2015 Ford F-350 Super Duty King Ranch Crew Cab review notes

King Ranch equipment adds nice trimmings to the Super Duty

    This 2015 Ford F-350 Super Duty King Ranch is a whopper with monster capabilities that I wasn’t going to come anywhere near maxing out on my trip to the supply store to pickup stuff for the family restaurant. I loaded up the bed with 18 cases of Styrofoam containers and various others odds and ends that probably equated to a total of 120 pounds of stuff. Obviously that’s not going to tax the F-350’s diesel at all, so I can’t really speak to the truck’s hauling performance.

    But after doing the first drive of the updated HD versions of the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra earlier this year, I can talk about ride quality of the truck unloaded. The older Ford, while still quite smooth and quiet, doesn’t match the newer GM trucks. You detect a little more vibration in the Ford’s cabin, and the ride isn’t quite as buttoned up as the Chevy and GMC. That’s not to say it’s super bouncy and uncomfortable, because it certainly is not. It’s actually quite impressive with the type of road manners that Ford, GM and Chrysler are dishing out in these big trucks nowadays. But compared to the newer GMs, the Ford doesn’t feel as refined with jumpier rear end.

    It’s probably splitting hairs and it doesn’t really matter, because when it comes to big trucks, brand loyalty trumps all in most cases. Ford guys are still going to buy their F-series trucks no matter what, and Chevy folks are going to be getting a Silverado.

    Considering its size, this F-350 isn’t difficult to pilot around. There’s more than enough power from the diesel to get the big lug off the line quickly, steering is lightly weighted and responsive enough considering the large tires, the brakes are stout and confidently slow things down, and the high ride height gives you a great view all around.

    The interior of the Super Duty is also showing its age with lots of hard plastics. The King Ranch equipment does jazz up things a little bit with the rich-looking dark brown leathers and contrasting accent stitching. The plastic trim with wood pattern and chrome finished vent rings do break things up in there a little, though. It’s certainly spacious in there, which isn’t a surprise. The front bucket seats are cushy and should be very comfortable over the long haul when you’re towing what I imagine would be a very large trailer across the country.

    Next year the new Super Duty is expected that will follow the F-150’s lead and feature an aluminum body that will help shave weight. Along with probable towing and hauling capabilities upgrades, I’m sure Ford will be making efforts to further improved ride quality and deliver nicer interior surrounds. If you’re a Ford fan and need a new heavy-duty truck now, you really can’t go wrong with the current truck. Maybe you can get yourself a slightly better deal with 2015 being the final year for the current-generation truck. 

ASSOCIATE EDITOR JAKE LINGEMAN: This thing is massive. It took me literally 10 forward/reverse shifts to get it out of the parking spot in our garage. It also wouldn’t turn the tight corner to the exit requiring me to lap the garage and come at it straight. That’s the problem with these planet-sized trucks, anywhere but the open road they’re a pain in the rear.

    It rides terribly when empty, too. I know that’s to be expected, but you can’t put any power down without the back end hopping all over the place.

   It is a King Ranch, which means nice leather, cool designs on the armrest and all the luxury amenities of a Cadillac Escalade. On road trips, it would be a blast. Surely four people, four sets of golf clubs, four jet skis, four horses and four refrigerators would be no problem for the King. I’m assuming the towing rating is somewhere between the mass of Saturn and the mass of Jupiter?

EDITORIAL INTERN BRAD WILEY: Having spent the better part of my undergrad working in the landscape/snow removal industry, it affords a better understanding for what these monster trucks are really capable of. And the 2015 Ford F-350 Super Duty King Ranch is one hell of an all-encompassing truck. Now let’s point out some of the redundant things that are oft over-criticized by car guys. First off, the 2015 F-350 is massive. Jake rightfully points out that the Super Duty lacks grace and overall maneuverability. Now, it does become difficult to navigate tight parking spaces, but those looking to park this beast will ultimately need to think ahead and work according to the lengthy wheelbase and wide turning radius. But with a little practice and a good feel for the oversized footprint, the big truck can fit almost anywhere.

    The next sizeable issue is ride comfort and drivability. It’s a 1-ton truck for Pete’s sake! Any comparison to a car or even a half-ton truck is null. This Super Duty is capable of moving a house off of its foundation all while hauling a couple yards of topsoil in the bed. Give it a break. With massive leaf packs out back and a rigid axle up front, some comfort attributes are put at the wayside. And in comparison to its work truck variant, the ride is more comfortable, even if we are talking about the two-wheel-drive double I-beam front end. And, yes, the rear does bounce a bit more while unloaded, there is no hiding that. Purchasing a truck of this caliber comes with a bit of inherent give and take. Overall, the truck tracks well with no lazy steering setup here. Everything was nice and tight and the truck was unbridled going down the expressway.

    Let’s not forget about the cost of this big fella and the King Ranch package. These sure aren’t the amenities that I am accustomed to. But I’ve always like the way that the King Ranch package looked on the truck, both inside and out. Granted, having a truck like this is really not a practical way to go, but for those looking for a truck to tow a horse trailer, go over-the-road, or make a recreational tow-rig, the creature comforts and added amenities are well worth the extra coin. The inside is nice; the leather seats are comfortable, even by truck standards. Adding in the 6.7-liter Power Stroke is another one of those, “do I really need this?” questions. It all comes down to the end game. The gasoline V8s are great in these, and are a good value with a decent fuel economy. But there is something about owning an F-350 and having a diesel under the hood that makes it even more enticing. The diesel would certainly take higher precedence when looking for a heavy hauler/tower. Our tester, while not the dually, was already set up for a fifth-wheel plate. Boy would this truck make an excellent camper or toy hauler, given you have that kind of cheddar to toss at it.

2015 Ford F-350 Super Duty King Ranch Crew Cab 

Options: 6.7-liter V8 diesel ($8,480); tough bed spray in bedliners ($475); ruby red metallic exterior paint ($395); dual alternators ($380); transmission power take-off provision ($280); upfitter switches ($125); 3.55L electronic locking differential ($110); skid plates ($100); engine block heater ($75)