2024 Ford F-450 Super Duty Crew Cab

　　

2024 Ford F-450 Super Duty Review

byDan FrioReviews Editor

　　Dan spent many years covering the go-fast, look-good, get-loud corners of the automotive universe. First, he served as editor of enthusiast magazines AutoSound and Honda Tuning, then as executive editor at SEMA News, the publishing arm of the trade group that produces the annual SEMA Show (yes, that show). As a contributor to zzdcar, he now likes to keep the volume low and the speed limit legal, providing expert car-shopping advice to drivers looking for the perfect match.

　　

What's new

Minor revisions to standard and optional feature availabilityPart of the fourth F-Series Super Duty generation introduced for 2023

　　

Overview

When you need the burliest, most capable Ford pickup, look to the 2024 Ford F-450. Available only with a diesel V8, dual rear-wheel axle ("dually"), and an 8-foot bed, the F-450 can tow up to 30,000 pounds with a conventional trailer hitch. Add a specialized bed-mounted gooseneck hitch, and the F-450 can pull up to 40,000 pounds. It can also haul up to 8,000 pounds of payload when properly equipped. No question, the F-450 is for niche buyers with exceptional recreational or commercial hauling needs, but it's hardly just a strong mule. The F-450 offers all the amenities of its mainstream F-150 and F-250 counterparts, from the practical — power-extendable towing mirrors, 12-inch touchscreen display, surround-view camera — to the plush, such as high-quality leather upholstery and massaging front seats.

　　

zzdcar spotlight: Muscular multitasker

Heavy-duty trucks are a specialized breed and today's models are better multitaskers than ever. The 2024 Ford F-450 is immensely capable, the truck you call when you need to pull something up to four times as heavy as the truck itself. But it's also adept at playing a luxury SUV, especially in higher Platinum and Limited trims, covering long miles in extreme comfort or simply covering the town on a night out. While the entry-level XL and XLT trims are the purest work-truck choices, with their cloth-vinyl upholstery and minimalist interiors, higher trims offer progressively more creature comforts. Ford gave the Super Duty lineup a thorough refresh last year, so the 2024 edition gets only minor updates, but they're enough to keep the F-450 near the top of the heavyweight class.

　　

Competitors to consider

The F-450 belongs to a small club that also includes the Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD and nearly identical GMC Sierra 3500HD. Both have been updated for 2024 with revised styling and more modern infotainment. The Chevy/GMC twins are nearly as capable but top out at 36,000 pounds of maximum towing capacity. Both also cost slightly more than the F-450. The Ram 3500 is also a primary rival. It's the oldest truck of the group but with just over 37,000 pounds of towing capacity and similar tech, safety and comfort features, it remains a strong alternative.

　　

Which F-450 Super Duty does zzdcar recommend?

Most commercial and work-truck buyers will find the best value in the XL and XLT trims. But for recreational buyers — those who need to tow campers, horse trailers or toy haulers, for example — we think the Lariat is the best choice. It comes with essential comforts, but also relative luxuries like leather upholstery, ventilated front seats, and heated rear seats, as well as advanced tech like a 12-inch touchscreen and blind-spot warning. The latter is a useful feature given the F-450's wide berth. If you want to take things further, many of the Platinum and Limited upper-trim features are also optional for the Lariat.

　　

Ford F-450 Super Duty models

The 2024 F-450 Super Duty is offered in six trim levels: XL, XLT, Lariat, King Ranch, Platinum and Limited. Unlike the variety of its F-250 and F-350 counterparts, the F-450 is available only with an 8-foot bed. XL and XLT trims offer regular-cab and crew-cab configurations, while Lariat trims and above only come with crew cabs. Power comes from a turbocharged 6.7-liter diesel V8 (475 hp, 1,050 lb-ft of torque). A high-output version delivers 500 hp and 1,200 lb-ft of torque. It comes standard on the Limited trim and optional for all others. Both engines pair with a 10-speed automatic transmission, and four-wheel drive is standard starting with the XLT trim (optional with the XL). Dual rear wheels are standard on all F-450 models.

　　XL

　　The base F-450 Super Duty XL is largely equipped for work-truck duty. It offers the fewest features, but still comes with most essentials. Highlights include:

　　19.5-inch alloy wheels with commercial-grade tires Heated towing mirrors Vinyl floor covering and upholstery Power windows and door locks Remote keyless entry 8-inch infotainment display Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration (with wireless connectivity) Wi-Fi hotspot Four-speaker audio system Trailer hitch receiver and wire harness Trailer sway control Integrated trailer brake controller (allows adjustment of a trailer's brakes from the cab) Rearview cameraXLT

　　The XLT builds off the base XL's features with:

　　Standard four-wheel drive 18-inch alloy wheels Chrome bumper and grille Foglights Power-adjustable mirrors Carpeted floor and cloth upholstery Power-adjustable driver's seat Five-speaker audio system Forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios)Lariat

　　The Lariat expands on the XLT's offerings with:

　　LED headlights and LED bed lighting Power-folding and power-telescoping tow mirrors Remote start Keyless entry with push-button start Leather upholstery Heated and ventilated power-adjustable front seats Heated, leather-wrapped steering wheel Power-adjustable pedals Heated outboard rear seats Dual-zone automatic climate control Ambient interior lightingThe Lariat also comes with these tech upgrades:

　　Digital instrument cluster screen 12-inch touchscreen infotainment display with navigation Eight-speaker B&O audio system with subwoofer Wireless charging pad Blind-spot warning with rear cross-traffic warning (alerts you if a vehicle is in your blind spot during a lane change or while in reverse) Rear automatic braking (applies the brakes automatically to avoid an imminent collision with an object behind the vehicle) Surround-view camera system (gives you a top-down view of the truck and its surroundings in tight parking situations) Rear parking sensorsKing Ranch

　　The King Ranch adds Western flair to the F-450, with all of the Lariat features plus:

　　20-inch alloy wheels Front parking sensors Power tailgate Power-deployable running boards Upgraded leather upholstery and trim 14-speaker B&O audio system Head-up display (displays important information in your sight line on the windshield) Pro Power Onboard (bed-mounted 2-kW electrical outlet for powering external devices) Upgraded forward collision mitigation system Lane keeping assistance (steers the F-450 back into its lane if it begins to drift over the lane marker) Adaptive cruise control (adjusts speed to maintain a constant distance between the F-450 and the car in front) Lane departure mitigation (warns you of a lane departure when a turn signal isn't used and can automatically steer to maintain lane position) Lane centering system (makes minor steering corrections to help keep the vehicle centered in its lane) Pro Trailer Hitch Assist and Backup Assist (additional features to make installing and reversing a trailer easier) Onboard Scales & Smart Hitch (payload and trailer tongue weight monitoring system)Platinum

　　The Platinum trim comes with similar features as the King Ranch, minus the Western theme. Changes include:

　　Revised exterior trim and styling Platinum-specific leather interior Massaging front seatsLimited

　　The F-450 Limited loads on the luxuries. It starts with the Platinum features and adds:

　　High-output turbocharged diesel V8 engine Two-panel power sunroof Premium two-tone leather upholstery Synthetic suede headliner Carbon-fiber interior trimMany features found on the upper trim levels are optional on the lower trims. Other upgrades include:

　　FX4 Off-Road package (optional on all 4x4 models) Limited-slip rear axle Hill descent control Off-road shock absorbers Transfer case and fuel-tank skid plates The F-450 is also available with several heavy-duty suspension and towing upgrades for recreational or commercial use.