One defining feature of our F-150’s SuperCab body style is its rear-hinged back doors. I’ve discovered a few challenges after living with these stubby doors for a few months, but overall I’m a fan.
With all doors open, the cabin looks and feels much bigger than it really is thanks to the lack of a B-pillar. The rear doors swing open 180 degrees, which contributes to the airy feel. Both those features also make it super easy to load and unload items. I’ve packed the rear passenger area with test equipment, and staffers have loaded numerous items from baby seats, coolers, and a bicycle.
Quibbles? For starters, the front doors need to be open before you can access the rear. And since the front seatbelts are mounted to the rear doors, this requires front passengers to unbuckle their belts before folks in the rear can enter or leave. If you plan to do a lot of carpooling, you’d be wise to go for the F-150 SuperCrew with full-sized traditional doors.
Tight parking spots can also be a challenge. When both the front and rear doors are partially obstructed, it essentially blocks the path for all passengers. A tricky dance of doors and people is required. Same goes for loading or unloading large items.
That said, the SuperCab’s advantages still outweigh the disadvantages, and there’s plenty of notable features and tricks in the rear passenger area. For example, the rear seat bottoms fold up and out of the way to maximize the cargo area, which includes a relatively flat floor. There are also storage bins under the seats that have become a good home for ratchet straps, bungee cords, and gloves. Amenities for those sitting in the back include two USB ports, one 110-volt outlet, and four cupholders.
Our F-150 provides 33.5 inches of rear legroom, which is about 2.0 inches less than the 2019 Ram 1500 Quad Cab and 2019 Chevrolet Silverado Double Cab (35.6 and 35.2 inches, respectively), but it seems plenty to me (I’m 5-foot-9). Those aforementioned trucks have front-hinged doors, so I’ll attempt to compare their usefulness and livability (among other things) for a future update.
Read more about our 2018 Ford F-150 Lariat:
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