36 straight years. That’s how long the Ford F-150 has sat atop the best-selling truck list in the U.S. The F-150’s timeless popularity is unquestioned to the point that it’s not surprising to hear that the truck has also been named the best-selling vehicle among members of the U.S. military. A study conducted by the United Services Automobile Association’s car buying service revealed the status of the F-150 among all branches of the U.S. military in 2017. It’s the latest accolade given to a model that also earned the 2018 Kelley Blue Book Best Buy Award for the fourth year in a row.

There’s no stopping the Ford F-150’s continued dominance in the U.S. market. That’s been the case since the model debut in the late 70’s. If anything, the F-150’s popularity keeps on soaring, as shown by the study done by USAA auto analyst Jimmy Spears.

The recognition wasn’t lost on the automaker, which has helped the military in a variety of roles and functions throughout the years. “We are proud and humbled that those who protect and defend our country choose (the) Ford F-Series,” Todd Eckert, Ford truck group marketing manager, said in a statement. “(The) F-150’s high-strength, military-grade, aluminum-alloy body is designed to serve customers who are used to performing in the harshest of environments and who rely on the capability, durability, and functionality delivered consistently by Built Ford Tough.”

The F-150’s popularity is largely tied to Ford’s ability to keep reinventing and improving the model after all of its years in the market. For the 2018 model, the F-150 received a number of notable upgrades, specifically the addition of a new diesel variant that uses a 3.0-liter Power Stroke turbo V-6 engine that has 250 horsepower and 440 pound-feet of torque at its disposal. The new diesel mill is the sixth engine in the F-150 lineup. Its inclusion coincides with other updates for the pickup, including an updated exterior, new technology, and more wheel choices.

The new updates should help the F-150 maintain its dominance in the pickup truck market. As well received as the new Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and Ram 1500 were when they debuted at the 2018 Detroit Auto Show earlier this month, both models still have a long way to go to catch the F-150 in the sales charts. In 2017 alone, Ford’s F-Series sold a staggering 896,764 models in the U.S. By comparison, sales of the Chevrolet Silverado in the same year maxed out at 585,864 units while sales of Ram models “only” added up to 500,723 units.

Given the F-150’s place in the hearts and minds of Americans, including young and old military personnel, don’t expect to see any changes on that list. The F-150 is still the king of pickups in the U.S.

References

Ford F-150

Read our full review on the 2018 Ford F-150.

Read more Ford news.