When comparing the Ford F150, F250, and F350, you quickly come to realize that the F250 and F350 exist in a world of their own with a lot of commonalities, while the F150 is in a separate world of its own. It’s almost like the difference between the F250 and F350 boils down to towing capacity. In this short piece, you’ll see why we say so and which one you should go for if you had to choose one of the three.
Exterior
The Ford F150 comes in different dimensions, depending on the trim and cab you go for, ranging from 209.3 – 250.5 inches, and wheel designs ranging 17 – 22 inches.
The Ford F250 features daytime running lights that come on any time you start the vehicle, alongside LED low beams, that when combined, give a high beam reflection for night driving.
The Ford F350 retains the features of the F250 alongside a stunning chrome two-bar grille and caribou inserts.
Interior
The F150 boasts an interior cabin designed to insulate its occupants from outside noises, thus existing like a world within a world.
The F250 comes with standard air conditioning and automatic temperature control. It also offers a rapid heat cab heater for cold days on the diesel engines. The F350 also shares the same features.
Cabin and Cargo space
F150 offers three-bed options – there’s the 8 feet, the 6 feet by 6 inches, and the 5 feet by 6 inches. If you go for a Regular Cab or Super Cab model, you can choose between the two most extended beds. Depending on the engine, the F150 has a maximum towing capacity ranging from 9,000 to 13,200 lbs. It also has a maximum payload capacity of 2,470 – 3,230 lbs.
F250 Super Cab models offer up to 39.5 cubic feet of cargo space. The Crew Cab models offer 58.6 cubic feet of cargo space when folding the rear seats. It has a normal towing capacity of 20,000 lbs, a maximum fifth-wheel gooseneck of 22,800 lbs, and a payload capacity of 4,260 lbs.
The F350 further ups the ante with a conventional towing capacity of 21,000 pounds, a gooseneck towing capacity of 32,000 pounds. It also has a payload capacity of up to 7,630 lbs
Performance
The Ford F150 comes in options of six powertrains. The base engine is a 3.3-liter V6 with 290 horsepower and 265 pound-feet torque. The drivetrain is available as a standard 2WD but also as a 4WD. It also has an automatic, ten-speed transmission. Of course, you can always stick with the V6 engine, but stacking it with the 2.7 liters EcoBoost, or turbocharge, gives a more powerful acceleration.
The Ford F250 has two types of base engines – there’s the 6.2-liter gas-powered V8 with 385 horsepower and 405 pound-feet of torque, then the 6.7-liter power stroke turbodiesel V8 with 400 horsepower and 800 pound-feet of torque. The same also applies to the F350.
Fuel Economy
The F150 regular gas engine has a combined fuel economy rating of 21 mpg (4.8 gallons/100 miles), while the E85 has 16 mpg (6.2 gallons/100 miles). This applies to the 2WD FFV. But when you turn to the 2WD HEV, you get a combined 25 mpg (4 gallons/100 miles).
The F250 has a combined fuel economy rating of 15.7 mpg, while the F350 has a combined mpg of 13.11. The Ford F250 and F350 thus do not offer the best fuel economy.
Cost
F150 has a base price of $28,940. The Super Cab models start at $33,025, while the Super Crew models start from $36,650.
The F250 has a wide range of prices, starting from $37,820 and going as high as $84,390, depending on the model you go for.
The base price of the F350 is, on average, $39,345. However, some trims like the Platinum 4dr Crew Cab start from $65,525.
Warranty
All Fords have a bumper-to-bumper warranty of 3 years/36,000 miles. The powertrains have a warranty of 5 years/60,000 miles. The safety restraint systems come with a warranty of 5 years/60,000 miles, while the corrosion, only where the perforation is involved, has a warranty of 5 years for an unlimited number of miles. The diesel engines are covered for five years/100,000 miles.
Trims
The Ford F150 comes in seven trims: the XL (the base), XLT, Lariat, King Ranch, Platinum, Limited, and Raptor (the highest). The XL is the option for those looking for work focused vehicle, and if you go for the Super Crew cab, it can sit up to six people. The XLT tops this by providing entertainment features like an infotainment system and a Wi-Fi hotspot.
The Ford F250 offers six trim levels to choose from, starting from the XL, XLT, Lariat, King Ranch, Platinum, and Limited. The same also applies to the F350. The Lariat has leather seat trim, SYNC 3, an 8-inch touchscreen, and a ten-speaker B&O sound system. The King Ranch comes with the unique King Ranch leather seat trim and all the previous features mentioned about the Lariat.
Verdict
When it comes to the exterior, all Fords are more or less equally matched. However, when you go inside, the F250 and F350 offer a better experience than the F150. In cargo space also, the F250 and F350 once again trump the F150. Finally, in performance, the Ford F250 and F350 are both equally matched above the F150.
But when it comes to fuel economy and cost, the F150 takes the crown. All of them have the same warranty terms. The Ford F150, however, has the edge over the F250 and F350 in terms of options or trims to choose from.
Overall, the F250 and F350 are better options than the F150.
