Trucks are big – way bigger than they used to be. And Ford’s newest F-250 Super Duty is no exception. When it comes equipped with the 8-foot box, the truck truly is a big ‘un. But that didn’t dampen Peter Wettlaufer’s enthusiasm to spend time behind the wheel of a Limited model in flashy Rapid Red. (The model tested was a 2023 model year but all prices reflect the current 2024 model year pricing since it had no significant changes to the lineup.)
“I’ve never owned or driven a Ford pickup for any length of time,” the Calgarian says. “When I first laid eyes on the F-250, it was larger than I was expecting, but that’s because you don’t often see the long box on a truck these days.”
Ford launched its current generation of F-Series Super Duty trucks in 2023. There are no changes to the range for 2024. Wettlaufer’s ride was powered by the 6.7-litre high-output Power Stroke diesel powerplant which produces 500 horsepower and 1,200 lb-ft of torque. It was paired with Ford’s 10-speed Torq-Shift automatic. Styling has been altered with a new grille and headlamp treatment, and the beams are something Ford refers to as “C-clamp” lamps. The price to drive off the lot in a top-of-the-line Limited trim Ford set up like Wetlaufer’s would be close to $123,000, before fees and taxes.
“It’s an attractive truck,” Wettlaufer says, and adds, “in the Rapid Red, it really stood out in a crowd.”
Wettlaufer currently maintains a 2014 GMC Sierra half ton with a 6.2-litre gasoline engine. With it, he and his wife tow a 26-foot travel trailer approximately 2,500 to 3,500 kilometres a year. Their daily driver is a 2013 Ford Escape. When approaching the F-250 with the key fob in his pocket, Wettlaufer says the auto-deploying running boards moved out to allow easy ingress. “It does sit high,” he says of the F-250, “and the step to the running board is a reasonable height. My wife had to grab the handle to climb in, but it was easier for me (Wettlaufer is 6-foot 2-inches tall).”
Once in the heated and cooled leather driver’s seat, Wettlaufer found it easy to get comfortable behind the wheel. The exterior mirrors were quickly adjusted and he especially appreciated the power fold feature. “Everything was very intuitive to use and I quickly paired my phone,” he says, and, “I liked that the majority of the climate controls were dials and not buried in a screen I had to scroll through to make adjustments. I like the tactile feel of rotating a knob to adjust the fan speed, for example.”
The large centre console offers plenty of storage and includes a wireless phone charging pad. Wettlaufer says there’s a fold-down centre console in the rear bench seat and he found just enough leg room for himself back there – he’d fit, but he’s not sure how long he could last.
“The 14-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system was excellent,” he adds. “We used it on our highway trips and listened mostly to the radio. I could have used my phone and Apple CarPlay but didn’t.”
As for the diesel powerplant, Wettlaufer says Ford’s engine is an excellent performer making a whisper of sound under the hood.
“With the windows up, A/C on and the stereo playing you just thought there was something purring away up there,” he explains. “Once the turbo kicks in, that diesel just keeps going and going. I gave it a run up a hill on Highway 22 and it didn’t break 2,000 rpm. There’s lots of power, and although I wasn’t able to hitch my trailer to the truck, there’d be no concerns about towing something.”
Ford’s specs show when equipped with the High Output 6.7L diesel engine, the truck’s maximum loaded trailer weight rating is 13,608 kilograms – in either four or two-wheel drive configurations. When towing a fifth wheel or gooseneck trailer, weight ratings increase to 15,740 in 4×4 or 14,969 in 4×2. Wettlaufer says the 10-speed transmission was smooth in the Normal drive mode without being able to feel any gear transitions. In Tow/Haul mode, the shift points are held longer. Although equipped with four-wheel drive, Wettlaufer kept the truck in two-wheel mode for the duration of the test (see Pros and Cons for fuel economy notes).
“Engine braking from the diesel did a lot of the initial slowing down, and the brakes themselves were smooth and responsive,” he adds. “On the highway, I’d always set the adaptive cruise control and it was also responsive and very accurate.”
Handling was impressive, especially on the highway, but the truck had a large turning radius in tighter situations that took Wettlaufer a few minutes to get used to. “The long box would be excellent in a commercial environment,” he says. “It has four tie-down points in the corners and there were mid-wall points as well. The retractable tailgate step makes it easy to access the box, and there were bumper corner and box side cutouts that were a little higher.”
Overall, Wettlaufer says, “You could tow in comfort on long road trips. In town, you’d want to be a bit more selective about where you’re going and what you’re doing – it’s not a Costco at noon on Sunday driver.”
He concludes, “But it’d sure be a great truck for a larger family towing something heavier and requires the long box.”
DRIVER’S JOURNAL
DAY 1: Picked up truck. I knew the vehicle would be large but was not expecting the long box. Considering the size, it was easy to set the mirrors and avoid all blind spots. Traffic was heavy but had no issues on various roads. The Blind Spot Information System was very helpful as well. With a full fuel tank, indicated range was 1,420 km. We drove to Diamond Valley for lunch and performance on the highway was excellent. Ride was very smooth for being a pickup truck and power adjustable front seats were comfortable. Also included is a dual-panel moon roof.
DAY 2: Running errands. This massive truck requires that you select destinations that aren’t as busy and have open space in the parking lots. At almost 23 feet long, this requires a pull through since it takes a portion of the second spot. The automatic power folding mirrors are a great benefit in this situation. Later in the day, drove out to Elbow Valley. This route has more elevation changes compared to the previous day. Vehicle performed well. Engine never exceeded 1,800rpm, even climbing and passing.
DAY 3: City driving is very easy and comfortable. Reviewed some of the features today. Heads Up Display (HUD) is a great feature. Critical information is displayed in the windshield. It is not distracting as you can easily look past it. This included current speed as well as speed limit if determined. This is based on being able to capture signage on the side of the road. It has its limitations in that it does not detect playground zones. There was even a case where it showed the posted speed as 120km on the Trans-Canada near Bow Valley.
DAY 4: Did some more research on features. There are six auxiliary switches (Ford calls then Upfitter switches) on the ceiling above the rear-view mirror. These control optional accessories such as winches, snowplows and flood lamps. No additional accessories were installed on this vehicle.
DAY 5: Investigated the trailer towing features. Unfortunately, I was not able to connect and tow my trailer due to this truck being higher than my current hitch settings. The first feature is the trailer light check, which cycles through a test of all lights on the connected trailer. The second interesting feature is the backup assist. This makes use of the rear tailgate camera, a sticker on the hitch and dial that you rotate in the direction that you want the trailer to move. The system will then control the steering. While in use, the 360-camera system provides a view of the vehicle and trailer. The driver controls the amount of steering via the control knob. I’m sure it would take some practice to use it effectively. The vehicle also supports an optional camera mounted on the rear of the trailer. Integrated brake controller is standard, as is fifth-wheel prep package. Other options included a 2kw power connection in the box.
DAY 6: Travelled to Canmore to visit and have lunch with friends. A comfortable and effortless drive on the highway, even in heavy traffic and through a construction zone.
DAY 7: The tailgate includes a retractable step and grab bar. The tailgate has power assist open/close operated via the key fob. Cut-outs in the bumper corners provide a step. There are also steps in the fender immediately behind the cab.
Pros
- Spacious cabin with comfortable front seating.
- Power retractable running boards.
- Reasonable fuel consumption. Overall for the week was 11.9 L/100km over 739km, mostly highway driving. City only driving was averaging 14-15 L/100km.
Cons
- The long box is not required for most non-commercial uses.
- Consideration for where one parks the truck.
- Likely worth the purchase price, but it’s expensive.
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