It’s no secret that the new 2023 Ford Super Duty pickup trucks start to arrive at dealerships. Ford’s factories are churning out the new 2023 F-250, F-350, and F-450 trucks in some of the more basic trims. I jump at a chance to get behind the wheel of this new truck. It is a 2023 Ford F-350 XL 4×4 regular cab long bed with an FX4 and several other packages.
Big thanks to Ken Garff Ford in Greeley, Colorado for making this happen.
Ford has thoroughly updated the 2023 Super Duty. While the chassis remains largely the same, the truck receives new power choices, new bodywork, an updated interior, and new technology. The pickup I am driving is a base model work truck. This is an XL trim with the new 6.8L gas V8 engine. This is not a typo! Ford gave the truck a new 6.8L V8 engine that is closely related to the 7.3L V8 that is also on offer.
There are a couple of different sources for information, but this new gasoline V8 is rated between 400 – 405 horsepower and 445 lb-ft of torque. The engine is mated to a heavy-duty 10-speed automatic transmission. The truck you see here has an optional 4.30-to-1 rear axle ratio. This setup is good for up to 17,600 lbs of maximum towing capacity for this F-350.
Perhaps, the more impressive specification is that this 4×4 FX4-equipped F-350 has 4,965 lbs of maximum payload capacity! Whoa! That’s a lot for a “1-ton” truck with a single rear wheel. This F-350 has enough payload to easily carry a Ford Ranger in its bed (if the Ranger actually fit).
The 6.8L V8 starts with a satisfying rumble of a V8. It sounds about the same as the 7.3L “Godzilla” V8. The 10-speed automatic transmission shifts quickly and smoothly. The added oomph of the 4.30 rear axle ratio helps this truck accelerate relatively quickly. I cannot wait to put this truck into a drag race next to some other heavy-duty trucks.
The new Super Duty XL interior looks very familiar. I recognize it very well because I used to own a 2021 Ford F-150. Ford is reusing a lot of the same interior trim and components, and it’s not a bad thing in terms of functionality. However, some of the plastics are relatively hard, and the door cards on my 2021 F-150 did not wear very well after two years and 21,000 miles of ownership.
Now, we come to the price. This F-350 has an as-tested price of just over $52,000. It has about $2,700 of options. Considering the capability and power that this truck is offering – this is a competitive price for a 2023 model. However, if you are used to HD work truck prices from several years ago – this number may come as a bit of a surprise. Let me know what you think in the comments below.
Why would you choose this 6.8L-powered Super Duty over some other variations of the truck? You would choose it to get a lower price and excellent payload. If you planning to use it for towing trailers, you may want to step up to a 7.3L V8 or the 6.7L Power Stroke turbo-diesel offerings.
The first drive video is coming very soon!
