Ford F-450
Ford’s Super Duty line of full-size pickups, which includes the F-250, F-350, and F-450, takes the light-duty F-150 and adds a healthy dose of toughness. In the case of the F-450, that means a beefed-up box frame, dual rear wheels, bigger brakes, and a seriously torquey turbodiesel V8 engine. Despite its locomotive-like power, the F-450 can be surprisingly docile to operate – particularly versions from 2020 and up, which offer advanced driving tech to make towing a snap. On the downside, loading the truck up with options can quickly inflate its purchase price.
Ford’s Super Duty line of full-size pickups, which includes the F-250, F-350, and F-450, takes the light-duty F-150 and adds a healthy dose of toughness. In the case of the F-450, that means a beefed-up box frame, dual rear wheels, bigger brakes, and a seriously torquey turbodiesel V8 engine. Despite its locomotive-like power, the F-450 can be surprisingly docile to operate – particularly versions from 2020 and up, which offer advanced driving tech to make towing a snap. On the downside, loading the truck up with options can quickly inflate its purchase price.
Ford F-450 Model Lineup
The F-450 Super Duty is a heavy-duty version of Ford’s popular F-Series full-size pickup, which measures as much as four feet longer than the next smaller model, the midsize Ranger. It’s available in two cab styles. The two-door Regular Cab (first available in 2019) provides a single bench seat with room for up to three, while the four-door Crew Cab offers two rows of seating with room for up to six. Both versions come with an 8-foot bed and a dual rear wheel axle (aka a “dually”). Properly equipped, the F-450 can tow up to 24,200 pounds conventionally or up to 37,000 pounds with a gooseneck hitch.
Ford sells the F-450 in a variety of trims, including the bare-bones XL, the mid-level XLT, the well-equipped Lariat and King Ranch, the luxurious Platinum, and the range-topping Limited (which arrived in 2018). While the base-level XL is a basic work truck with minimal features, the XLT and especially the Lariat and above offer lots of creature comforts, including available leather upholstery, heated and ventilated seats, and factory navigation. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration first appeared in 2017. That year also ushered in some available high-tech safety features, such as forward collision mitigation, blind-spot warning, and adaptive cruise control. The 2020 model year introduced Ford’s innovative Pro Trailer Backup Assist technology, which nearly automates the otherwise scary proposition of reversing a trailer into a tight parking spot.
Under the hood, the F-450 boasts a standard 6.7-liter turbodiesel V8. At its 2011 debut, it offered 400 hp and a massive 800 lb-ft of torque. Thanks to various improvements through the years, those figures have climbed to 475 hp and 1,050 lb-ft as of 2020. That’s also the year Ford upped the automatic transmission from a six-speed to a ten-speed unit. Most F-450 examples come equipped with four-wheel drive (4WD), which was standard until the 2018 model year, when Ford made rear-wheel drive standard and 4WD optional. No hybrid or electric variants have been offered thus far.