Only the most hardcore heavy haulers would need to combine huge towing figures with off-road capabilities. But that’s exactly the niche that the newest Super Duty trim is designed to fill. The Tremor Off-Road Package, new for 2020, adds a host of off-road features to make the Super Duty perfect for the great outdoors. Five years on from our last F250 Super Duty review, we get behind the wheel again to see how the Tremor stacks up.

The Super Duty Tremor Off-Road Package brings mechanical, visual, and technology changes to the Super Duty offering. Mechanically, the Tremor includes a front-end lift, progressive-rate springs, unique twin-tube dampers and 35-inch Goodyear all-terrain tires. This gives the truck 10.4 inches of ground clearance, 33 inches of water fording depth, and the best approach and departure angles of any Super Duty available. Tremor-equipped trucks are visually distinguishable with unique 18-inch matte black wheels and Tremor bed graphics. They also Trail Control, an off-road cruise control, and a unique rock-crawl mode in the list of drive mode selections.

The King Ranch’s standard two-tone lower accent color, a hue Ford has dubbed “Caribou” and unique grille works well with the deep Antimatter blue paint. Inside, seats and dash accents in Java leather give this burly truck an air of sophistication. You’ll need to practice some deep lunges to get in or out, however. The Tremor’s extra ground clearance results in a comically-high side step, so the long drop out can be uncomfortable and awkward. Our well-equipped King Range model also came optioned with the newest available engine, a massive 7.3L gasoline V8 that produces 430 horsepower and 475 lb-ft of torque. Not only is this engine perfect for towing, it is designed for durability and ease of maintenance in commercial applications. Another critical off-road accessory – and pricey option – is the 12,000-pound Warn winch. Capable of pulling the Super Duty or stranded trailer out of a tight spot off-road, the winch is nicely integrated into the Super Duty’s front grille and electrical system right from the factory.

The Super Duty Tremor’s suspension has been engineered to provide maximum ground clearance while maintaining the F250’s conventional tow rating (15,000 lbs). Unfortunately, that means the truck is sprung so firmly that it slams over expansion joints and crashes through potholes. The truck’s stiff frame doesn’t flex either, meaning severe road imperfections shake the cabin like, well… a tremor. A four-hour road trip to NH to drive the Ford Bronco – more on that soon – left us weary. A few thousand pounds on the hitch would have solved some of that discomfort, but we weren’t towing a Ford Bronco. The F250’s commanding seating position, huge towing mirrors, and large windows mean visibility is never an issue, but it’s length will have you looking for every opportunity to avoid parallel parking.

This have-your-cake approach to heavy duty trucks as produced a monster truck. The Ford F250 Super Duty Tremor is so adept at hauling heavy loads and driving off-road that it suffers in scenarios that don’t include either. That means as a non-towing vehicle on the pavement, the Tremor is far from the best choice. Chances are if you don’t need both capabilities in the same vehicle, you’d be better served with two different trucks. For maximum off-road trucking, we recommend the 2022 Ford F-150 Raptor. But if towing is the name of the game, the F250 Super Duty, without the Tremor package, has better road manners.

-Christopher Little