Ford Motor Company’s full-size, F Series pickup continued as the best-selling vehicle in America in the 2021 calendar year. In fact, this versatile gem of Americana has held this coveted title for a whopping 45 consecutive years with 726,004 units sold in 2021. The F-Series includes the light duty F-150 half-ton, by far the most popular in the Series. For those desiring exceptional towing numbers, low-end torque grunt and additional payload capacity, the next-step up continues in the form of Super Duty.
The Super Duty lineup of work-inspired heavy-duty variants include the F-250 (three-quarter ton), F-350 (one ton) and F-450 (one and one-half ton).
An almost endless array of combination builds await F-250 thanks to three engine choices, six trim levels, two bed lengths, two wheelbase lengths, multiple cab selections, single or dual rear wheel configuration and rear-wheel vs. all-wheel drive. A cavernous pricing gap between low and high starting points kicks in just under $36,000 all the way north of $90,000.
Super Duty received a third-generation makeover in 2017 and a mid-cycle refresh in 2020. This 2021 variant carries forward mid-cycle tweaks with no mechanical changes. The key exterior addition includes a bed step now optional (and recommended) in most trims. Lighter sibling F-150 receives a next-gen redesign in 2021 keeping pace with rivals including Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and Ram 1500 each of whom have revamped and refreshed during the past couple of years.
During the Gen three revamp, Super Duty followed suit with F-150 by incorporating a light-weight aluminum body to helping shave off unwanted body weight while improving efficiency in multiple categories. The 2021 follows this consumer-accepted template.
It’s designed as a workhorse, not necessarily a daily driver through the inner city (although if needed, it could). Pesky blind spots, a long breaking distance and a sizeable turning radius dissuade that, but this beast is designed to haul, tow and work.
Three engine choices return from 2020 including a 6.2-liter V-8 churning out 385 horses and teamed with a six-speed automatic transmission, a 7.3-liter V-8 boasting 430 horses with a 10-speed automatic transmission and a 6.7-liter turbocharged V-8 diesel choice also mated to a 10-speed AT and cranking out 475 horses with superior low-end torque number (1,050 lbs.-ft., best-in-segment, but at a cost of an extra 11 Grand). While the F-150 offers a gas-electric hybrid engine option marketed as ‘power boost,’ a play on its V-6 turbo-charged ‘eco-boost’ moniker, F-250 soldiers on with three V-8 powered IC variants.
The two gas-powered V-8’s accept regular 87-octane fuel inside sizeable tanks (larger wheelbases welcome 48 gallons). Range remains tricky to calculate as heavy-duty trucks are not obliged to include EPA fuel estimates during transactional sales. Anecdotally, our 7.3-liter V-8 averaged about 14 mpg in combined wintery travel.
Much cyber ink (and the conventional variety) has detailed the light-duty 2022 F-150 Lightning, a pure electrified pickup with a plug and no internal combustion engine in sight. No timeline yet concerning Super Duty’s electric debut.
Trim levels start with XL and progress upward with XLT, Lariat, King Ranch, Platinum and Limited. Limited and Platinum come exclusively with all-wheel drive while the starting four offer rear-wheel drive standard and four-wheel drive optional. The electronic shift-on-the-fly 4x4 utilizes a dashboard dial when switching from two-wheel rear drive to 4 x 4 high or low.
Two-door regular cabs return as do extended Crew Cab style doors (totaling four featuring a claim-shell design and hinge) and full-sized Super Cab with conventional-hinged swing-out doors.
And don’t forget Tremor, an off-road package adding uniquely-tuned suspension, huge 35-inch Goodyear maximum traction tires, 18-inch black matte finished wheels and selectable drive modes featuring a rock-crawl selection tackling deep woods off-roading. In 2021, this $3,975 Tremor package remains available in XLT, Lariat, King Ranch and our tester this week, Platinum.
While truck-like body-on-frame construction result in a rough-and-tumble ride experience, Tremor’s sizeable tires calmed the journey on the highway and when trapsing over urban-centric parking lot speed bumps, equalizing heavy-duty leaf-type rear suspension. The 4x4 machinery provided quite useful during a New Year’s Day snowfall before snowplows entered the neighborhood.
As with most any conventional truck our engine’s modern 10-speed automatic transmission shifts from an arm on the steering column’s right side. The end of the stalk features a push-in end selecting several drive modes. This positioning also opens up huge spaces between front bucket seats for a man-cave-sized storage bin and cup holders.
Our Platinum 4 x 4 Crew Cab included a $65,515 starting price and $6,615 worth of options for a bottom line of $73,825 including a hefty $1,695 destination charge. Extras included a $595 spray-in bed liner, recommended 7.3-liter V-8 and tempting $3,975 Tremor off-road package. Tremor off-road packaging comes exclusive with single rear wheels (SRW), allowing extra ground clearance in place of a dual rear wheel design (DRW) excellent when towing heavy loads.
It’s a big step up when entering. Running boards are a must (static or automatic folding available) as its suspension adds a two-inch lift when compared to non-Tremors for close to 11 inches of ground clearance (10.8 inches to be exact). Inside grab handle use remains mandatory when jumping aboard. Exterior, pull-style “U-shaped” handles adorn all four side doors, large enough to operate donning thick work gloves. A narrow, whip-style radio antenna is found on the right front fender near the windshield.
In front-the theatre-screen sized grille includes ‘C-clamp’ type light housing surrounding horizontal slates with Ford’s Blue Oval logo front and center.
A simple, tried-and-true design returns in the form of the over-sized (trailer-towing type) side-view mirrors which extend from the body to better view what’s to the side of you. Vertical housing includes two separate mirrors, one atop the other each featuring a differing concave, resulting in better views of specific regions.
In back, a dampened tailgate drops down slowly, predictably, methodically and safely rather than the annoying hardcore ‘THUD’ of yesteryear. Two bed sizes include a 6.75-foot entry point or an 8-footer with single cabs exclusively mated to the eight-foot bed. Towing capacity reaches an impressive 37,000 pounds when properly equipped.
Once inside, one can’t but admire grand seating, where one’s bucket seat cushions resides higher up than most pedestrian vehicles on the road. A dual glove box design awaits welcoming extra storage where the narrow, top box features a lift-up door. The straight-across workman like dash includes large circular dials operating the HVAC’s dual climate zones and volume/station select sound system opportunities also workable when wearing gloves. However, gloves may have to come off when operating fan direction and select HVAC commands. Oversized, vertical air vents intersperse four across.
Upper trims include an 8-inch instrument panel gauge with four diminutive half-moon gauges horizontally along the top, and two circular gauges surrounding a digital message center with multiple menu selections. The left-side tachometer gauge includes a vertical insert indicating the current gear of the 10-speed automatic.
Crew cabs include enough room as a small inner city apartment with 43.6 inches of leg room and lockable storage under second row seating with 60/40 seat cushions that flip upward.
One item not supersized remains the in-dash touch screen measuring a mid-size 8.0 inches (although a 10-inch version is optional). Smartphone companions Apple CarPlay and Android Auto nicely come standard as does a Wi-Fi hot spot and wireless charging for phones so adapted. The touchscreen includes a logical layout with appreciated volume and station select dials and large in-screen icons.
Platinum includes ‘Pro Trailer Backup Assist’ greatly easing the somewhat painstaking task of backing up a sizeable trailer. When backing, the truck’s front wheels need to be turned in the opposite direction of where the trailer is going. With Ford’s system, the driver steers the trailer via a dashboard control knob while viewing action in the rear camera feed. The F-250 guides itself in reverse as the driver’s hands are free of the steering wheel as the technology automatically and slowly steers the truck.
The interior returns a functional, workman-like user-friendly quality. Interestingly, F-250’s baby sibling, Ford’s light-duty F-150, received an interior makeover in 2021 which eventually may find its way into big brother’s inner sanctums.
2021 Ford F-250 Super Duty
Price as tested: $73,825
Engine: 7.3-liter V-8
Horsepower: 430
Torque: 475 lbs.-ft. at 4,000 rpm
Wheelbase: 176 inches
Overall Length: 266.2 inches
Overall Height: 81.3 inches
Curb Weight: 7,264 pound
Powertrain warranty: Five-year/60,000 miles
Built: Louisville, Kentucky
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