With this year's increase in output for the PowerStroke turbodiesel V8, robust new chassis and numerous refinements to the cabin, the 2008 Ford F-350 Super Duty is back in competitive form in the 1-ton pickup class.
Vehicle overview
Do your towing and hauling requirements run toward the super-size category? We're talking about pulling things like six-horse trailers, 35-foot boats and travel trailers that resemble rolling luxury condos. If so, then a 1-ton pickup truck is the obvious tool for the job. Ford's F-350 Super Duty is the company's entry in this draft horse segment, and a number of major improvements for the 2008 model year push this capable beast of burden to the front of the pack.
More robust than even the capable F-250 Super Duty, the F-350 is fit for even more extreme grunt work thanks to features like the availability of a dual rear-wheel setup (commonly called a "dually"), which greatly improves stability when towing.
The 2008 Ford F-350 Super Duty comes in Regular Cab, SuperCab (extended cab) and Crew Cab body styles. The SuperCab has a pair of small rear-opening rear doors, while the Crew Cab has four conventional full-size doors. SuperCabs and Crew Cabs are available with a short (6.75-foot) or long (8-foot) bed; regular cabs are long-bed only. A dual-rear-wheel setup is offered as well, which allows more weight to be carried in the bed as well as providing greater stability while towing a heavy trailer.
Four trim levels are offered: base XL, midlevel XLT, off-road-oriented FX4 (4WD only) and luxurious Lariat. Regular cabs are available only in XL and XLT form. The XL is meant for those who just need a bare-bones work truck; it comes standard with plain vinyl upholstery, a basic AM/FM radio, 17-inch wheels and not much else. Additional comforts such as air-conditioning are optional, or one could move up to the XLT, which adds cloth upholstery, an MP3 audio jack, a 40/20/40 front bench, air-conditioning, a CD player, cruise control, chrome wheels and full power accessories. The FX4 provides serious off-road hardware, including skid plates, heavy-duty shock absorbers, a limited-slip rear axle and a manual-shift transfer case. High-line Lariats come with features like 18-inch alloy wheels, leather upholstery, power front seats (driver only on Regular Cab) and dual-zone automatic climate control. All trims come with a clever flip-down tailgate step that hides within the tailgate when stowed.
Numerous options, such as reverse park assist, a navigation system, power folding and telescoping mirrors and a rear-seat DVD entertainment system, are also available. The XLT Sport package includes a monochrome treatment with color-matched bumpers and grille, foglamps, chrome step bars and privacy glass. The King Ranch Package provides two-tone paint, 20-inch alloy wheels and fancy leather seating and trim inspired by a western saddle. Highly recommended for those who tow is the Tow Command system option, which seamlessly integrates the control of the trailer brakes with those on the truck.
