The Ford F-Series has become one of the fundamental backbones of the United States. The truck has dominated its segment for over 46 years at this point, with countless farmers, construction workers, and government utility workers driving a Ford Super Duty every day. After getting a chance to experience the new 2023 Ford Super Duty lineup around Michigan Proving Grounds, that decades-long truck segment dominance is less surprising than ever.
The fifth-generation Ford Super Duty arrives for 2023, with the lineup now featuring a more streamlined content strategy, which sees widespread changes to standard equipment, optional extras, and additional packages. There are four powertrain options on offer for the Super Duty in 2023: a 6.8-liter V-8 gas engine, the 7.3-liter Godzilla V-8 gasser, and a pair of 6.7-liter Powerstroke turbo-diesels. The smaller gas V-8 is limited to the XL trim level, and provides 405 hp and 445 lb-ft of torque. Godzilla is standard on XLT and above, and provides 430 hp and 485 lb-ft of torque. The standard output Powerstroke brings 475 hp and 1050 lb-ft, whereas the optional High Output engine brings a class-leading 500 hp and 1200 lb-ft of torque. A pair of 10-speed automatics are the only transmissions available.
While I didn’t experience a 6.8-liter-equipped XL, all of the remaining powertrains are excellent in the Super Duty. The Godzilla V-8 brings plenty of low-end torque for customers who aren’t swayed by the diesel’s immense output, while saving a few bucks when it comes time to top up. The growing aftermarket support for the engine only makes the offering more enticing as time goes on. My 7.3-liter tester had no trouble pulling an 8000-pound boat and trailer combo around the automaker’s tow loop, with good engine braking from the throttle body on the way down the site’s steep grades. The diesels bring a sensation of endless grunt, thanks to their four-digit torque outputs. The Standard Output F-250 I spent most of my time with felt genuinely quick for a vehicle of this size, with the gearbox constantly ripping through ratios to stay in the meat of the power curve. The High Output model I sampled on the tow loop was weighed down by a 19,000-pound trailer, which it handled without much of a notice from the cabin. When properly optioned, the Ford’s Super Duty lineup leads the segment in payload and towing capacity, with ratings of 8000 pounds and 40,000 pounds, respectively. It is worth mentioning the latter is achieved by utilizing a gooseneck layout.
Ford knows that its Super Duty customers spend a ton of time with a trailer in tow, and have slightly revised the truck’s chassis in an effort to improve capacity. The company also brought its suite of trailer and towing technologies from the F-150 lineup to the Super Duty, including Pro Trailer Hitch Assist. This system uses ADAS functionality to back the truck right up to your trailer on its own with the hold of a button. It’s an impressive ease-of-life feature, and one that first-time truck owners will come to love. Ford has even installed an additional backup camera on the top of the tailgate to ensure you’re not staring at the ground when pulling up to a fifth-wheel or job site with the tailgate down. Other highlights include the Onboard Scales with Smart Hitch functionality, as well as a Trailer Navigation system that ensures your route accounts for trailer weights and heights. Ford’s Blind Spot Assist system can even be configured to cover your trailer.
The focus on technology is a theme with this truck. Outside of the towing features, Ford has developed a new suite of software solutions tailored specifically for its commercial and fleet customers. The new Ford Pro Upfit Integration system allows for complete two-way communication between the truck and any secondary items like a utility crane or snowplow. Ford’s upfitting partners can use this communication to tailor and link functions to one another within any of the vehicle’s modules. The range of features you can program is broad, with access to specific functions linked right to the infotainment system.
Like its smaller sibling, the latest Super Duty cabin ranges from spartan to downright luxurious depending on your trim selection. All lower trim models feature an 8-inch infotainment screen in the center, whereas Lariat and above feature a 12-inch unit. Select Super Duty models come equipped with a 12-inch digital cluster ahead of the driver, which is customizable with a variety of vehicle information screens. A heads up display is also available in higher trimmed models , and is clear and easy to interpret even in bright light. Ford hasn’t abandoned physical controls in favor of those dual screens however, with hard buttons for just about any control you’d need. The design is undeniably function-over-form inside, with material selection improving as you work your way up the trims.
I could happily do big miles in an F-250 Lariat, which is not something I’d say for just about any other HD truck. Part of that comes down to the truck’s ride quality, an area in which Ford placed a concerted effort during development. There’s no hiding the fact that you’re in a big truck, but the chattery behavior presented by some HD offerings isn’t as fatiguing here. It's far more comfortable than the Silverado HD, for instance, and never feels like a lumbering rig. Acceleration remains strong and consistent through the gears. It’s nearly as easy to drive as the F-150, albeit just a bit bigger.
Therein lies the real temptation of the latest Super Duty lineup. In the past there were some sacrifices to be made when purchasing a heavy duty pickup. While those concessions have gotten smaller across the board, this latest Super Duty doesn’t really ask you to give up that much compared to the half-ton market. That is aside from cold hard cash, of which the Super Duty can demand a lot of. The most basic F-250 XL in 2WD starts at $45,865 including destination charges. Things quickly escalate from there, however. The 6.7-liter diesel is $9995, whereas the High Output motor rings in at $12,495. My well-appointed Lariat with the diesel and 4WD was exactly the sort of truck a lot of buyers will want, and it carried an MSRP of $91,445. I guess everything is bigger in the HD segment.
Born and raised in Metro Detroit, associate editor Lucas Bell has spent his entire life surrounded by the automotive industry. He may daily drive an aging Mustang, but his Porsche 944 and NB Miata both take up most of his free time.
