Ford F-250, a heavy-duty pickup with a smooth ride

Refreshed Ford F-250 a heavyweight contender

Roseville, CA- This is one heavy-duty pickup. And to make it a little more appealing for truck lovers, Ford has updated the popular F-250 this year.

The 2020 Ford F-250 arrived this year with an updated front and rear styling, plus has a new optional off-road package. It also offers a new engine option, a more powerful 7.3-liter V8 debuts with 10-speed automatic transmission.

Ford has a definite following with its F-Series of trucks, offering the F-150, F-250, F-350 and F-450. A year ago, the F-Series sold 896,526 trucks. That’s more than double the sales when big trucks were frowned upon in the recession year of 2009 when sales dipped to 413,625.

The heavyweight pickup can be configured as a regular cab, extended cab (Ford calls it a SuperCab) or a crew cab that has either a 6.8-foot length bed or a larger one that measures 8.2 feet.

The F-250 is a four-door truck that fits five passengers and is available in six trim levels (XL, XLT, Lariat, King Ranch, Platinum, Limited). It has a starting price that’s reasonable ($34,200), but the cost can skyrocket past $80,000 with all the options.

There are three different engines with F-250. The standard one is the familiar 6.2-liter, V8 that generates 385 horsepower and 430 pound-feet of torque, and is paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. The new V8 produces 430 horsepower and 475 pound-feet of torque. And for truck owners who really need superior towing, the F-250 can haul up to 21,200 pounds.

The third engine is a turbocharged diesel, a 6.7-liter, V8 with 475 horsepower and an amazing 1,050 pound-feet of torque. It also features the 10-speed transmission. All of the F-250s come with standard rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive is an option.

At a Glance -2020 Ford F-250

• Performance: 6.2-liter, V8 385 horsepower; turbocharged diesel 7.3-liter, V8 430 horsepower; 6.7-liter, V8, 475 horsepower
• Mileage estimate: 13-16 mpg; 11-14 mpg
• Price estimate: $34,200 to $81,300
• Warranty: 3 years/36,000 miles; drivetrain: 5 years/60,000 miles; roadside assistance: 5 years/60,000; corrosion: 5 years/unlimited distance

Ford calls the off-road package the Tremor. A step up from the standard FX4 package, the upgraded Tremor has a 2-inch front lift, shorter air dam (lower portion of the front bumper), and all-terrain tires. It also includes a retuned suspension, locking rear differential, limited-slip front differential, upgraded shock absorbers, rock-crawl mode, and low-speed cruise control.

Despite its heavy-duty nature, the muscular F-250 surprisingly is a smooth-riding truck with a spacious, nicely designed cabin. It offers a fair amount of refinement and is relatively quiet in most driving situations. Among the interior features are voice-controlled infotainment, Wi-Fi hotspot, 8-inch touchscreen, and Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity,

Regardless of the engine choice, the F-250 delivers in many areas that will entice truck lovers to purchase the latest edition.