2018 Ford F-350 Super Duty Review

While a standard pickup is good enough for most people, commercial users and recreationalists with heavy trailers need something more substantial. The 2018 Ford F-350 Super Duty easily meets those needs and adds a dose of civility as well.

Along with the F-250 and the F-450 Super Duty trucks, the F-350 received a major update last year. This new generation is more powerful, stronger and lighter, and it features more technology and luxury features than before. But fundamentally, the F-350's role as a heavy-duty truck that blends hauling and towing prowess with long-distance comfort and utility hasn't changed.

The frame is made from high-strength steel, while the body panels are lightweight aluminum. Ford says they're more dent-resistant and hundreds of pounds lighter than those of the outgoing version, which helps to offset the frame's added mass. As a bonus, the F-350's cabs are longer than those of the previous generation, which improves passenger space and comfort.

The F-350 Super Duty moves down the road with either a 6.2-liter gasoline V8 or a turbocharged 6.7-liter diesel V8. Both engines are mated to a six-speed transmission and send power to the rear wheels. Four-wheel drive is optional, as is a dual rear-wheel axle for even more payload and towing capability.

But these days, a truck is more than just its frame and body, and the F-350 impresses with its available technology. A surround-view camera system allows drivers to park with inch-perfect precision. There's also an available remote camera so you can see what's behind a towed trailer. And the F-350's built-in trailer memory saves individual trailer dimensions, the brake gain setting, and tire-pressure sensor information (if equipped) so frequent towers can swap trailers with minimal reconfiguration of settings.

Thanks to advanced driver assist features such as adaptive cruise control, an available leather interior that rivals those found on luxury cars, and Ford's well-proven Sync 3 infotainment system, the 2018 F-350 is good for any combination of day-to-day driving, hauling big loads or cruising across the country.

The 2018 Ford F-350 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, extended-cab (aka SuperCab) or crew-cab body, with either a 6.8-foot or an 8.2-foot bed length. A 6.2-liter gasoline V8 produces 385 horsepower and 430 pound-feet of torque, while 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 to drive the rear wheels, though four-wheel drive is offered as an option. A dual rear-wheel axle is also optional for the F-350.

Base XL models come standard with features that include 17-inch steel wheels, manual front locking hubs (four-wheel-drive models), intermittent wipers, a rearview camera, manually 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: 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.

Step up to the XLT and you get 18-inch alloy wheels, power side mirrors, manually telescoping and power-adjustable heated mirrors with built-in turn signals, 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.

Springing for 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, two 110-volt household-style power outlets, and a premium Sony 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 alloy wheels, automatic high beams, automatic wipers, LED box lighting, keyless entry and start, 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.

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, 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 power sunroof, 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.