Ford’s light-duty F-150 full-size pickup truck may be Canada’s best-selling vehicle. But a lot is riding on its refreshed Super Duty big brother.
And here it comes. The 2023 Ford F-Series Super Duty features an updated look, a new standard V8 gas engine, and embedded 5G connectivity.
Available in six trim levels, two different off-road packages, a choice of four engines, and three cab sizes, the 2023 Super Duty lineup is almost a truck brand to itself.
The 2023 Super Duty gets a new big boxy look, plus Pro Power Onboard
The Super Duty is too successful for Ford to change radically. But designers have updated the look with an appealing mix of classic and modern elements.
The C-shaped daytime running lights (that have become Ford’s truck signature in recent years) bracket a grille with square headlights that recall 1980s Ford pickups. They frame seven different grilles depending on trim level. Ford says each is “engineered to maximize cooling performance while under heavy loads.”
Massive vertical vents live just ahead of the doors, “reducing under-hood air pressure for improved aerodynamics.”
Convenient bed steps appear just ahead of the rear wheels and on the back bumper corners—stealing two of the heavy-duty Chevrolet Silverado HD’s most thoughtful touches.
The Pro Power Onboard system that has succeeded in the F-150 finally appears on Ford’s heavy-duty model. On the new Super Duty, it’s an option, putting out up to two kilowatts of power—enough to “power a job site or tailgate party,” Ford says. But that’s still less than the 7.2 kWh available on some F-150 models.
Inside, the work truck Super Duty XL trim gets an eight-inch touchscreen. Every other trim level features a 12-inch display. The driver receives a 12-inch digital screen in place of the traditional instrument cluster, with four USB ports and a wireless charging pad.
Standard Max Recline seats fold almost flat “to maximize comfort during downtime,” Ford says. The 2023 Super Duty is also “the first pickup in North America with embedded 5G capability” for faster navigation and music downloads. An optional Wi-Fi system can support up to 10 devices.
For 2023, the big Ford truck gets a quartet of engines
Buyers can choose from four different powerplants. Unfortunately, Ford is keeping most of the specifications under wraps for now.
The standard engine is brand new: a 6.8-litre V8. Ford says it should offer “more low-end torque to make starting on steep grades and merging onto highways easier.”
More torque than what?
They haven’t said.
Other choices include a 7.3L eight-cylinder Ford says will have “the best gas horsepower and torque in the class.”
There’s also a reworked version of Ford’s workhorse 6.7L PowerStroke diesel V8 designed to run longer between service intervals, and a high-output 6.7L PowerStroke “with a unique turbo, upgraded exhaust manifolds and unique tuning targeting the best horsepower and torque in the class.”
All send power through a ten-speed automatic transmission.
Off-roaders get a pair of Super Duty trims to choose from
Plenty of Super Duty trucks spend more time on dirt than asphalt. With that in mind, Ford offers two off-road packages for 2023.
The XL Off-Road package adds 33-inch tires, a raised air dam, water-fording axle vent tubes, skid plates, and an electronic locking rear differential.
The Tremor Package rides on substantial 35-inch all-terrain tires and adds a front-end lift and off-road-tuned suspension to the XL Off-Road’s feature list. It includes a limited-slip differential, trail control, off-road cruise control, and selectable drive modes (including a rock-crawling setting.)
There’s also new hauling and towing tech for 2023
The Super Duty picks up the optional onboard scale system from the smaller F-150. It estimates cargo weight in real time and shows trailer tongue weight and distribution. It displays info on the central touchscreen or phone app, so you can make adjustments without climbing into the cab to check the numbers.
An available camera in the tailgate helps line up a trailer or back up to a loading dock, and the blind-spot warning system can now account for trailer length. Ford also built an optional trailer theft alert that warns your phone if anyone disconnects the trailer while you’re away from the truck.
When does the new 2023 Ford Super Duty go on sale, and for how much?
The 2023 Super Duty will launch early in 2023. Ford says pricing will be available closer to the launch.
