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The Ford F-150 is America's best-selling pickup truck for a few reasons. It has some of the best towing ratings, some of the most intriguing tech features, and some of the most fuel-efficient powertrains. Put them all together with a choice of body styles and the F-150 has what could be its killer app just in its build matrix: seemingly endless choice.

The biggest news for 2014 is the addition of the 2014 Ford F-150 Tremor. The first "sport" truck to get the powertrain, according to Ford, the Tremor is configured with the F-150's regular-cab body style, with a 126-inch wheelbase and the shorter pickup bed. Both rear- and four-wheel-drive versions are offered. The Tremor weighs in at about 5,000 pounds, and comes with a 4.10 rear axle and an electronically controlled locking rear differential, for maximum power extraction from the EcoBoost V-6, Ford says. Other 2014 changes are slight, with new trailer-tow mirrors, a new FX grille, and HID headlamps on F-150s at the XLT trim level and above.

Otherwise, the F-150 carries over into the 2014 model year essentially unchanged--in a year when a new Silverado and Sierra and a new turbodiesel Ram are ready. With King Ranch editions, EcoBoost V-6 turbos, and a Harley-Davidson model wearing basic black like it owns it, the F-150 still looks ready to rumble. The blocky, Tonka look is either cartoonish or spot-on macho, depending on your allegiance to trucks in general, and Ford, specifically. The huge grille, the slab sides, the impossibly tall fenders make it a musclecar in its class, and an object to be coveted in certain parts of the country--anywhere within a 100-mile radius of an oval-track race.

The cabin couldn't feel more contrasty: it's quiet, well-organized, and depending on the model and trim, plushly finished in high-grade plastics and tightly assembled pieces, with attractive proportions. Even work-grade trims look expensive--and the addition of MyFord Touch controls have pushed the center stack in a more adventurous direction.

The F-150 comes in a wide range of body styles and bed lengths, and it's up to you how to configure it. The Regular Cab has either a 6.5-foot or 8-foot bed, and so does the extended SuperCab. The SuperCrew four-door pickup also comes with short- and long-bed options, as well as a wheelbase six inches longer than other versions, with all the additional room going to the rear seats. All F-150s can have well sculpted bucket seats, and even the basic bench isn't a bad alternative. In back, the seats have a truly flat floor, and the cushions fold up against the back on four-door models so huge packages can be carried inside, safely and securely. A tailgate ladder and a side box step are stamped into each version.

The quartet of powertrains that replaced Ford's old modular V-8s in the 2011 model year are back, unchanged for 2014. The standard 3.7-liter V-6 may seem like the dollar-store choice, until you've driven it with a light cargo load. The six-speed automatic (standard across the board) gets paired with taller rear axles to help it accelerate to 60 mph in under 10 seconds, and gas mileage still pushes the envelope, at up to 23 miles per gallon on the EPA highway cycle. The new Silverado and Sierra blow by it in towing capacity, though. If you want to hang with the popular crowd, you'll need the turbocharged, 3.5-liter version of the six.

In their 1990s heyday, pickup trucks excelled at smooth V-8 power. Now they're truly muscular, especially at Ford, where the 5.0-liter V-8 endows the F-150 with a Mustang GT powertrain and its sizzling exhaust note, too. The 5.0 puts out an EcoBoost-identical 360 hp: the engine's retuned from the Mustang application for better low-end torque and to maintain the truck's 10,000-pound tow rating. At the top of the range is a new 6.2-liter V-8 with a monster output of 411 hp and 434 pound-feet of torque, fitted in the most luxurious models and in the Raptor off-road special edition. For more information, please visit www.hmhid.com.