2023 Ford F-250 Is the Quickest Diesel Truck We’ve Ever Tested

The fastest diesel truck we’ve ever tested, a 2023 Ford F-250 Super Duty, reached 60 mph in 5.5 seconds.

The previous holder of the mark, a 2020 F-250, reached 60 mph in 6.1 seconds, but the newer truck benefits from an additional 150 pound-feet of torque (1200 total).

The ’23 F-250 not only accelerates to 60 mph in six tenths less time, but also completes the quarter-mile in a half-second less time and reaches 90 mph in 1.2 seconds less time.

The main focus of heavy-duty pickup vehicles is bragging rights. For instance, one year Ram has the best-in-class towing capacity, the next Chevy or Ford has the title, and so on. The 2023 Ford Super Duty range is the current king of the hill when it comes to torque, thanks to its new high-output Power Stroke diesel V-8’s thunderous 1200 pound-feet. Recently, that assisted an F-250 SuperCrew 4×4 in reaching 60 mph in 5.5 seconds, making it the fastest diesel-powered truck we’ve ever tested. It was also remarkably rapid for anything weighing more than 8000 pounds.

While heavy-duty vehicles from various brands sometimes outperform one another, Ford this time outperformed itself. This is due to the fact that a 2020 F-250 SuperCrew 4×4 that hit 60 mph in 6.1 seconds had previously held the record that the ’23 model shattered. By covering 1320 feet in 14.6 seconds at 94 mph, that truck also set the record for the quickest quarter-mile time for a diesel truck.

Even while those accomplishments were outstanding, the new F-250 accelerates significantly more quickly, which is even more astounding. In addition to reaching 60 mph six tenths quicker, it also accelerated from 5 to 60 mph in 6.8 seconds, which is almost a full second faster than previously. In fact, the truck we tested outperformed its predecessor in almost all of our acceleration parameters by a factor of three to nine tenths. The F-250 reached 90 mph in 11.9 seconds, which is 1.2 ticks faster than before, and completed the quarter-mile in 14.1 seconds at 97 mph.

Of course, we did more than just get in the car and press the gas pedal to achieve these record-breaking times. Dave VanderWerp, the director of testing for Car and Driver, had to use his right foot skill and be cunning with the 10-speed automatic gearbox. With the transfer case set to 4Hi, the fastest times were obtained by starting in second gear with enough of brake torque and quickly switching back to automatic mode after launch because the manual shift function isn’t reliable enough. Voilà, accomplishment unlocked.

As before, the three-quarter-ton Ford’s incredible power, which is now even greater thanks to an improved turbo-diesel 6.7-liter V-8, is what gives it its speed. The newly available H/O Power Stroke can manage greater temperatures and allows for more boost thanks to upgraded stainless-steel manifolds and piping that feeds a single turbo with a liquid-cooled compressor housing. In contrast to the original engine’s 475 horses and 1050 pound-feet of torque, the end result is 500 horsepower and 1200 pound-feet of torque.

Our F-250 Platinum tester weighs nearly the same as the earlier F-250 Lariat despite numerous improvements following the 2023 Ford Super Duty’s significant refresh, which include the aforementioned engine upgrade and new tech features. The new version’s 8100-pound curb weight is actually 20 pounds lighter. The off-road-focused Tremor package, which includes unique suspension components, a limited-slip front differential, an electronic locking rear diff with a 3.55 gear ratio, and massive 35-inch Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac all-terrain tyres, was installed on both trucks. However, the F-250 had a braking distance from 70 mph of 245 feet, which is at the very lengthy end of any new vehicle, so those knobby tyres definitely didn’t help in slowing down the entire prodigious bulk of the vehicle.

Other heavy-duty vehicles may struggle to match the acceleration timings of Ford’s H/O Power Stroke V-8, which presently holds the heavy-duty torque championship by a wide margin. We’re nevertheless curious to see how much faster the Super Duty can get in the interim. The strongest diesel engine and street-oriented tyres on a lighter regular-cab F-250 might be able to shave off a few more tenths.

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