When it comes to serious pickup trucks, it’s hard to find better trucks than those in Ford’s Super Duty lineup. The 2020 Ford F-250 is built for big jobs and has impressive towing and hauling ratings. Rugged and hard-working, the 2020 Ford F-250 can be a basic truck for tradesmen or it can be somewhat of a luxury vehicle for your business or family. 

The team at CarGurus took the 2020 Ford F250 for a test drive. What did they think of the wildly popular F-250?

CarGurus’ review of the F-250

The CarGuru team reviewed the 2020 Ford F-250 and gave it an overall score of 7.7 out of 10. They appreciated the truck’s capability and power. They just didn’t find the cabin finesse and ride quality on par with its peers. 

They called the cabin of the F-250 “function-first” with good reason. Despite a common sense layout and lots of convenient storage spaces, they didn’t find the interior of the F-250 to be “welcoming.” For those looking for a work truck, that won’t be an issue with the hard plastics and metals used inside. For those who wanted more of a luxury interior, they explained, you might be better off looking at the Ram 2500.

The ride is another problem area they cited when talking about the 2020 Ford F-250.  When the truck isn’t loaded, the ride is bouncy and rigid. If you’ve got cargo in the bed or a trailer hitched up, it smooths out for a better, smoother ride. They explain that the suspension has to be well-sprung to achieve those impressive hauling and towing numbers.

They said it felt top-heavy when navigating on and off-ramps. But when you consider that these trucks were designed to handle the toughest jobs, the bumpy ride and handling make more sense. The higher trim levels manage road and wind noise better on the open highway. 

If comfort is a must for you, again they suggest taking a closer look at its Ram peers.

Dynamic performance

When it comes to performance, CarGurus gave it a nine out of 10 for good reason. 

The 2020 Ford F-250 has a standard 6.2-liter V8 engine that gets 385 horsepower and 430 lb-ft of torque. Also available are a 6.7-liter Power Stroke turbodiesel V8 and another powerful gas option in a new 7.3-liter V8. 

The gas engines get a 10-speed automatic transmission that manages power well. The diesel gets a six-speed automatic transmission. The truck is rear-wheel-drive standard with low-range four-wheel-drive is an option. Trucks featuring the diesel, 3.55 axle ratio, and the High Capacity Tow Package enable the F-250 to tow as much as 30,000 pounds.

The team really appreciated the acceleration with the gas engines and the 10-speed gearbox. The bigger V8 had a lot of torque and nice acceleration in the lower to mid range. The team explains the configuration would be usable in daily driving.

The 2020 Ford F-250 and F-350 gets a new off-road package called Tremor. It adds a 2-inch lift, rock crawl driving mode, 33-inch Goodyear Wrangler off-road tires, and dark styling cues. The package is available for several trims with the shorter bed configuration. You can get it with either the diesel or 7.3-liter gas-powered V8. 

A well-balanced truck

Despite the interior not offering the same opulence as its peers and the stiff, bouncy ride, the CarGurus consider the 2020 Ford F-250 to be a well-balanced truck.

It’s available in a Regular Cab, extended Super Cab, and the Crew Cab with four doors. You can choose either the 6-foot-9 or the 8-foot bed. Regardless of what you choose, the tailgate step is an option.

There’s a four-speaker audio system with a USB-C port and Bluetooth. There are more technology options as you move up through the trim levels like SiriusXM satellite radio (the subscription not included), an extra USB-C port, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, and the Ford Sync3 infotainment system.

The F-250 has some great standard safety features with trailer sway control, front and side airbags, hill start assist, and the AdvanceTrac traction control system with roll stability. You can get adaptive cruise control, auto high beams, automatic emergency braking, forward-collision warning, and lane departure alerts as options. Also available are blind-spot monitoring, a 360-degree camera system, rear cross-traffic alert, and rear parking sensors.

There should be a new generation of Super Duty trucks to come after the next generation of the F-150 arrives. The 2020 Ford F-250 got a makeover but it remains one of the best heavy-duty trucks available. It’s hard-working, can get the toughest jobs done, and can offer the right balance of capability and upscale comfort for most.