Ford F-Series Super Duty Test Drive

PHOENIX, Ariz.—Has the definition of leadership in the heavy-duty/super-duty truck segment changed since the last time Ford, Chevrolet/GMC, and Dodge brought out new truck bruisers? Make no mistake: Horsepower, torque, towing and payload are still the primary fields of battle for winning over ranchers, construction workers and contractors. But we can add another event to the heavy-duty Olympics, according to those customers—fuel economy. That's right. Even with gas and diesel comfortably below $3.00 a gallon in most parts of the U.S., fuel economy has become the new torque when it comes to impressing customers. Ford, in fact, named fuel economy as its leading concern when it set out to build a new diesel engine after severing its relationship with diesel-engine supplier Navistar. The results are surprising, and may well entice Dodge and Chevy owners.

The Specs

The best bits of the redesigned Ford Super Duty are under the hood, in the bed, and behind the instrument panel. Cosmetically speaking, the front end has been redone to get the SD in line with the new Ford F-Series design introduced for the 2009 model year. That means a front fascia and grille that looks like Ford bought a few warehouses of chrome cheap last year when companies were throwing over ballast to raise money. Bigger headlamps are at the corners. The hood features a new inverted power dome sculpted to conceal an all-new, Ford-designed Powerstroke diesel engine.

Inside, the flow-through center console (aka contractor's desk drawer) has 60 percent more storage space, with 70 possible configurations. A handy 12-volt power point is inside the console, as well as a second power point and AC plug in the rear of the console, making laptops easy to plug in without an adapter. The rest of the interior layout is sharpened up, with evolutionary changes, which isn't bad considering the interior of the outgoing Super Duty model was more than respectable, especially in the top-of-the-line King Ranch edition. In the center stack, there's a new 4.2-inch "LCD Productivity" display that not only shows data like fuel economy and exterior temperature, but also allows drivers to log accumulated mileage on different trailers. Checklists for various trailer connections pop up as well. The input from customers on how to make it all user-friendly is in abundance.

Under the hood, the powertrains are all new. The 6.2-liter 16-valve V8 replaces the 5.4-liter. It's rated 385 hp at 5500 rpm and 405 lb-ft at 4500 rpm of torque. It's mated to Ford's new Torqshift six-speed automatic transmission. Even with the higher displacement, Ford said it managed to improve fuel economy by 15 percent. The optional diesel engine is the big story at Ford. Divorced from Navistar as its diesel supplier, Ford developed its own new Powerstroke engine. The diesel is rated at 390 hp at 2800 rpm and 735 lb-ft. of torque at 1600 rpm. Ford offers no manual transmission in the SD.

Conventional towing for the flex-fuel spark-ignition SD maxes out at 15,000 pounds of trailer weight. The Powerstroke diesel maxes out at 16,000 for the F-450 4x4 Crew Cab. That's for hitch-mounted trailers. Use a fifth-wheel trailer that connects to the bed above the rear axle and the Powerstroke tops out at 24,400 pounds. Maximum payload rating for the flex-fuel SD is 4600 pounds, and the max for the Powerstroke diesel is 6520.

Especially useful, if not downright ingenious (for the category) is the first-ever factory-installed and warrantied fifth-wheel and gooseneck substructure directly attached to the frame. Now, instead of paying a dealer or converter over $1000 to literally tear up the bed and understructure of a brand new truck to install cross-bracing and the gooseneck receiver, Ford has made it a clean $400 factory-installed option that only requires prying up a bed plug to access. We'd still like Dodge's bed-storage system in every truck, but this is a pretty big "gee-whiz" item for fifth-wheel towers. And let's not forget the availability of Ford's SYNC system and Ford Work Solutions. With these systems, the driver can wirelessly tie into a work office computer through the dashboard display.

Ford has a dizzying number of packages and versions, and too many combinations to list here. The styling packages, though, carry over from the outgoing SD: XL, XLT, Lariat and King Ranch. Dual rear-wheel versions are, of course, available. Prices will be very similar to today's trucks. The XL starting price today is $25,875, while the King Ranch version will be north of $60K.

Read more: 2011 Ford F-Series Super Duty Test Drive - Popular Mechanics

8 Sneaky-Fast Cars That Won't Punish You at the Pump

Drive a BMW 3 Series on America's highways and byways at 10 mph over the speed limit and you're asking for a ticket. Do the same in a Honda Accord and Smoky might not even see you. Call it the Hot-Car Tax. And since complaining about it likely won't have much affect, here are eight alternative rides that are quick, handsome (though never flashy), and won't torture you at the pump.

The chassis of the latest Focus is fantastic, and it's remarkable that Ford is able to repurpose this platform for so many other vehicles. The car is solid on highway hauls, forgiving over massacred pavement, yet capable in corners. The steering, too, is sharp without being high-strung. But you'd better vote manual gearbox or you'll be missing out on half the party.

The Focus is a great little speedster that is the opposite of a Golf (especially a GTI): Cops don't see a Focus and think "tuner," and that's exactly why it belongs here.

2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Grand Cherokee SRT8 Test Drive

What's New: What do the 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee and the 2013 Porsche Cayenne have in common? Their base prices have little to do with what the average buyer is willing to spend on one. The cheapest Cayenne can be had for $48,850, but packing on at least $20,000 in options is pretty much the norm. Jeep's Grand Cherokee customer isn't typically quite that wealthy, but the optional equipment list makes it easy to inflate the price above $50,000. This latest makeover is apt to tempt buyers all the more, with sexy new interior offerings including real wood trim and gorgeous leather seating. One thing you won't have to spend more to get is the new standard eight-speed transmission (replacing an outdated five-speed), an update that Jeep credits for improving fuel economy more than 10 percent on both the V-6 and V-8 rigs.

But it's the new excellent V-6 diesel that really shakes things up. When Jeep last offered an oil-burner stateside, in 2007–08, it sourced the engine from then-partner Mercedes-Benz. This new unit, courtesy of parent company Fiat, blows the old diesel away with 25 more horsepower, an increase of 45 lb-ft of torque, and 11 percent better fuel economy.

Chrysler head of design Ralph Gilles suggested not too subtly that the V-8 is the least attractive offering on the 2014 ("Anyone who really wants the V-8 should just get the SRT," he said), especially for anyone who wants to tow or drive off-road. Gilles said there's simply no diesel competition to the five-passenger Grand Cherokee, and on price, he's right. The least expensive diesel Grand Cherokee will set you back $40,295, while you'll spend $48,320 on a VW Touareg and well into the $50,000 range for a Mercedes-Benz ML, BMW X5, Audi Q7, or Porsche Cayenne.

Tech Tidbit: Hill Descent Control (HDC) is pretty common on quasi-SUVs and crossovers these days; now Jeep's Selec-Terrain system adds Hill Ascent Control. We used it to nose the Jeep Grand Cherokee up a ten-car-length, 50-degree rock ramp Jeep had arranged for testing outside Austin, Texas, and it worked flawlessly. Tapping the HDC button in the center console allowed gas/brake-free climbing, with the traction-control system regulating throttle application to any wheel with grip. The paddle shifters further controlled the speed of climbing—left for slower, right for faster. All we had to do was steer.

Driving Character: Jeep is right to think the bulk of customers will opt for the V-6, but it's clear that the diesel is the new premium option. Paired with the eight-speed transmission, the diesel V-6 offers seamless kickdown and superb 40- to 70-mph passing muscle. The diesel is also perfect for rock crawling because peak torque arrives at only 2000 rpm. Anyone who tows will want that torque and fuel economy too, and even around town the diesel loafs much more quietly than the V-8.

Jeep also does a good job of keeping the Grand Cherokee comfortable for daily driving, which is how most owners use this ute. On-center feel to the steering is strong, rearward sighting is easy in traffic, and the suspension is more forgiving than the sportiest of crossovers in the segment—but not so plush you'd mistake it for the Lexus RX or other five-passenger models that don't have the off-road brawn of a Jeep.

Favorite Detail: There's a new TFT (thin-film transistor) LCD gauge cluster with a digital speedometer. At the center of the speedo you'll see information ranging from the radio station to a prompt that succinctly explains in-car settings as you change them. For instance, if you switch the vehicle to one of five off-road modes, the display in the cluster reminds the driver of the change and what that mode is best suited for. Yes, the central display also shows information that can be a distraction (do you really need to see wheel articulation digitally?). Nevertheless, we like what Jeep's done here and wish more SUVs with off-road ambitions educated the driver in this way.

Read more: 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Grand Cherokee SRT8 Test Drive - Popular Mechanics

Driver's Grievance: Although Jeep was thorough with this mid-cycle reboot, it hasn't been able to improve the cave-like feel of the cabin. This is particularly noticeable in the rear, where anyone approaching six feet tall will feel cramped, and yet the bench height feels lower and more confining than in other five-passenger competition (several smaller crossovers have more rear-seat legroom). Also, while most of this interior is greatly improved, somehow Jeep neglected to update the plastics used in key places that passengers will see daily, like the A-pillar. This is not a tragic oversight. But Jeep's pushing itself toward Lexus and Mercedes with this SUV, and cross-shoppers are going to notice such details.

The Bottom Line: It's not hard to see why Jeep broke its all-time annual sales record in 2012. The Grand Cherokee is a segment leader in part because it's macho yet not so aggressive it turns off the average soccer mom or dad. With an upgraded interior, a new diesel engine offering, and a standard eight-speed transmission upping fuel economy across the board, the 2014 Grand Cherokee is going to appeal to a lot more buyers. The worry for Jeep: There are thriftier five-passenger options, and seven-passenger options too, like Ford's Explorer. True, most don't have this Jeep's off-road chops—but how many customers really go off-road?