The 2024 Ford F-350 Super Duty Works Harder AND Smarter | MotorWeek Road Test

Motor Week is made possible by AutoValue and Bumper 2 Bumper and TireRack.com There's no denying that pickup trucks have become vehicles of leisure for many people but there are still plenty of folks who buy big trucks because they need to do things that only big trucks can do and the new Super Duty from Ford can do those big truck things better than ever. Ford is celebrating 75 years of F-Series pickups and if you spend any time in their latest Super Duty range of heavy duty trucks you'll quickly see they've only gotten better with age. Things are rarely all new in the HD truck world but the Super Duty has been completely redesigned, officially launching its fourth generation with updates front to back inside and out designed to make your working life easier and your off days more enjoyable. That means some things actually trickling up from the F-150 like their pro power on board with two kilowatts of power for tools or toys and of course more engine power under the hood too. The standard gas engine is an all-new 6.8 liter v8 with 400 horsepower and 445 pound-feet of torque, both numbers up 15 from the previous 6.2 liter. The 430 horsepower 7.3 liter v8 upgrade carries over but gets a new intake that helps it build an additional 10 pound-feet of torque now rated at 485 pound-feet. Over on the diesel side the 6.7 liter power stroke v8 turbo with 475 horsepower and 1050 pound-feet of torque remains available but the big news is a new high output version that cranks horsepower up to 500 and torque up to 1200 pound-feet. Its turbos are upgraded to inhale and exhale more air working with new exhaust manifolds to make sure it flows freely. All setups work with a 10-speed automatic transmission but four-wheel drive is now standard on all but base XL super duties. Our F-350 single rear wheel crew cab limited was indeed packing that high output 6.7 liter turbo diesel so we couldn't wait to get it to our Mason-Dixon test track. Minimal weight over the rear tires makes translating all that torque to acceleration a tough task but we were up to it with a light touch on the pedal we hustled the 60 in 6.9 seconds. Big diesels are always unique on track as there's so little room for the tack to roam before you're up against the red line and a shift is triggered in the automatic. We actually went through eight gears in the quarter hitting ninth right as we crossed the finish line in 15.2 seconds at 96 miles per hour. Ford continues to think of new ways to make your towing life easier. Remember when power extending tow mirrors were a big deal? Yeah we're well past that with cameras all over the place and pro trailer hitch assist to make hooking up easier to a smart hitch that can weigh your trailer and navigation that not only plots the most efficient route for you but takes the size of your trailer into account to plan around tight turns overpasses and bridges. Other available thoughtful touches abound including steps seemingly everywhere a power tailgate retractable bed cover recovery hooks retracting running boards adjustable pedals and even massaging seats but there's no getting around the fact that this is an enormous vehicle and driving it around can be more of a chore than a joy especially when you're not towing or hauling anything much like a sled dog this truck is only truly happy when it's working government fuel economy ratings are not required for heavy duty trucks but we average 15 miles per gallon of diesel with a wide range of cab bed powertrain and wheelbase configurations there's also a wide range of pricing but things start off with an f-250 xl at 46 965 dollars making heavy duty pickups more capable is a constant in the truck world but more than any other brand ford has prioritized not just making their super duty lineup work harder but making them work smarter which ultimately means less work and less stress for you