Seriously look at Dodge with the new "MegaCab", especially since you seem to need the four-door option. Dodge and GM are better at building engines than Ford, with regard to appropriateness. The ford Triton engines are good high-rpm engines, but tend to be weak on torque and weak on low-rpm performance, and are really better suited to cars than trucks. The GM VorTec engines, particularly the 6000 and 8100, are much better suited to truck usage, as is the Dodge Hemi. Obviously the diesel story is different (if you would consider one). The Dodge Diesel is almost certainly overkill for what you want. The Powerstroke and DuraMax are probably pretty evenly matched, and are pretty good light truck engines. The powerstroke has history behind it (though the new engine is a new design), but the Duramax is an extremely well-designed system.
Also, and this is more of a personal thing, I have found that the Ford interiors aren't as ergonomic as the GM and Dodge. The driver's seat tends to be a little more shallow from seatback to front edge of the seatpan than the other two makes, and the switchgear is funky. Also, I have never liked the Ford transmissions. I don't know that much about the new Dodge autos, but the GM autos are much more sturdy.
Does this apply to the new (post-2003) F-150s, too?
Too much lag time when going from drive to reverse nd vice-versa? My F-150 could do better in that area but I also drive a Crown Vic that is awful slow to engage.
Thanks for posting this little item. What exactly do you mean by "weak on low-RPM"? How would this problem show itself?