Gas or Diesel F-250: Choose the Engine for Your Ownership Plans

Know Which Gas and Diesel Engines You Are Comparing

The 2020 F-250 examples include a 6.2L gas V8 with a six-speed automatic, a 7.3L gas V8 with a ten-speed automatic and a 6.7L Power Stroke diesel with a ten-speed automatic. A listing that says gas has not identified the same engine in every truck.

The ratings below show that difference. They are Ford engine-output figures; they are not towing ratings.

Give the Numbers Their Proper Place

These 2020 figures show the output differences between the three engines. Use them to understand the choices, then check the towing configuration separately.

The diesel comparison below puts the verified 2020 and 2023 examples together. The regular 6.7L has the same listed output in these two years; the 2023 High Output version has higher figures. A listing described simply as 6.7L does not establish that it has the High Output engine.

Check the model year and exact engine version on each listing. These are engine-output ratings, not the towing or payload limits of an individual truck.

Think Beyond the Occasional Big Trip

If your ordinary driving takes you around Dubuque or Manchester, include those days in the engine decision alongside the trips when you tow. Consider how often you pull a trailer and the purchase price of the actual trucks. If the gas configuration meets your needs and you like driving it, that is a good reason to keep it in the search.

If the diesel is part of what you want from the truck, give that preference attention too. Spend time with the response, sound and controls on an ordinary drive; ask about the maintenance requirements of the particular engine rather than relying on generic ownership-cost claims.

Compare Engines Against the Work You Repeat

An HVAC, plumbing or electrical service truck making repeated stops has a different routine from a truck regularly moving equipment by trailer. Start with how you use it, then compare the exact engine and configuration. There is no need to choose diesel simply because the pickup is for work.

For landscaping, contracting or farming, distinguish a daily requirement from an occasional load. If more than one configuration meets those requirements, purchase price, engine maintenance and the drive can help you choose the truck you want to keep.

If you plan to plow during the winter, include that equipment in the search from the start. Ford’s 2023 Snow Plow Prep Package is an optional 4x4 package with snowplow-selected springs and different alternator equipment for gas and diesel engines; it is excluded with the Tremor Off-Road and Heavy-Service Front Suspension packages. Check the proposed plow against the exact truck and Ford’s applicable upfitter guidance. Prep equipment helps define the setup, but it does not mean a plow is included or that every plow fits.

Choose the Whole Truck

Keep engine preference alongside the cab, box, equipment, AutoCheck report and current condition. The engine that interests you should be in a truck you also like living with.

If towing is central to your choice, use our towing-and-payload guide to match the configuration. Our Internet Manager can help clarify the engine on a specific listing.

Questions Worth Asking