F-150 Lariat Accessories: Trim-Specific Upgrades Worth Buying

You just drove a 2023 F-150 Lariat off the lot. Heated seats. Leather-trimmed cabin. That 12-inch SYNC 4 screen glowing at you like a small TV. It already feels like a step above the XLT you almost bought. Then a job-site haul leaves mud on the running boards. A coffee cup tips into the center console at the drive-thru. The back seat picks up a Labrador's shedding before Tuesday. The Lariat is a strong mid-tier truck. A few targeted upgrades keep it looking and working that way past 100,000 miles.

The F-150 Lariat sits between the XLT and King Ranch in Ford's ladder. It ships with leather-trimmed seats, a 12-inch SYNC 4 screen, and an available power tailgate. The accessories worth buying: a bed liner, tonneau cover, all-weather floor liners, running boards sized for your cab, and made-to-fit seat covers built for the Lariat's specific bucket or 40/20/40 bench setup. Most installs finish under an hour.

What the F-150 Lariat Already Gives You

The Lariat is Ford's move into premium territory without asking King Ranch money. It sits one rung above the XLT and one rung below King Ranch, Platinum, and Limited. That middle spot is why it's one of the best-selling trims in the lineup.

Stock, you get leather-trimmed front buckets or a 40/20/40 bench, heated fronts, dual-zone climate, and the 12-inch SYNC 4 touchscreen. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come along for the ride.

Options worth knowing about before you spend money on upgrades: the power tailgate, the 360-degree camera, B&O audio, ventilated seats, Pro Power Onboard, and Max Trailer Tow. If you already have the 360-camera, don't buy an aftermarket backup camera. If you don't, that's a spot to spend.

Check the Ford spec page for your exact build sheet before ordering anything expensive. Knowing what came from the factory saves duplicate spending and headaches at install time. It's also why tailored upgrades protect your truck's resale value when you eventually trade it in.

Bed Protection: Liners and Cargo Accessories

The Lariat's bed sees the same abuse as any work truck. Toolboxes slide. Firewood tears the paint. A pallet of sod turns the floor into a mud tray. Bed protection is priority one.

Drop-In vs. Spray-In Bed Liners

Drop-ins run $150 to $400 and take an afternoon to install. They protect well but trap water and grit underneath, which can rust the bed floor over time.

Spray-ins cost $400 to $650 at a Line-X or Rhino dealer. They bond to the metal, seal the seams, and add real grip for cargo. Most owners choose spray-in and stop worrying.

Bed Extenders and Dividers

If you're hauling 8-foot lumber or a couple of mountain bikes, a bed extender turns the 5.5-foot bed into something closer to 7 feet with the tailgate down. Ford's own extender clips into the factory tie-downs. Cargo management rails are worth adding if you haul different loads every week.

Fitment matters here. The F-150 comes in 5.5-foot, 6.5-foot, and 8-foot beds. Buy for the bed you have, not the bed you wish you had.

Tonneau Covers That Fit the Lariat's Bed

A tonneau earns its keep in three ways: security, weather sealing, and about 1-2 MPG on the highway from cleaner airflow.

Soft roll-up covers run $250 to $450. They're the entry point. Quick to remove, decent water seal, no security to speak of.

Hard folding covers land between $600 and $1,100. They're the sweet spot for most owners. Locks when it's folded down, folds up for full bed access, sheds snow without sagging.

Retractable covers sit at $1,500 to $2,400. Push a button, the bed opens. If you optioned the power tailgate, a powered retractable tonneau makes the truck feel like one integrated piece. Make sure whatever you buy is spec'd for the tailgate assist and any bed rail upgrades you already have. Some tonneaus don't play nice with over-the-rail bed liners.

Floor Liners and Interior Protection

Carpet mats look nice for about six weeks. Then the snow melt, coffee drips, and job-site grit turn them into a lost cause. All-weather liners are the fix.

WeatherTech, Husky, and Ford's own factory-style liners are all laser-measured for the F-150 cab. They fit differently in a SuperCab versus a SuperCrew, so match the part number to your build. The rear liner on a SuperCrew is close to double the size of the SuperCab piece.

Why bother when the cabin's interior looks so nice? That's exactly the reason. A $200 set of liners protects a $60,000 truck's carpet. Resale kicks back the cost two or three times when you sell.

If you tow, add a cargo mat for the bed of the SuperCrew or a load-floor mat behind the rear seat. Wet gear, muddy boots, and coolers slide right off rubber.

Seat Cover Fitment for the F-150 Lariat

Here's where trim-level details matter most. The Lariat's seats aren't the same as an XLT's, and they aren't the same as a Raptor's or a King Ranch's. The bolster shape, the console cutouts, the airbag paths, the headrest posts, the middle-jump-seat fold on the 40/20/40 bench, all of it changes per trim.

That's why a generic universal cover looks and fits like a shower curtain. The Lariat's leather-trimmed bolsters show wear on the driver's side first, usually around 24 to 30 months of daily use. I've seen $400 reupholstery quotes at Ford dealers for that same wear. A made-to-fit cover installed on day one prevents it before it starts.

Two things a cover has to get right on this truck:

• Airbag-safe construction. The Lariat's front seats have side airbags. Any cover that blocks that deployment path is a legal and safety problem. Look for covers with the proper airbag-release seam.
• Configuration match. Front buckets with the flow-through console are one pattern. The 40/20/40 split bench is a completely different pattern with a fold-down middle. Buy for the seats you actually have.

Eco-leather in black, tan, or gray reads closest to the factory leather. Diamond-stitch options give the cabin a subtle upgrade without screaming aftermarket. Install is under 60 minutes with no tools if the pattern is cut right.

See made-to-fit truck seat covers for the F-150 when you're ready to spec a set, or check factory-style luxury seat covers built for Ford trucks for the material and color options.

Running Boards and Step Bars

At 78 inches tall in some configurations, the Lariat isn't easy to jump into. Kids, older passengers, and anyone in a skirt or dress will appreciate a step.

Factory Ford running boards run $600 to $900 installed. They fit like they belong because they came from the same factory. Aftermarket steel nerf bars from N-Fab or Westin land at $300 to $500 and look aggressive on a black or gray truck.

Power retractable steps (AMP Research, Bestop) sit at $1,600 to $2,000. They tuck up when the door closes, which keeps them clean and out of the way off-road. Worth it if you crawl under low-clearance stuff or care about the clean look.

Cab size drives length. A SuperCab uses shorter boards than a SuperCrew. Order by the exact cab, not by "F-150." Finish-wise, black powder coat hides scratches best. Chrome looks great for about a year in salt country.

Towing and Hitch Accessories

The Lariat pulls serious weight when you spec it right. The 3.5L EcoBoost with Max Trailer Tow tops out at 14,000 lbs. The 5.0L V8 pulls closer to 11,300 lbs. The 2.7L EcoBoost handles up to about 10,100 lbs. The PowerBoost hybrid comes in around 12,700 lbs.

Engine	Max Tow (Max Trailer Tow)	Typical Use
2.7L EcoBoost V6	~10,100 lbs	Bay boat, small camper
5.0L V8	~11,300 lbs	Utility trailer, side-by-sides
3.5L EcoBoost V6	~14,000 lbs	Fifth-wheel, big travel trailer
3.5L PowerBoost Hybrid	~12,700 lbs	Travel trailer, contractor loads

Use this chart to match your engine badge to a realistic trailer weight. Then add the upgrades.

You need a Class IV or Class V hitch receiver. Ball mount sizing depends on trailer coupler height. Get the ball height right or the trailer porpoises on the highway and eats tires.

For anything over 5,000 lbs, a proportional brake controller is a must. The Lariat's factory tow package is pre-wired for one. Pro Trailer Backup Assist works with most trailers if you spend 10 minutes calibrating the sticker. It's genuinely useful the first time you back a 24-foot boat down a launch ramp at 5 AM.

Over 7,500 lbs, add a weight-distribution hitch. Equal-i-zer and Andersen are the two most F-150 owners run. See best car accessories for enthusiasts if you're building out a full towing setup.

Tech and Lighting Upgrades Worth Adding

The Lariat's electronics are already deep. Don't waste money duplicating what came from the factory. Spend where the truck has gaps.

LED bed lighting kits run $80 to $200 and tap into the factory bed light wiring. Loading gear at 6 PM in December stops being a phone-flashlight exercise.

Dash cams that play well with SYNC 4 include the Nextbase 622GW and the Garmin Mini 2. Hardwire kits are $30 to $50 extra and clean up the cabin.

Backup camera add-ons only make sense if you skipped the 360-degree camera option. If you have the 360, you're set. If you didn't, a hitch-mounted trailer camera from Furrion pairs with an aftermarket screen for around $400.

Wireless charging pad upgrades for the center console are worth it on 2021-2023 models that came without one. The 2024-plus trucks ship with it standard.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is special about the F-150 Lariat?

The Lariat is Ford's entry into premium F-150 territory. Standard leather-trimmed seats, heated fronts, dual-zone climate, and the 12-inch SYNC 4 screen come with every one. Available options include Pro Power Onboard, the 360-degree camera, B&O audio, and the power tailgate. It sits above the XLT and below the King Ranch, giving you most of the luxury feel at a lower price point than the top trims.

Q: What are some must-have accessories for a Ford F-150?

Four core buys cover the biggest wear points: a bed liner (drop-in or spray-in), a tonneau cover, all-weather floor liners, and made-to-fit seat covers. For the Lariat specifically, vehicle-specific covers that match the leather cabin and preserve the side-airbag function are high-priority. Add a Class IV hitch, LED bed lighting, and running boards sized for your cab. That package protects the truck and keeps daily use easy.

Q: What are common problems with the F-150 Lariat?

Owner reports point to a few consistent issues. Leather-trimmed bolsters show wear after two or three years of daily driver use, especially on the driver's side. Some early 2021-2022 model years had water intrusion around the tailgate seal. SYNC 4 has thrown occasional software glitches that a dealer flash fixes. Seat covers head off the bolster wear on day one, which is the cheapest problem to solve early.

Q: Is the Ford F-150 Lariat a good truck?

Yes. The Lariat ranks as one of the best-selling F-150 trims for a reason. It balances real work capability (up to 14,000 lbs of tow with the right engine) with a cabin that feels closer to a luxury SUV than a work truck. Add the right upgrades on day one, and it holds resale value well past 100,000 miles. Owners who baby the interior see the strongest trade-in numbers.

See the made-to-fit seat covers built for the F-150's exact seat configurations, including the Lariat's 40/20/40 bench and bucket layouts, over at 2023 ford bronco 2 door seat covers. Your Lariat's leather will thank you at year three.