Most appealing heavy duty truck? Ford’s Super Duty takes the prize

The minute you see a Ford Super Duty, you know it is more than a simple pickup truck.

More, not only in size, but in everything else. It is the big brother in the F-series family which has been the best-selling truck in Canada for 58 consecutive years. Heck, it has been the best-selling vehicle of any type for the past 14 years!

And most recently (July 25, 2024), the F-Series Super Duty came out on top as the most ‘appealing large heavy duty truck’ in J.D. Power’s APEAL study (Automotive, Performance, Execution and Layout) which measures consumers’ emotional attachment and level of excitement with their new vehicle after 90 days of ownership.

So what’s the difference between the Super Duty and the myriad of lesser F-150s?

First of all, the F-150 is a light duty, half-ton pickup. The Super Duty is not. The F-250 series starts with a gross vehicle rating more than 8,500 pounds. Above that threshold, trucks go from light to medium or heavy duty with associated changes in safety, emission and other regulations.

The F-150 and F-250 share the same cab – everything fore and aft of that is different.

Both are available in three cab configurations – regular, Super Cab and Super Crew Cab. The distance between the front and rear axles of the F-250 is 475 mm longer. Equipped with an eight-foot box like the test unit, the longest F-250 is 242-mm longer than the F-150 with the same box size.

Capability-wise, the most an F-150 can tow, in any configuration, is 13,500 pounds. The lowest F-250 on the ladder can haul 13,700 lbs. Spec it out properly and a F-250 can tow 22,000 lbs., 23,000 with a gooseneck! The most capable F-150 can carry 2,445 lbs in the box, 3,793 for the F-250.

Reaching these levels requires power.

Shopping for an F-150? You can select from six different engines. Top of the charts is a turbocharged 3.5-litre V6 producing 450 horsepower and 510 lb. ft. of torque – more than the 5.0-litre V8 at 395-hp and 400 lb. ft.

The base engine for the F-250 is a 6.8-litre V8 that produces 405 horsepower and the 445 lb. ft. of torque. The optional 7.3-litre V8 is the most powerful gasoline engine in the heavy-duty segment at 430-hp and 485 lb.ft.

Ford F-250 has segment-leading grunt and power

Torque is what matters when it comes to towing or hauling. Spring for the high-output version of the F-250’s 6.7-litre Power Stroke diesel and you’ve got a segment-leading 500 horsepower and a stunning 1,200 lb. ft. of grunt available.

Ford has extensive experience building selling pickups. The brand knows its customers and their wants and needs, especially when it comes to towing or hauling.

Neat and extremely useful available features

• Onboard scales that show the payload on the info screen or via indicator lights in the taillamps.
• A Smart hitch that shows load balance on the screen or taillamps.
• Backup camera and sensors that continue to work when you lower the tailgate.
• Pro Trailer Hitch Assist – push a button and cameras and sensors locate the trailer and control steering, brakes and accelerator to position the receiver directly over the hitch ball.
• Pro Trailer backup assist – use another button the dash instead of the steering wheel to backup with the trailer.

I did not attempt to tow anything with the test vehicle, having done that on previous occasions. Suffice it to say, the big pickup, with the diesel engine, laughs off anything in the bed or on the hitch. But it requires a maximum amount of respect and concentration.

The same holds true with nothing on or behind the box. This is a big rig.

Tight corners and quarters take on added significance. The steering is surprisingly responsive for such a tall and heavy rig. Handling is a foreign concept, and the ride is brittle with no load. The springs and shocks, sized for heavy duty loads, don’t take kindly to rough surfaces.

Once you climb up and into the cab you become well-aware of the size of the truck.

The seats, fore and aft are suitable for large people with long legs. The instrument panel and infotainment system are legible and intuitive. The King Ranch trim of the tester brought a copious number of bells and whistles. Distances and loads become a lot easier to deal with, when cossetted in the lap of leather-lined luxury like this.

All that ability, and all that power requires the consumption of copious amounts of fuel – my first experience with a $250 fill!

FACTS & FIGURES – 2023 Ford F250 4×4 King Ranch 4×4 crew cab

PRICE

Base: $98,959

As tested: $116,154 including freight

INFOTAINMENT

110-volt outlet, 14-speaker B & O Audio system, 2kW onboard pro power system, Sync 4 with 30-cm screen, wireless charging pad

SAFETY

Automatic LED headlights and high beams, 360-degree camera, blind spot information system with cross traffic alert

STANDARD EQUIPMENT

Cargo management system, power tailgate lock, power telescoping trailer tow mirrors, power sliding rear window with defrost, power locks and windows, auto dimming mirror, power adjustable pedals, power heated and ventilated driver’s seat with memory, tilt & telescope steering wheel, dual zone automatic climate control, adaptive cruise control,  heads up display, tow technology package

OPTIONS

Rapid red paint, $600; preferred equipment package 700A (x), $10,975; all weather floor mats with carpet, $250; chrome package, (20-in chrome wheels, anodized step bars, chrome door handles, exhaust outlet, tow hooks, mirror caps and front and rear bumpers),  $500; twin panel moonroof, $1,750; spray-in bedliner, $600; maximum recline passenger seat, $500; multi-contour seat removal, $375

MECHANICAL

6.7 litre diesel V8, 500-horsepower, 1,200 lb.ft. of torque. 10-speed automatic transmission, four-wheel-drive with two-speed transfer case, NRCan rating (litres/100km city/highway): Not pretty!

DIMENSIONS

Length, 6,761-mm; wheelbase, 4,470-mm; width, 2,068-mm; weight, 3,481-kg

COMPETITION

Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD, GMC Sierra 2500 HD, Ram 2500 HD