2019 Ford F-250 Super Duty Diesel

Which F-250 Super Duty does Edmunds recommend?

Overall rating

More capable than the ultra-popular full-size F-150 but not as extreme (or expensive) as the F-350 or the F-450, the 2019 Ford F-250 Super Duty is a heavy-duty truck that provides an appealing combination of capability and everyday usability. It has a massive tow rating, lots of available high-tech gear and a cabin that can keep any family comfortable.

The F-250's amount of available driver assist features is impressive. The adaptive cruise control, for example, is capable of operating in normal scenarios or while the truck is pulling a full 25,000-pound load. For added peace of mind, there are also features available such as lane keeping assist, blind-spot monitoring that can be programmed with the length of your trailer, and a rearview camera that can be mounted to the back of your trailer and connected to the infotainment screen. Getting your toy-hauler into a parking spot just got much easier.

As we've come to expect from Ford trucks lately, the F-250 is both highly capable and modern. There's abundant space in the cabin, supportive seats, and plenty of trim-level upgrades that are creature-comfort oriented. Hook up your trailer, load up all your heaviest gear, and you'll still have a vehicle that will pamper you on the longest of road trips. The 2019 Ford F-250 Super Duty is at the head of a class of modern heavy-duty trucks with maximum comfort and capability.

Notably, we picked the Ford F-250 Super Duty and F-250 Super Duty Diesel as one of Edmunds' Best Pickup Trucks for 2019.

2019 Ford F-250 Super Duty models

The 2019 Ford F-250 Super Duty is a full-size, heavy-duty pickup available in six trim levels: XL, XLT, Lariat, King Ranch, Platinum and Limited. It can be configured as a regular cab, an extended cab (aka SuperCab) or a crew cab with either a 6.8- or an 8.2-foot bed length. A 6.2-liter gasoline V8 produces 385 horsepower and 430 lb-ft of torque, and an available turbocharged 6.7-liter diesel V8 puts out an impressive 450 hp and 935 lb-ft of torque. Both engines are mated to six-speed automatic transmissions. Rear-wheel drive is standard, and four-wheel drive is offered as an option.

Base XL models are essentially heavy-duty work trucks, but they still come standard with features such as 17-inch steel wheels, manual front locking hubs (four-wheel-drive models), intermittent wipers, a rearview camera, manually adjustable telescoping towing mirrors, a removable locking tailgate with tailgate lift assist, and a 2.5-inch trailer hitch receiver with a 2-inch insert. Also included are air conditioning, vinyl upholstery, manual windows and door locks, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, a driver information display, and a four-speaker audio system. Extended- and crew-cab models get a six-speaker system.

At the XLT trim level you get 18-inch alloy wheels, power-adjustable heated mirrors, four locking cleats in the bed, keyless entry, cloth upholstery, rear underseat lockable storage, power windows and locks, and rear privacy glass (extended- and crew-cab models only). The XLT also includes cruise control, an alarm system, the Sync voice-controlled infotainment system, a 4.2-inch display, a USB port, and a CD player and satellite radio.

The midrange Lariat trim level gets you an electronic shift-on-the-fly four-wheel-drive system (four-wheel-drive models only), power-folding and telescoping outside mirrors (plus driver-side auto-dimming and integrated spotlights), tubular side steps, a power-sliding rear window, and rear parking sensors. This trim also brings dual-zone automatic climate control, leather upholstery, power-adjustable front seats, power-adjustable pedals, a rear center armrest, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, an 8-inch center touchscreen display, an upgraded Sync 3 infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability, two 110-volt household-style power outlets, a Wi-Fi hotspot, and a premium B&O Play 10-speaker audio system with two USB charging ports.

The Western-themed King Ranch trim level, which is only offered on crew-cab models, adds unique trim and styling details, automatic high beams, automatic wipers, LED box lighting, keyless entry and ignition, remote start, upgraded leather upholstery, heated and ventilated front seats, driver-seat memory settings, a power tilt-and-telescoping and heated steering wheel, and a navigation system with satellite radio.

Choosing the Platinum model, again offered only on crew-cab models, gets you 20-inch alloy wheels, adaptive steering, LED headlights, automatic wipers, power running boards, a remote tailgate release, a built-in tailgate step, multicontour front seats, and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert.

Top-of-the-line Limited models include everything from the Platinum model and add a surround-view camera system, adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, a panoramic sunroof, and a Limited-exclusive two-tone leather interior.

Many of the features standard on upper trim levels are offered as options on the rest of the lineup. Other noteworthy options include a heavy-duty trailer tow package (offered only with the turbodiesel engine), a massive 48-gallon fuel tank, different axle ratios with an electronically locking rear differential, an FX4 off-road package, and a fifth-wheel/gooseneck hitch prep package. That options list goes on with adaptive cruise control, collision warning with brake support, skid plates (four-wheel-drive models only), an Ultimate Trailer Tow Camera System with a total of seven cameras, a separate rearview camera that can be mounted on a customer's trailer, trailer tire-pressure monitoring and a spray-in bedliner.

Trim tested

Driving

Our F-250 crew-cab test truck had the optional diesel engine. We found that it provides strong and smooth acceleration in just about any situation. The only weakness is right off the line, where there's some initial lag before the truck gets going. Braking performance, however, is disappointing. The brakes feel reasonably capable in typical conditions, but our truck took an exceedingly long 166 feet to execute a panic stop from 60 mph.

The steering feels somewhat numb and inert, but the truck does track straight on the open road. The adaptive steering option is also effective at reducing the amount of steering needed on tight winding roads. It helps the big Ford feel somewhat maneuverable, but there's no hiding its sheer bulk.

Comfort

If you have any heavy-duty pickup experience at all, the F-250 will seem sufficiently comfortable. It's not a benchmark by any means, but it does a decent job of keeping its occupants happy. It's fairly quiet when it comes to wind and road noise, and the air-conditioning system has no trouble keeping the cabin cool.

It's hard to fault an F-250 for riding firmly when it's not carrying any load. But even though the overall feeling is agreeable enough, it's worth noting that the Ram 2500 is smoother-riding. The thing we're most lukewarm about is the F-250's seats. They're nicely adjustable and spacious, but the cushions — particularly the seat bottoms — feel flat and don't conform to an occupant's shape very well.

Interior

No one should be surprised that it takes a big step up to get into this truck. It's tall even for its class. But helping you out are side steps, chunky grab handles and generously sized door openings.

Inside, there's more than enough space for everyone, and the driving position is easy to fine-tune. All of the relevant controls are within reach and operate as you'd expect them to. And other than a few minor exceptions, everything is easy to find at a glance. There's lots of glass area, and the view out is especially open to the sides. All the same, we recommend opting for rear parking sensors and blind-spot monitoring.

Utility

Inside, both cargo space in the back half of the crew cab and storage for personal items are quite generous. And while toting kids isn't the first thing you think about when buying a truck, the big crew cab makes it easy to fit seats of any size. (Getting the kids up and in is another matter.)

Technology

Ford's audio and navigation system is built around the Sync 3 interface. The interface is proven, and it works, but it no longer stands out. Recent competitor innovation in screen size and menu control are missing here. That said, this system does well when it comes to voice recognition support and smartphone integration.

The F-250 is also behind the curve when it comes to driver safety aids, mainly because it lacks automatic emergency braking, even as an option. You can add forward collision warning, lane departure alert, and blind-spot and cross-traffic alert systems, but there's no intervention capability. These are optional on the Lariat on up and standard on the Limited, but unavailable on the XLT or below.