Heard of the Ford F-Series? Okay, that's a pretty stupid question to begin with. The F-Series has been a top-seller for decades. So, unless you live under the rock, you have definitely seen and heard about it. But, what about the Ford F-250 Super Duty STX? Now, this is not a variant of the truck. It is merely a package to make your truck look prettier. However, the STX package is one of the cheapest ones out there and is actually a value-for-money proposition.

Overview

The F-Series is one of the most common vehicles on road. Ford sells almost a million of them every year. So, such packages help customers make their truck stand out from the crowd. There are lot of tuners and after-market companies that make packages for these trucks that could either be cosmetic, performance-oriented, or both. However, most of the packages out there are either for the top-trims or are pretty expensive. For instance, the SVE Syclone costs $40,000 over the price of the base GMC Canyon. The Tuscany Black Ops model of the F-250 shot the price through the roof. The same applies for the Hennessey products as well, but that's not the case with the STX package. You know how it is with Ford; basic trims are bare bones while the top trims are loaded to the gills. The STX package is for the base XL trim to make the truck look a little more premium than it actually is.

Exterior

The biggest change on the face is the chrome treatment. The norm to make any car or truck look premium is to slap chrome on it. It looks like the STX package contains tens of pounds of chrome on it. The thick black stripes seen on the XL's face are 'chrome-d' here. The horizontal slates of the waffle-like grille are also given the chrome treatment. It's not over yet. The top of the bumper, as well as the lower part of the lower-grille, come with chrome lines. I would have preferred scoops on the hood to make it look more butch, but Ford decided against it. The headlights retain their shape, and no other tweaks are done to the face. An obvious choice would have been to add LED Daytime Running Lights for the premium-effect, but it would have taken away a small share of the lunch-money from the higher trims.

From the side, it is almost stock, except for the wheels. The larger 18-inch wheels are a 'Sparkle Silver Painted Cast Aluminum' set that look too blingy and fake for my liking. The bright hub covers and the ornaments in the center take care of the missing chrome on the side profile of the F-250. The infamous XL-sized wing mirrors are left untouched. However, this trim misses out on the telescopic mirrors. These mirrors can be extended outwards to help you view all the action happening at the back of the truck. Ford has coined them as Powerscope Mirrors and this can be very helpful if you have a trailer hitched to the rear. But they do house the turn indicator signals. Ford decided to give the chrome treatment on all essential parts, why did it leave out the wing mirrors and the door handles? These look out of place on the otherwise shiny truck.

The rear, too, looks the same as the standard F-250 Super Duty XL. The only add-on is the chrome rear step bumper. A Ford logo is slapped on the tailgate, and 'SUPER DUTY' is embossed on it. The exhaust pipe sticks out like a sore thumb. Perhaps, a better way to place this should have been part of the package. The flaw in the F-250 Super Duty is the simple tailgate. Ford is the market leader, but is still lagging behind when it comes to a functional tailgate. Ram has the MultiFunction tailgate, while GMC has the MultiPro tailgate. All Ford has is a Tailgate Step that is basically is a single step that can be deployed when you pull out the top edge of the tailgate when the tailgate is lowered. For a work truck trim like the XL, Ford should offer a tailgate like its rivals that will be useful on a daily basis.

Let me brief you about the rivals' tailgates to give you an idea as to how essential a tailgate with multiple functions is. Ram's Multifuction tailgate is basically two doors in the 60:40 ratio that swing open like normal doors. You can lower the entire tailgate or swing the doors depending on which suits your convenience. You can also slide the toolbox on the side of the truck that is operated with the push of a button. As for GMC's MultiPro tailgate, it comes with six modes and can work as a standing desk or can be folded down to create a step into the bed. It is basically two tailgates wherein a fold-out stopper can be deployed from the inner tailgate. It can be operated at a push of a button or the key fob. The MultiPro tailgate can support up to 375 pounds and has two buttons for operation and the inner gate release.

Interior

As I mentioned earlier, Ford is known to offer the most basic features on the base trim, and the STX package doesn't change much. The overall layout of the Ford F-250 STX is the same except for a few bits here and there. There is obviously no dearth of space anywhere in the cabin and the truck comes with fair bit of storage spaces. It is nowhere close to the Ram truck's cabin which comes with smart storage system that offers up to 12 storage spaces inside the cabin. This will be quite useful to carry construction equipment and other knick-knacks instead of littering the cabin with them. Also, Ford doesn't have a product-bible like Mopar that has storage solutions like carry bags, tote bags, and MOLLE bags for Jeep vehicles that can be fixed to the seats.

The biggest change here is the addition of the SYNC entertainment system. It also comes with AM/FM and MP3 player. The STX package on older models used to offer manual driver lumbar support, rear window defroster, and a privacy glass as well. But all of that has been given a miss in the 2019 models. Ford has also thrown in steering-mounted controls and cruise control of the F-250 STX package. Although the automaker did a good thing by not offering a touchscreen system on a work truck, I believe it should be offered as an option as it will have many takers.

Drivetrain

No mechanical changes have been made to the Ford F-250 STX. It is offered with two engine options - a standard 6.2-liter, V-8 mill that produces 385 horsepower and 430 pound-feet of twist, and an optional 6.7-liter, Power Stroke turbodiesel V-8 engine that churns out 450 ponies and 935 pound-feet of torque! If you have the moolah, the bigger engine will obviously be a lot more helpful for a work truck. When you have an engine that produces higher torque, it lets you have ample pulling power right from the word go. When you are lugging thousands of pounds on your ass, it makes things a lot more easier, especially on steep inclines. On paper, it may have not beaten Ram's four-digit mark, but 935 pound-feet is more than enough in real-world conditions.

The F-250 Super Duty STX will be offered in both, two-wheel drive, as well as all-wheel-drive setups. Both the drive configurations and engines are mated to a six-speed automatic gearbox. I'm waiting for the 10-speed automatic gearbox that is in the works. Ford is jointly developing it with General Motors and it will make hell of a difference, especially when married to the smaller engine. The F-250 Super Duty STX comes with the same towing and payload ratings as the standard XL trim. The truck can tow up to 35,000 pounds and comes with a payload capacity of 7,640 pounds. Seems sufficient, but both, Ram and Chevrolet have beaten it by a whisker. The former can tow up to 35,100 pounds, whereas the Chevy takes the cake by towing up to 35,500 pounds. As for the payload capacities, the Ram 2500 has a rating of 7,680, while the Chevy Silverado is rated at 7,466 pounds.

2020 Ford F-250 Super Duty STX drivetrain specifications

Pricing

The STX Package is available only on the XL trim and it is priced at $1,690. It is a steal deal when you compare to the Black Ops, or the RTR package available for the Ford trucks that are priced exorbitantly.

Competition

GMC Sierra HD

People talk about the Chevy Silverado when asked about the F-Series' rival; but what about the GMC Sierra? GMC has upped the ante and is now ready to play in the top league against the bully as well. The 2020 Sierra HD comes with a lot more chrome than the Ford F-250 STX. The grille on the face - rather, the face on the grille - has grabbed a lot of attention lately and has actually received positive reviews. The GMC Sierra has a lot going in its favor, like the best-in-class legroom, 15-camera setup, MultiPro Tailgate, etc.

Coming to the engine specs, the Sierra HD features a 6.6-liter, V-8 Duramax engine under the hood that produces 445 horses and 910 pound-feet of torque. Nope, even this truck doesn't beat the Ram HD's four-digit torque figure. But its unique selling proposition is the 10-speed automatic gearbox that is better than the Ford's, as well as the Ram's. GMC offers this heavy beast with a gasoline engine also for some reason. The fuel economy drops down drastically thanks to its weight, and that will consciously avoid you from flooring that A-pedal.

Read our full review on the 2020 GMC Sierra HD

Ram HD

Ram is the newest kid on the block, but its ancestors have been here for long. It is quite impeccable how Ram has managed to become a potential threat to Ford and Chevy, and in fact, even trumped the latter in terms of sales in 2018. The Ram HD comes with the biggest chrome mouth and will please the chrome-lovers out there. However, things are a little uninteresting on the inside when it comes to the equipment list. But mind you, we are talking about the base trims here and the rivals are no exception anyway. If you are looking for cabin and storage space, this truck will leave you impressed.

As for the powertrain, the Ram HD comes with a 6.4-liter, Hemi V-8 engine under the hood of the entry level trim. It churns out 410 ponies and 429 pound-feet of twist. unlike the F-250, there is no optional engine here. Only the higher trims come with a 6.7-liter, Cummins, turbodiesel engine that produces 400 ponies and a mammoth 1,000 pound-feet of torque. This engine is mated to a six-speed gearbox. Ram offers this bigger engine with slightly lower power output figures as well - 370 horses and 850 pound-feet of torque. Ram has reworked on the chassis and body that reduces that shaves off 143 pounds when compared to the preceding model. Customers can also opt for a rear air suspension that helps while loading and unloading cargo.

Read our full review on the 2019 Ram HD

Final Thoughts

Unless you are absolutely on a tight budget, I would suggest you to opt for the XLT trim - one above the XL. While the STX package is offered at a mouth-watering price, it makes more sense to go for the XLT trim. Stepping up in the variant hierarchy will fetch you a higher resale value when you plan to dispose the truck. When compared to the Ford F-250 STX package, the XLT trim is priced roughly $2,400 more. For this extra amount you may not get loads of features, but it opens up avenues for more optional accessories from the company. And, with the way these beasts are built, you may end up retaining them for more than decade. When you choose the XLT trim, you can plonk a navigation system, or a trailer tow system package, or a SYNC3 system in the future, which you cannot in the case of the F-250 STX.

All said and done, the STX package is worth every penny and if you want the aesthetics of your base trim F-250 to improve, you should go for it with your eyes closed. And, since it comes factory-fitted, you don't have to worry about warranty. It is still the same as the standard F-250 at 3 years/ 36,000 miles.

Further Reading

Read our full review on the 2020 Ford F-250 Black Ops by Tuscany.

Read our full review on the 2020 Ford F-350 Super Duty Lariat.

How Ford Crashed Chevy’s Heavy Duty Truck Party In Chicago

2020 F-Series Super Duty Promises To Offer Highest Towing And Payload Ratings

Read our full review on the 2017 Ford Super Duty.

Read our full review on the 2018 Ford F-150.