2019 Ford F-250 Super Duty vs 2019 Ford F-150

Spend enough time reading about new cars, and you may realize that some corners of the auto market appear to be in the middle of a modern-day arms race. One particular corner is that of the full-size truck market. It seems like every year, the American Big Three automakers each attempt to one-up one another with horsepower, torque, payload, and towing numbers that seemingly have no end in sight.

But beyond these monstrous numbers, the modern work truck has become more comfortable and sophisticated than ever. Just look at the 2019 Ford F-250 Super Duty. Still a brutish machine designed for serious work, it's also available in several trims worthy of luxury-car status.

Automakers know that just because a truck is designed for work doesn’t mean it can’t include some creature comforts. The only issue becomes price, and some of the invoices on trucks can get out of hand fast. So, does the F-250 Super Duty make practical and financial sense for folks who need a heavy-duty truck, or is this modern era of pickups one of overpriced overkill?

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The notion of "luxury trucks" might seem a little weird if you haven’t bought a new truck in 20 years, but anyone who's been in the market lately should be more than familiar with the idea. Not only that, they should be more than accustomed to the sticker shock associated with these high-end, luxury pickups.

Some old-school types will scoff at how trucks have gotten soft or too expensive (or both), but good automakers build the cars and trucks people want, and shoppers have been snatching luxury trucks as fast as they can be built and shipped. These "soft" trucks offer a template for seemingly dozens of purposes. They can tow, haul, carry people and goods, play road-trip family car, and even be the ride for a night on the town.

The Chevy Silverado, GMC Sierra, and Ram 1500 all got redesigned for 2019, while the F-150 was last updated in 2018, following a full redesign for 2015. There are a few modest feature updates for 2019 as well, but will that be enough when the F-150’s main competition is all-new for the same model year?

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