--- title: "Five Pickup Truck Features That Proved Their Worth" url: "https://pickuptrucktalk.com/2026/10/pickup-truck-features-proved-their-worth/" publisher: "Pickup Truck + SUV Talk" content_signal: "search=yes, ai-input=yes, ai-train=no" author: "Pickup Truck + SUV Talk Staff" published: "2026-10-01T12:00:00+00:00" image: "https://pickuptrucktalk.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/nicholas-truck-features-1.png" --- # Five Pickup Truck Features That Proved Their Worth By Pickup Truck + SUV Talk Staff Published: 2026-10-01T12:00:00+00:00 ![Featured image]() By Nicholas Muhoro A tailgate with extra hinges. An outlet powerful enough to run tools. Storage compartments built into the bed. Pickup features like these can look like expensive answers to questions nobody asked, until there is a job they make easier. The test is practical: Does the feature help an owner load cargo, work away from an outlet, tow a trailer or keep equipment organized? A clever demonstration is one thing. Being useful after the new-truck excitement wears off is another. These five features show how truck makers have tackled those everyday problems. They are not all standard equipment, and some remain specific to a brand or configuration. Their value depends on how you use your pickup. ## Multifunction tailgates ![Ford F-150 Pro Access Tailgate]() 2025 Ford F-150 Pro Access Tailgate (Photo courtesy of [McChizzle/ Wikimedia Commons]()) Ford’s available tailgate step gave F-150 owners another way into the bed, with a pull-out step and an assist handle. The 2009 F-150 owner’s manual shows how the system works. It is a simple idea: Put a foothold where someone needs it instead of making the bumper do all the work. [Ford owner’s manual]() GMC took a different approach with the MultiPro tailgate on the 2019 Sierra. Its inner gate and folding sections provide six functions, including a bed-access step, load stops and a work surface. Ford’s later Pro Access Tailgate, pictured above, uses a swing-out section to let owners reach into the bed without leaning over a lowered tailgate. [GMC MultiPro guide]() These designs are useful for different reasons, so it pays to try them before buying. Easier access can help with loading and unloading, but a complicated tailgate is not automatically the right choice for every owner. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for steps, load limits and clearance around a trailer hitch. ## Onboard power for bigger jobs ![Ford F-150 Pro Power Onboard outlets with adapter]() 2025 Ford F-150 Pro Power Onboard outlets with a NEMA L14-30R adapter (Photo courtesy of McChizzle / Wikimedia Commons)[Photo source]() An outlet in a truck is not new. The change is how much power some systems can supply. For the 2021 F-150, Ford offered a 2.0-kilowatt Pro Power Onboard system with certain gasoline engines. The PowerBoost hybrid came with 2.4 kilowatts, with a 7.2-kilowatt system available. [Ford specifications]() That gives suitably equipped trucks a role beyond charging phones and laptops. Depending on the system’s rating and the equipment’s power demand, an owner can run tools at a job site or appliances during an outage. The 2021 Texas winter storm provided a real-world example, with F-150 owners using Pro Power Onboard for emergency electricity. [Texas outage reporting]() Output, starting loads, fuel supply and operating conditions all matter. A truck’s outlets are not a promise that it can power an entire house for days. Follow Ford’s operating instructions, keep a running vehicle outdoors with exhaust away from doors and windows, and use properly rated equipment. Connecting to household wiring requires an approved transfer arrangement, not a cord plugged into a wall outlet. ## Aluminum body panels ![2026 GMC Sierra HD pickup truck]() 2026 GMC Sierra HD (Photo courtesy of GMC). Representative truck image, not an illustration of the F-150’s aluminum body.[Photo source]() Ford’s switch to an aluminum-alloy body for the 2015 F-150 challenged familiar expectations about pickup construction. Beneath that body, the truck still used a steel frame. The point was to reduce weight without abandoning the work buyers expected a full-size truck to do. Ford said the redesigned F-150 weighed up to 700 pounds less than its predecessor. That figure reflected the overall redesign, including the frame and other engineering changes, rather than aluminum body panels alone. Lower vehicle weight can help payload and efficiency, but buyers still need to check the ratings for the particular truck they are considering. [Ford’s redesign details]() Other manufacturers have used a mix of materials rather than following Ford’s exact approach. The redesigned 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, for example, combined a steel bed and fixed body panels with aluminum doors, hood and tailgate. Aluminum is not immune to corrosion or damage, and repair procedures matter. The useful lesson is that a truck’s capability cannot be judged by one material alone. [Chevrolet vehicle information]() ## Trailer cameras that improve the view ![Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD towing a boat]() 2024 Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD LTZ towing a boat (Photo Courtesy of [Chevrolet Newsroom]()) General Motors’ Transparent Trailer View tackles a familiar towing problem: A trailer can block the view behind the truck. Available on properly equipped Chevrolet and GMC pickups, the system combines camera images to create a view that appears to look through a compatible trailer. The effect depends on hardware and setup. Chevrolet specifies an accessory camera mounted on the trailer and requires trailer measurements to configure the view. It is not a camera-free trick, and compatibility depends on the vehicle, equipment and trailer. [Chevrolet camera requirements]() Camera views and trailer steering assistance also do different jobs. One helps the driver see; the other can assist with steering while backing up. Neither removes the need to watch the surroundings, use mirrors and follow the owner’s manual. Better visibility is the benefit, not a guarantee that every blind spot or towing mistake disappears. ## Secure storage built into the bed ![Ram 1500 RamBox bedside storage compartment]() 2012 Ram 1500 Regular Cab, with Locking Boxes (Photo Courtesy of [Wikimedia Commons]()) A pickup’s open bed is good for bulky cargo, but small tools and loose equipment need somewhere to go. RamBox addresses that with storage bins integrated into the bed sides. The lockable, drainable compartments can keep frequently used gear organized and accessible without putting it in the cab. [Ram storage details]() There is a tradeoff. Integrated storage changes the shape of the cargo area, so buyers should check the bed dimensions and compatibility with the loads and accessories they use. Whether the compartments are worth it depends on what needs to be carried and how often it needs to be reached. Honda took a different approach with the 2006 Ridgeline’s lockable In-Bed Trunk, placing storage below the bed floor. That design predates RamBox and should be understood as a separate solution, not a response to Ram’s system. [Honda’s 2006 Ridgeline announcement]() Neither approach makes every other storage option obsolete. A separate toolbox, a bed cover or storage inside the cab may work better for a particular owner. Built-in compartments earn their place when they make equipment easier to store and retrieve. ## Useful beats flashy These features do not need to be universal to be worthwhile. A better foothold, a useful power supply, lower vehicle weight, improved trailer visibility or a secure place for tools can solve a real problem. 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