Ford F-450 Overviews

Ford F-450Ford F-450 Super Duty pickup comes in a Crew Cab body style with an 8-foot bed and dual rear wheels for greater weight handling and stability. Two- or four-wheel drive and three trim levels serve a variety of needs: base XL, midlevel XLT and luxurious Lariat. The XL is intended as a bare-bones work truck, with the step-up XLT providing more creature comforts and powered ford f-450 accessories. Top-level Lariats come fully equipped with leather and dual-zone automatic climate control. Lots of options are available, including reverse park assist, power-adjustable pedals, a moonroof, a navigation system and rear-seat DVD entertainment. The King Ranch Package really dresses things up with two-tone paint, 20-inch alloy wheels and western saddle-style leather seating and trim. The Harley-Davidson edition adds a unique blue-flame paint job and matching interior trim to the Lariat, while the Cabela's FX4 package adds two-tone paint, Cabela's embroidered seats and decals to the XLT FX4.

Powering the Ford F-450 is a 6.4-liter turbodiesel V8 that makes 350 horsepower and a massive 650 pound-feet of torque. It's hitched to a standard six-speed manual transmission or an optional five-speed automatic. Properly equipped, an F-450 Super Duty can tow up to 24,500 pounds and carry up to 6,000 pounds. Antilock disc brakes are standard, but you won't find side or head curtain airbags anywhere on the list.

The cabin displays a rugged industrial theme, and materials quality is generally good. Chrome accents surround the gauges and air vents, while a new center stack puts controls within easier reach. Dual door pockets and a massive center console/armrest quiet our previous gripes about inadequate storage. In fact, for those mixing work with pleasure, the console box is now large enough to accommodate a laptop and/or hanging files. Folding the rear seats up reveals a flip-out utility shelf that keeps the load floor flat.

For such a mammoth vehicle, the Ford F-450 is relatively easy to maneuver, thanks in part to its specialized front suspension that allows a tight turning circle. Still, dealing with traffic and parking lots can be a chore, as its front end is considerably wider than that of its lighter-duty stablemates. An unladen F-450 has a very stiff ride, but with a trailer hooked up the ride smoothes out considerably. The PowerStroke turbodiesel performs admirably under all conditions, especially with an oversize trailer chugging up 6-plus-percent grades. If you need this kind of capability, know that it's simply the most capable tow vehicle we've ever tested.

Ford F-450 Video