Ford F-350 Super Duty Lariat 4x4 2020 Review

The 2020 update for the Ford F-350 Super Duty isn't hugely significant but it does make the big ute a bit more user-friendly and gives it a bit more towing capability (not that it was lacking!).

The big news is a new 10-speed automatic transmission that replaces the old six-speeder. Also, the 6.7-litre V8 turbo-diesel gets a bit more oomph, boosting its outputs to 354kW of power and a smidge over 1400Nm of torque – that's 475hp and 1050lb-ft of torque in American-speak, and is enough to keep the F-350 ahead of its rivals in this market.

Our test vehicle was in Lariat spec. It sits between the entry-level XL and XLT, and the range is topped by upper-spec King Ranch, Platinum and Limited variants.

But being mid-spec in F-350 language certainly doesn't mean 'poverty pack', as the Lariat wants for little.

For example, it gets 10-way adjustable heated and cooled seats up front and even heating and cooling for the rear-seat passengers too.

There’s an 8.0-inch touch-screen with GPS, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus a big double sunroof, auto lights and wipers, and a host of standard towing features like an electric brake controller, a camera that points to your tow hitch, engine brake and even Backup Assist, which will reverse park your pick-up/trailer combo for you at the twist of a knob.

And if it's safety you're after, the F-350 has it in spades with adaptive cruise, pre-collision assist including autonomous emergency braking, lane departure warning, cross-traffic alert, hill start assist and auto high beam, to name a few.

Although we didn't go looking for them, we were told that to help keep everyone's devices charged there are up to nine available power points throughout the Super Duty's interior, including two new USB-C ports.

Interestingly, the body panels of the F-350 are made of aluminium, which not only saves weight and gives the F-truck more payload, but also helps minimise corrosion and makes the tailgate a little easier to close – although it does have a remote opener as standard on the key fob.

As mentioned, the big-ticket item for the 2020 Ford F-350 is the new 10-speed automatic, and it really is a beauty.

Called the TorqShift 10R140, it has been specifically designed to replace the six-speed TorqShift (6R140) transmission found previously in the Super Duty range. It's not the same 10-speed unit seen in the F-150 (10R80) and nor is it a development of that transmission.

The new auto offers a no-fuss, smooth and almost seamless transmission of power that gets the big brute off the mark effortlessly, whether you're towing or not.

It transfers the grunt of the V8 diesel remarkably well and offers up to six drive modes including tow mode, normal (for general highway driving), deep snow or sand, slippery (for ice, water, gravel and the like) and eco for when you’re feeling frugal.

Some models also get an additional rock-crawl mode for those wanting to tackle the Rubicon Trail. Modes are chosen via a button on the end of the column-mounted gearshifter and are shown on the central screen.

The transmission has a great spread of gears with seventh being the closest to direct drive and eighth, ninth and 10th being overdrives.

When we picked up the 2020 Ford F-350 at Harrison F-Trucks in Melton, Victoria, it was hooked up with a very large caravan weighing in at around 3600kg and with a ball weight of over 400kg.

A big lump to be moved, for sure, but we stuck the transmission in Tow/Haul mode and hit the road.

With the van on the back, the F-350 didn't argue. With a slight growl from the V8 we were off and keeping up with the traffic in all conditions. The transmission doesn't hunt for gears and is smooth and unfussed – as you'd imagine with 1400Nm available from under the vast bonnet.

As the best-laid plans often end, the place we'd chosen to do some photography was closed. That suited me fine, because it gave us more time to enjoy some scenic driving on some hilly, winding Victorian roads that were perfect for testing the towing ability of the big Henry.

On flat to undulating country, the F-350 returned a fuel consumption figure of 21.9L/100km and in the hilly sections it peaked at a thirsty 26L/100km.

The Tow/Haul mode tended to let the transmission hang on to lightly lower gears than it would in Normal mode and hence I found that I was often in eighth or ninth when cruising along rather than in top gear, which would explain a bit of the high-ish economy readings.

Taking off from the verge of the road with the F-350’s tyres in the dirt, I had to be a bit light on the accelerator to prevent the rear wheels slipping or producing axle-tramp, as leaf-sprung rear-ends often do.

And while manoeuvring for a spot of photography on grass, I had to flick the dial into 4H a couple of times to get our seven-odd tonne GCM moving without digging some big holes; I was thankful for having four-wheel drive when it was needed and it pays be a bit gentle with the right foot on loose surfaces.

After a few hours of towing, we unhitched the van at the dealership and I headed off for a bit more photography on the way back to my abode on the other side of town, a trip of around 90km.

After a day of towing in different terrains over mainly secondary roads and then a freeway cruise home, the F-350 achieved average fuel consumption of 18.5L/100km, which is pretty good for the size and weight of the combination we were hauling and the grunt and capacity of the engine.

Sitting at 100km/h on the highway, the 6.7-litre diesel is ticking over at around 1400rpm in its long-legged (think 0.632:1) 10th gear, and getting remarkable fuel figures.

In fact, when I took the F-350 back to Melton on the freeway using adaptive cruise and sticking to the speed limits, it averaged just 9.3L/100km – not bad for a 6.7-litre V8!

As a highway mile-chewer, the 2020 Ford F-350 is a beauty. It's quiet, comfortable and relaxing to drive, especially on a long haul with the Bang & Olufsen sound system cranking.

Ride quality is very comfortable and the coil front, leaf rear suspension set-up soaks up bumps admirably, even on the 20-inch wheel/tyre combo. But sitting in the middle of a four-metre-plus wheelbase (and this is the short-wheelbase version, folks!) can make you feel a bit disassociated from what the wheels and tyres are doing.

I didn't do any radical cornering so I can't really attest to the on-edge handling of the F-350, but that's not what this truck is all about.

It's about chewing up miles with a big van, trailer, boat or float on the back, crossing states and territories like Texas and Minnesota, or climbing mountains and fording wide rivers… Oops, I'm getting a bit caught up in the moment here…

But seriously, this isn't the right truck for urbanites. It's not for ducking down to Woolies for a loaf of bread or a pint of milk (I tried that and got a giggle from a guy in a Navara as I tried to fit into a parking bay).

Nope, this is the truck for the well-heeled Grey Nomad with the big van, or the fisho with the offshore trailer boat, or the tradie who has run the gamut of Ford Rangers and Toyota HiLuxes and wants or needs something bigger.

Well, that's largely academic due to our laws governing the sort of brakes you need if you want to tow something over 4.5 tonnes, but in the US the quoted maximum towing weights for the F-350 4x4 Crew Cab is 20,000 pounds or just over 9000kg, which is pretty impressive.

Harrison F-Trucks rates the F-350 at 4500kg for our market, which we're told is generally sufficient for customers here. However, they can be complied to tow more and even have air-brake systems fitted if customers want to tow heavier weights.

Of course, for an F-350 like this one, you're going to need to get your light-rigid truck licence or better. If you want the same experience without stepping up in licences, you'll have to go for the F-250. You can get the same engine/transmission combo in that, and it'll be a fair bit cheaper.

Whichever way you go, you're going to command plenty of street cred and attract lots of turned heads and perhaps even a few 'yee-hars!' along the way.

How much does the 2020 Ford F-350 Lariat cost?
Price: $175,000 (approx, plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 6.7-litre V8 turbo-diesel
Output: 354kW/1424Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Fuel: 18.5L/100km (Combined)
CO2: N/A
Safety rating: N/A