2023 Ford Super Duty Gets Bolder Styling, Improved Towing and Work Tech
The next-gen Super Duty also has new engines and a nicer interior.
Ford on Tuesday unveiled the next generation of its Super Duty pickups, which get bolder styling and a bunch of new features that aim to make life easier for all sorts of truck buyers. Ford will continue to offer its heavy-duty truck in F-250 , F-350 , F-450, F-550 and F-600 guises, with customers able to order chassis cabs of the more capable models and upfit them to fit any sort of job.
Essentially a heavily reworked version of the old Super Duty, the biggest exterior design difference is at the front. The 2023 Super Duty has an ever bigger grille, if that was even possible, and redesigned headlights with a cool C-clamp motif. Seven different grille designs are available in total, with some appearing to be integrated into the headlights themselves. The taller side vents are actually functional, and the taillights and tailgate have been redesigned as well. Twenty-inch wheels are optional and multiple available appearance packages include one that blacks out all the exterior trim. The Super Duty also has new hand-holds built into the bed, and steps in the rear bumper and bed sides.
Nearly all of the exterior is new.
The interior got a more thorough overhaul. The dashboard has an attractive look that's more horizontal, with the air vents being integrated into the dash surround with a C-shaped border piece that echoes the grille. New door panels have reworked controls, ergonomic armrests and more storage space. The center console has much bigger storage cubbies, though it doesn't have the fold-out table space like on the F-150 . But the Super Duty is available with Ford's Max Recline seats, which fold almost completely horizontal so you can take naps on the job.
An 8-inch touchscreen is standard fitment, but a 12-inch screen is available on higher trims and is paired with a 12-inch digital gauge cluster. The Super Duty is the first pickup in the US to get built-in 5G capability (through AT&T's network), which should provide even faster speeds for the navigation, software updates and on-board Wi-Fi connection. That hotspot can be used by up to 10 devices. The Super Duty is also available with features like an 18-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system, a head-up display and wireless charging.
The interior looks real nice.
Under the hood are the choice of four engines, two of which are new. The standard engine is a new 6.8-liter V8 that promises more low-end torque, while the 7.3-liter V8 has a new intake and tuning that Ford says gives it best-in-class horsepower and torque figures. The 6.7-liter Power Stroke diesel V8 can go longer between oil changes than before, and a new high-output, 6.7-liter, Power Stroke diesel V8 has a unique turbo and other mods that should give it best-in-class specs as well. Ford isn't ready to announce power figures for the engines yet, but each one will only be paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission, and everything from the XLT trim and up comes standard with four-wheel drive.
An XL Off-Road Package for the F-250 and F-350 add 33-inch all-terrain tires, a taller air dam, an electronic locking rear differential, skid plates and new axle vent tubes for water fording. A Tremor Off-Road Package gives the Super Duty unique styling elements, a front-end lift, different suspension tuning, a Dana front axle with a limited-slip diff, 18-inch wheels with 35-inch all-terrain tires, a rock-crawl drive mode, off-road cruise control and trail turn assist.
Perfect for truck stuff.
Ford says that 96% of heavy-duty pickup owners tow with their trucks, and the new Super Duty will have best-in-class towing and payload figures for every type of trailer. To make towing even easier, Ford is introducing a number of new features on the 2023 Super Duty. Like the F-150, the Super Duty now has onboard scales that give a weight readout in real time on the center screen. A 360-degree trailer camera system makes maneuvering a cinch, and the Super Duty gets an industry-first camera in the leading edge of the tailgate for when it's down. Pro Trailer Assist will automatically back the truck up and align it with a hitch, and blind-spot monitoring sensors can be attached to a trailer and work with 5th wheel and gooseneck setups.
Other features include adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go and lane centering, front and rear automatic emergency braking and parking sensors. Maybe most useful of all is the navigation system, which will plot routes based on the weight and dimensions of the trailer to avoid hazards and narrow roads.
Pricing for the new Super Duty will be announced closer to its on-sale date in early 2023, but don't expect it to stray too far from the current truck's starting price of around $40,000. The Super Duty will continue to be built at Ford's plants in Louisville, Kentucky, and Avon Lake, Ohio.
