2008 Ford F-250 Super Duty Review

You know how it goes: You get better at your job and the reward is more work. That’s OK, you pride yourself on being tough. So it is with Ford’s F-250 Super Duty pickup. It’s in that class of pickups that gets run through the wringer and dumped on – literally – every day. When a truck already boasts big numbers for payload and towing, it can be challenging to make it work harder. But more power under the hood can help, and the F-250’s new diesel pumps out more torque but less pollution. Sounds like this bruiser’s ready for overtime.

By Bob Beamesderfer Photo Credit: Oliver Bentley

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Our test vehicle, a Crew Cab FX-4, came equipped with every truck goodie you could want: a 6.4 liter diesel engine, five-speed automatic transmission, four-wheel drive and a limited-slip rear axle. A 200-amp alternator, towing and trailer brake systems, upfitter switches, traction control and electronic shift-on-the-fly, and a block heater round out the heavy duty features. Adjustable brake and gas pedals, power telescoping mirrors, rapid supplemental cab heater, heated front seats, tailgate step, bed extender and side steps make for a more convenient workhorse. Creature comforts included navigation and upgraded audio system with satellite radio, rear-seat entertainment, back-up sensors, and front captain’s chairs.

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With 650 lb.-ft. of torque, the F-250’s twin-turbo diesel has ample towing capacity and didn’t break a sweat at the off-road park. Pulling a rented car trailer with a small pickup on it didn’t cause a hint of strain; of course we were pulling less than half the 12,500-pound capacity. It would have been even less noticeable if the trailer had electric brakes instead of surge brakes. While there’s a little hesitation off idle, the power builds quickly and smoothly. The five-speed automatic transmission didn’t falter while towing up the steep grades of the Grapevine north of Los Angeles.

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Despite its size and purpose, the F-250 handles well, but steering response is slow and numb. Tight 90-degree corners require a few cranks of the wheel, as does parking at most lots or parallel on the street. The brakes work well and stop quickly when the truck is unladen. They’re also are easy to modulate whether towing or not. The all-terrain 20-inch Goodyear tires didn’t have any issues at the off-road park and they weren’t noisy going down the road. Ride quality is on the harsh side, but that’s expected in a heavy-duty pickup.

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The toughest issue when it comes to visibility in the Ford F-250 is knowing how close the front bumper is to other vehicles. A sonar system helps when backing up, although a camera would be better, especially for aligning the hitch and trailer. The view out the sides and back is clear and unobstructed. The outside mirrors are large, power extension towing units, with two mirrors in each housing. The main mirrors are power adjustable, while the wide-angle mirrors adjust by hand. This setup makes seeing to the sides while towing much easier and made for confident lane changes.

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Gobs of torque, the ability to tow more than six tons and serious off-road setup, the F-250 is capable of getting you and your stuff out there. Way out there. It’s also pretty comfortable for a truck of this kind and comes with creature comforts to make a long haul less tedious. It’s not as easy to live with day-in, day-out because the sheer size makes parking it a chore. Plus it sticks out of most spaces by about three feet. Fuel economy averaged 11.5 mpg in city, freeway, towing and off-road driving. 

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Front seats are large and comfortable, with power and manual adjustments. Head and leg room is ample and there’s a large, padded leather center armrest. Armrests on doors are covered with rubbery plastic and have enough give to be comfortable. A leather tilt steering wheel coupled with adjustable pedals makes it easy to get comfortable. The steering wheel has cruise and audio controls, which are well marked, but buttons are a little too small to use with gloves on. Assist handles and running boards make getting in and out of the tall vehicle easier.

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The rear 60/40 bench is OK on comfort, but more thigh support would help. There is lumbar support in the outboard positions, but the center position lacks even a head restraint. A fold-down armrest is padded along the sides, but has two cupholders and a tray. The door armrests are identical to those up front, not plush, but with enough give to be comfortable. Head room is as spacious as up front; there’s less leg room, but more than enough for adults. A little more foot room would be nice. Running boards and assist handles make getting in an out easy.

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While accelerating, there’s the familiar diesel clatter, but when cruising at freeway speeds the engine quiets down. There’s wind noise off the big towing mirrors. With a very stiff suspension designed for towing and hauling, more road noise and bumps are heard and felt. While we wouldn’t call it a quiet ride, it’s pretty good for a big truck, and certainly quieter than smaller gasoline trucks from a decade ago.

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With the height of the tailgate, loading heavy objects is going to be harder. There is nice handle and step combination that stows in the tailgate which makes getting in and out of the bed easier. A bed extender flips over to keep small loads in place, and there are four tie-down hooks. For heavy items you don’t want to put in the bed, there’s a steel cargo floor that folds out from under the rear seats. It’s a nice feature that would be better if it had a non-slip surface on it. However, it’s set up so that items can be tied down.

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Our Ford F-250 Super Duty test vehicle was a pre-production unit. We did not assess build quality, as it is our rule to praise or critique this aspect of a vehicle only when it is reflective of what consumers will find at the local dealership.