In an effort to maintain its market position, the 2005 Ford F-250 is being offered with a multitude of improvements over the 2004 model. Among them is a more powerful standard 5.4-liter V8, which now features three valves per cylinder and is rated at 300 horsepower at 5,000 rpm and 365 lb.-ft. of torque at 3,750 rpm. That’s a gain of 40 horsepower and 15 lb.-ft. of torque over the old 5.4-liter V8. The optional 6.8-liter V10, also featuring the three-valve design, has an added 52 horsepower and 32 lb.-ft. of torque, for a total of 362 horsepower at 4,750 rpm and 457 lb.-ft. of torque at 3,250 rpm. Both of these engines are now available with an optional five-speed, TorqShift automatic transmission, which had previously been reserved for the 6.0-liter PowerStroke diesel engine. Unlike its gas-powered counterparts, the PowerStroke is largely unchanged for 2005, with the exception of an additional 10 lb.-ft. of torque, bringing the total to 570 lb.-ft. at only 2,000 rpm.

Important as they are, the 2005 Ford F-250’s more powerful engines may not be as significant as the truck’s newest optional feature, TowCommand. Billed as the first factory-installed trailer brake system, TowCommand requires the TorqShift five-speed automatic transmission and includes a center-mounted display that allows the driver to increase or decrease trailer brake pressure as necessary. TowCommand is similar to after-market systems that heavy-duty truck drivers have been using for years, but since it’s factory-installed, the Ford F-250’s dash remains free of bolted on hardware with extra wiring stuffed into hard-to-reach places.

That dashboard has been updated in the 2005 Ford F-250, complete with a new instrument panel and gauge cluster. On the outside, keen observers will notice the revised grille and headlights, with new bumpers, badges, and wheels filling out the list of design changes. Hidden from view is a beefier frame that features a fully boxed front section for improved torsional rigidity, while the rest of the 2005 F-250’s backbone is comprised of up to 17-percent thicker steel than was used in the 2004 model. Additional gussets have also been used to maximize frame strength. Connected to that new frame is a front suspension setup that now includes coil springs rather than the leaf springs used in previous F-250 models.

While that new front suspension is aimed at providing better steering feel, the Lariat Luxury package is all about interior comfort. In exchange for $475, buyers get automatic climate control, an automatic dimming interior rearview mirror, a trip computer, steering wheel mounted controls, and a woodgrain appliqué on instrument panel.