and less than $10,000 I have a truck easier for me to get in and out of and a whole bunch of neat stuff that comes with the Maverick that wasn't in the F 150.

 

[Car Nut]

Ford wants your money. the Lariat is a total waste of yours. The black appearance pkg is even more of a total waste. Think interiors, does it cost the manufacturer more money to make the seats fake leather, black vinyl, or cloth. Cost is all the same yet they charge more for some. Buy only what you need. If you don't live in very cold climate, you won't have any use for lux pkg. A sunroof is only good when in cold weather you can purposely freeze kids in the back seat who are misbehaving. Overall, think 'what do I actually need'.
I've owned two Mavericks. the noticeable cabin noise is at freeway speeds and depends on direction of the wind you are driving into or out of. Each of my mavericks was different for wind noise, sample differences from one to the other...and not worth asking a dealership to look into to fix. Overall a quite quiet vehicle I'd say...well compared to my FRS.

My Opinion of what they call now 'safety features'...a waste of your money (to pay extra for) if you pay attention constantly to your driving. Many of these features are designed for those who won't pay attention or have no experience. For one, blind spot monitoring is a waste for this vehicle which is incredibly easy to see out of. I've driven coast to coast round trip, zero issues with seeing. I am 78yo.

 

[710-oil-614]

Kinda. The F-150 Lariat today can be had for thousands off MSRP. The lower trims, like the STX, is 10k off MSRP easily. So both Ranger and F-150 pricing has come down a lot. Not so on the Maverick, at least yet, so we should compare sales prices, not MSRP.

On the quality - the interior door cards, etc. are certainly way nicer on the F-150 Lariat than the XL. On the Maverick, I gain vinyl on the elbow rest and a B&O sticker on the grille...that's it for going to a Lariat.

oh yeah that upgraded door card that looks like it is a leather stitched pad but is really just a hard molded piece of plastic still?

The deal you can get for an F150 is irrelevant to what I asked and doesn’t make it any different than a Maverick.

The F-150 is built to a $30k price point. Spending anything above $30k on an f150 represents a bad value and is just lipstick on a pig.

EDIT: And I agree with your premise by and large it’s just that it applies to all vehicles. It isn’t unique to the Maverick and its actually less of a premium to go up to Lariat in the Maverick than it is in other Ford models.

 

[RideSolo]

.... Overall, think 'what do I actually need'.

What I actually need is nice but I'm fortunate enough to, finally, be in a place in my life where I can afford to get what I want. What I need is actually not much more than an old VW bug but what I want is a comfortable and quiet vehicle with lots of bells n whistles. After a lifetime of having to scrabble to barely get what I actually need I've got a different outlook; I've worked for it, I've earned it, and, as they say, ya can't take it with ya!

 

[DanO.]

If money is not the only consideration go with the Lariat, anyway by the time you add the options your XLT may be in the Lariat price range. I have had mine for 1 year and love the Adaptive cruise control, the sync 3 when you add a wireless adapter and have a sync 4 clone, and the stereo sound is great without having to do upgrades.

 

[Car Nut]

If money is not the only consideration go with the Lariat, anyway by the time you add the options your XLT may be in the Lariat price range. I have had mine for 1 year and love the Adaptive cruise control, the sync 3 when you add a wireless adapter and have a sync 4 clone, and the stereo sound is great without having to do upgrades.

LOL. Im 78 yo. I don't even know what a sync is. That screen in the center of my dash is usually turned to black. I have no use for adaptive cruise control as I NEVER follow any
other vehicle I lead !....well they say it is helpful in very bad traffic.

 

[FreedomPenguin]

I just run into them, traffic or not! Make your own path I always say

my weekend cruiser.

 

[bgn]

oh yeah that upgraded door card that looks like it is a leather stitched pad but is really just a hard molded piece of plastic still?

The deal you can get for an F150 is irrelevant to what I asked and doesn’t make it any different than a Maverick.

The F-150 is built to a $30k price point. Spending anything above $30k on an f150 represents a bad value and is just lipstick on a pig.

EDIT: And I agree with your premise by and large it’s just that it applies to all vehicles. It isn’t unique to the Maverick and its actually less of a premium to go up to Lariat in the Maverick than it is in other Ford models.

Yep, I think that second part is what I was trying to communicate but went about it in a weird way. Because I know what the quality of the Lariat in the F-150 and Ranger is, I was let down by the Lariat quality in the Maverick. But...that was my fault because the prices are obviously wildly different 🫣 beggars can't be choosers and all that.

 

[olderthanyourdirt]

look at it this way.. if you don't get a lariat, will you spend the rest of your time of ownership wishing you did?

i never hear of lariat owners wishing that they had gotten a "lower" trim level instead.

Sold Fords for 42 years. When customers couldn’t decide between getting an extra option or trim, I would tell: if you get that and decide later that you really didn’t need it, you made $1000 or whatever the cost was. If they didn’t get it and wish they had , they made a $30,000 or cost of cat mistake.

 

[RideSolo]

LOL. Im 78 yo. I don't even know what a sync is. That screen in the center of my dash is usually turned to black. I have no use for adaptive cruise control as I NEVER follow any
other vehicle I lead !....well they say it is helpful in very bad traffic.

I hear ya. My last RV had Sink 3, I believe... a double sink in the kitchen and another sink in the bathroom. For me the adaptive cruise is pretty good; as soon as I see the speed drop down 1 mph I'm moving left and going on by. Point being that I feel it keeps me more focused and less complacent. That and the lane keeping really make distance driving more enjoyable.

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