The Ford F-450 Super Duty is a full-size, heavy-duty pickup available in six trim levels: XL, XLT, Lariat, King Ranch, Platinum, and Limited. It is only available with a crew-cab body, an 8.2-foot bed and a dual rear-wheel axle. The only available engine is a turbocharged 6.7-liter diesel V8 that puts out an impressive 450 horsepower and 935 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed automatic transmission and rear-wheel drive are standard, and four-wheel drive is optional.
The Super Duty's interior is not only comfortable but also very functional. Its digital display is customizable and there are enough physical buttons so that you don't always have to hunt and peck on a screen. Most functions can be handled purely on screen through Ford's Sync 3 system. Knobs still control the climate control temperature and the sound system volume and tuning. The F-450's upright style of driving is appropriate for the class. Adjustable pedals and a power tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel are part of the memory package, ensuring different-size drivers can be comfortable.
The 6.7-liter turbodiesel handles all requests for power nearly exactly the same: There's a brief pause as the turbos gather speed, followed by an unrelenting wave of torque. Pedal feedback is a bit grabby and wooden at first, and it's soft through the rest of its travel. Though it has a relatively numb steering feel, particularly on-center, the F-450's steering weight is surprisingly light at first and linearly increases in resistance. Thanks to the adaptive steering, feedback increases once the front end has some weight on it, such as when cornering.
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