DRIVING IMPRESSIONS
TOM BERG
EQUIPMENT EDITOR
Easy entry and exit, solid handling, good power and pickup-like comfort mark Ford's new F650s and F750s, shown off to reporters at Ford's Romeo, Mich., proving ground north of Detroit.
Ford's cabs sit low on the frame, easing the climb for the typical medium-truck driver, who's in and out of the cab many times a day. Inside, one feels like he's in an F250 or 350, with the dash, most instruments and controls, and trim packages taken right out of the light-duty models.
Roof height is low, which is OK with low-slung bench seats. Through the windshield, the hood slopes steeply downward and you can't see the corners. But you quickly learn where they are, and the area in front of and to the sides is readily visible. Tight wheel cuts also aid maneuverability.
I spent most of my time in a pair of F750s, one with a dump box and the other toting a heavy utility body. The short-wheelbase dumper had a natty interior and an Allison MD automatic, so it was almost like driving a pickup. The longer utility/service vehicle was more of a truck, with a Spartan interior and a Fuller six-speed manual.
Both trucks had Caterpillar 3126E diesels — the single most popular engine in the outgoing F mediums, according to marketers. Moderate loads in the trucks couldn't keep the Cats from propelling us smartly away from dead stops and up sometimes steep hills. Under way, the trucks have a solid feel but a steady ride.
The cabs felt exceptionally tight and the silence was impressive. These are tributes to the efforts of engineers and designers, corporate willingness to spend money on development, as well as Mexico's assembly quality.
These may be lower-priced work trucks, but owners should do well and most drivers should feel coddled.
Return to main story
