FORD F-150 Regular Cab 1996-2004 Photos, engines & full specs

Ford introduced the tenth generation of its F-150 pickup in 1996 and showed a departure from its predecessor's boxy-style design.

The F-150 series was the best-selling vehicle in the world, and Ford had to improve it to keep up with its competitors, who tried to steal its crown. For that, the blue-oval brand revised the chassis and introduced new engines and transmissions. It was available in a few cabins and bed versions and the shortest one, named Regular Cab, was the true family workhorse.

For the 1997 model, the designers took their time to accomplish a distinctive image for the F150. At the front, the F150 sported a front fascia with rounded edges and a reversed trapezoidal grille. The bumper was body-colored or chrome, depending on the trim level, and sported a pair of fog lamps mounted on the outer side, with an additional narrow air-intake between them. Ford offered the pickup with a choice of two beds in the back, a 6ft5" and an 8ft one (1.98m and 2.43m) and two wheelbases.

Inside, the designers threw away the straight lines from its predecessor and imagined flowing curves and an ovoid-shaped instrument cluster. Depending on the options, the F150 featured two individual seats or a 60/40 split-folding bench with a wide armrest in the middle. The carmaker equipped the pickup with power windows, power door locks, power mirrors, climate control, and a stereo-cassette player on top trim levels.

Under the hood, Ford installed a choice of three engines paired to either a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic transmission. Power went to the rear or to all four wheels via a transfer case with a low-range gear.