Hi folks,

New 2026 F-250 owner, Platinum + trim, HO 6.7L diesel, 1000 miles so far. Coming from a 2021 GMC 2500 HD Denali......I also did an extensive drive of a 2026 GMC 2500 HD Denali Ultimate before buying the F-250. Did not look at or drive anything from RAM before getting the F-250. wouldn't take one for free. Thought I would provide some thoughts for anyone contemplating the move:

Looks/Appearance- hands down the GMC is a better looking truck on the outside. The F-250 looks like, well, a 3/4 ton pick up. Nothing particularly special-attractive but not game changing....the front end of the GMC is gargantuan and looks really good, as does the rear end. incredibly subjective, I know.

Interior Appearance/Materials-not a close race, with the Plus package, the Ford wins easily. Just a beautiful interior....seats are very plush and so comfortable., and the diamond stitch pattern on the seats and door panels is really an upscale look....all of the brushed aluminum pieces are great as well. while the seat comfort of the GMC has improved in 2026 over my 2021, it's still like sitting on a slab of granite compared to the Plus seats in the F-250. Quality of materials in the dash area are also of a higher quality than the Denali. The panoramic sunroof is fantastic. You could almost land a Blackhawk through that sunroof opening....huge..

Electronics-Another huge win for Ford.....yea, I know a Super Duty is supposed to be a rugged get things done truck, but I have a bad back, and these seats are unreal and this will be our travel vehicle....the ability to position 3 different lumbars at the exact location you want them.....Three different massage zones, plus the seat cushion area,,,,,multiple massage types and intensities.....beyond belief how comfortable a long drive is going to be. The infotainment system, while not the most current cutting-edge from Ford is light years better than GMC. The 12" diagonal screen is the perfect, large size. response is lightning fast compared to GMC, and for the first time, I can make my waze map take up the full size of a center screen. So many options and settings that the GMC just does not have. The on-board scale and the Pro Trailer backup assist are phenomenal features......

Power plant-The Duramax with the Allison 10-speed is definitely no slouch. I ran that truck for 75k miles with never a hint of an issue. Now I know these are not red-light racing vehicles, and while the Duramax could run at a good clip, it just can't hold a candle to the HO Diesel of the F-250.....off the line, once the turbo spools up (takes a second or so), you are pressed back in the seat for a serious thrill ride......how it can move almost 4 tons that quickly is impressive...well, it could be the 1200 lb -ft of torque I suppose....wow, endless power. Can't wait to tow with this thing. Love the clacking of the diesel....over the years the companies have really quieted down the diesel engine sound (probably a result of the increased emission controls), but the Power stroke emits a great sound, especially at low speeds.....

Biggest thing I miss from the GMC-no question, it's the multi-pro tailgate. that small tailgate within a tailgate? I lost track of how many times that came in handy. Especially when used as a platform to climb up in the back......it's simply genius how they engineered this. And with two large LED lights built into the tailgate when it is dropped down, there's no more ptiich black darkness around the back of the truck to worry about. So easy to get up and down from the bed. the slide out step of the F-250? It was no doubt a hurry-up development job to try and compete. It's really pretty terrible in my opinion. It's a single step for starters, and with by bad knees, I can't use it to climb up in the back-it's set too high. The GMC was never an issue in this department.. And I can already see that if you have something heavy in the box and you slide it out beyond the edge of the tailgate, there is a very good chance you are going to break off that very thin plastic cover for the slide out step....just not good engineering, IMO .... a fantastic tailgate on the GMC-by far my favorite feature of that truck and I miss it terribly.

When I took everything into account, the F-250 was the hands-down overall winner over the GMC.....just so many things either the GMC does not have, or the F-250 just does better (save for the tailgate !). First time I ever drove a Ford truck was the test drive for the one I bought. I had 3 Tundras and two GMC's prior to this truck. Only time will tell if it lives up to the moniker "Built Ford Tough"...

 

Good post, I think my STX has better more comfortable seats than almost any vehicle I’ve driven, so I can only imagine those fancy diamond quilted leather seats!

When i slide heavy timber out of the bed, the bark scrapes on the plastic flap covering the tailgate step filling it with bark and small woodchips etc. I definitely need to be aware of this when working or else eventually that plastic flap covering the tailgate step will be worn & damaged.

 

Yeah that tailgate step design always felt a bit "be careful with it" when using it with real work stuff but the rest of the truck sounds like a huge upgrade for you coming from GMC.

 

The tailgate step was introduced in 2008 by Ford - way, way before the multi-pro tailgate was a thing.

 

Oops my bad.....Hey, I am new to Ford (!). That might explain the difference. GMC took a look and went to school on Ford's design and came up with a better mousetrap. That certainly happens all the time between brands.

I will say the tailgate, while a great feature on the GMC is just one feature....and I am not a one-feature truck buyer. Just a quick story as I have a good friend who IS a one-feature truck buyer. He keeps buying RAM 2500's even though he has nothing but problems with them (transmissions in particular.....on his last 3 !), simply because of those RAM Boxes in the bed. I tried to explain to him there are tons of aftermarket companies that make great side-bed storage solutions but he won't hear about it.....

 

I keep my hitch on my truck on 100% of the time and the GM multi flex tailgate would be useless for me since you have to remove the hitch in order to utilize the secondary tailgate feature to be used without putting a big dent on it by hitting that hitch ball. I prefer Fords man step design as it doesn't interfere with my hitch ball.

 

That chevy tailgate is as useful as a poopy flavored lollipop if you have to remove your hitch every time. Par for the course I guess since they haven't figured out the round wheel in a square hole thing.

 

Hahahahaha that "man step" ad is diabolical.

I use mine anyway

 

Funny how Chevy used Howie Long masculine macho man who was pitching mulch bags into the Chevy bed and used a over weight average joe who had a bird cage loaded into the Ford bed.

I use my "man step' and not ashamed of it. And don't have a dented tail gate because of a poor design to boot.

 

good post even if your sense of aesthetics is clearly screwed up as the Ford is easily the best looking HD truck on the market. I will say the GMC looks better than the Chevy but that's only because it's the slightly less ugly twin! LOL

Dave

 

Welcome to Ford, and glad you found something you like. I am more in agreement with the others though in terms of exterior looks... of course it is subjective, but the GM's look pretty hilarious, and in a bad way. I have always wondered how anyone can see out of them because the grills are so tall! lol... Anyway, of the big 3, I think Ford has done the best job at making a great looking truck, and particularly the 17-22's. IMO, they started going backwards with them in 23 when they started copying those steps on the the GM's... I am glad I was able to get my 22 without those steps, and instead with a long running board, which is more useful than the bedside step. I could actually get down with the bumper steps, but it would be nice if they could integrate them somehow without making the rear bumper look so bad.

And yeah, that fold down step looks good on the GM, but like mentioned above, it wouldn't be the best option for many people using the truck as a truck. I typically leave my hitch in as well and while the Ford step doesn't look as fancy, it does function fine with a hitch still in. And while I don't actually use it often, I do like the hand grip that Ford uses. It is a great way to stabilize yourself if needed when using the step. It seems very solid and I don't have any concerns with using it. I do agree about the lip though... I have a BedRug in my bed, and it actually helps the transition when sliding things so things don't catch on the lip.

Enjoy your new ride!

 

I think Black Appearance Package on the XLT and Lariat really helps the front end, personally don’t care for the Platinum trims exterior but the interior is beautiful. The King Ranch two tone helps the front end too if it’s the two tone bumper instead of chrome.

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Good post and I do like the looks of GMs with one exception. The wheel wells not being round is just wrong to me. Square holes for round pegs.

 

I came out of my 2017 2500HD (nothing fancy) into my 2023 F-250 STX (nothing fancy.) They are/were both good trucks in their own way, and they both have/had their issues.

By the time I traded the 2500HD, a lot of small interior parts were breaking. The paint was absolutely fragile, and would scratch if you looked at it wrong. I liked how it drove and rode... 2WD with torsion bars. It was a little 'jouncy,' but a good set of shocks fixed that. I think it's exterior look was very nice... it was nearly the last model before Chevrolet hit the crack pipe and made the front end look like a skyscraper... I do not care for the current HD styling. Square wheelwells don't bother me. The 6.0L gasser was completely underpowered, and terribly assembled, with tiny bolts that would shear holding the exhaust manifold on, and a fragile plastic (end cap) radiator that split after just 4 years. GM's transmissions are crap... mine crapped the bed at 104K, just after the warranty expired.

The Ford, on the other hand, and in my opinion, it about it's equal. Either gas motor would stomp the 6.0L into the dirt. Ford paint still looks good, but I can see where the exterior plastic parts are already starting to show their age... typical Ford. I like my interior... the base seats are quite comfortable... and I have a bad back as well. Ford's electronic suite is a piece of crap... and I've said this before. Slow, laggy, intrusive, full of glitches. Very likely a combination of poor hardware, trying to do too much, and poor software, written by a 3 year old.

Are my 2 F-250's 'Built Ford Tough'? I think they are reasonable trucks, designed and built by humans, and lorded over by accountants. Only time will tell if my 2 examples are as 'tough' as they are supposed to be.

 

I have dubbed mine the "F-Temu-50" due to numerous issues it has had in 18 months of ownership .

Charge more/give less, it's the Corporate America way.