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2027 Kia Telluride ReviewFord F-350 King Ranch Dually: Six Wheels, Serious Luxury
The 2026 F-350 King Ranch DRW blends real work-truck capability with upscale cabin comfort, clever towing aids, and serious torque.
A Supersized Heavy-Duty Pickup
The King Ranch is a real place. Located in Texas, it dates to the 1800s and, covering some 825,000 acres, is bigger than the state of Rhode Island. This perspective is helpful when considering Ford’s F-350 in King Ranch duds with dual rear wheels. Otherwise known as a dually, this pickup truck is a behemoth. The example I spent a week with had the standard crew cab configuration and optional 8-foot bed.
Measuring 22 feet long and 8 feet wide, this is not a Ford Super Duty you own simply for the sake of driving a pickup. The F-350 King Ranch dually is a hardcore work vehicle that happens to be dressed for cowboy duty. Rich cowboys, that is. Though this trim line starts around $79,000, when you tack on two more rear wheels, a 5th wheel towing kit, fancy paint, and, um, a $13,000 PowerStroke engine, that sticker can crack $111,000.
Exterior Impressions
It’s hard to believe heavy-duty pickup trucks like this are not considered commercial vehicles, given their size. I’m 6 feet tall, and when I popped the hood on this F-350 dually, I could just barely grab the front edge of it fully raised, so roughly 8 feet up in the air. At its widest, there is an extra 24 inches versus a Mazda6. Stepping into the cab requires a 27-inch stretch. This being a King Ranch, however, you have power-deployable running boards for a helping hand. The telescoping tow mirrors and even the tailgate are power-operated.
Now, the multitude of assist steps – 7 total, including the integrated tailgate stairs – do require manual operation, but are critical for accessing the bed. For an extra 995 bucks, you can add Star White Metallic Tri-Coat paint, as with this example, and it looks sharp against the Marsh Gray lower half. Running W and King Ranch logos abound, making it clear you’re driving one of the most expensive pickup trucks in Ford’s lineup.
Big Interior with a Big Attitude
As you might imagine, a truck this big on the outside is cavernous inside. There is room for 5, and everyone is treated to the Kingsville Antique Affect leather – exclusive to the King Ranch – in two-tone brown that is buttery soft. High-end detailing abounds, from engraved metal inlays to real wood veneer trim and recessed, stitched Running W logos. Opting for the twin-panel moonroof (for an additional $1,500) means plenty of light inside, and Ford’s signature window dip up front delivers ample visibility.
Of course, sitting up this high, you can see (look down on) literally everything. For a family of 5, like ours, this is the ultimate cruiser thanks to nearly 44” of rear legroom, but arguably, it’s the Max Recline front seats that steal the show. Flip up the rear seat cushions, which is a boon for cargo hauling, and the fronts can fold back 180°. At the same time, the back half of the front seat cushion slowly rises a few inches to support your lower back while lying down, AND an adjustable upper seatback section cradles your shoulders and neck.
Heating, cooling, and massaging? Yes, of course. Cool as this is from a parlor trick perspective, it’s easy to imagine how nice the Max Recline seats would be for folks who use the F-350 as it was intended – hauling big, heavy loads over long distances.
Outstanding Trailer Tech
Ford’s usual array of infotainment technology is on hand in the F-350, but really, towing tech is the highlight here. When properly equipped, these trucks are rated for a whopping 38,000 pounds of trailering. You need a 5th wheel and dual rear wheels to do so, but tricks like Dynamic Hitch Assist come in handy for automatically lining up the truck with the trailer hookup. Onboard Scales are just like they sound, scales integrated into the pickup bed to measure payload in real time, with a readout on the cabin display letting you know where you’re at.
Once connected, Pro Trailer Backup Assist allows you to steer in reverse with a simple dashboard knob. Efforts were made to hook up the F-350 to a trailer carrying a vintage Triumph TR6 – which would have been the definition of light work – but alas, plans fell through. Suffice it to say, for anyone who requires all the towing capability, these particular Super Dutys are up to the task. Assuming, that is, that you spring for the beast of a powertrain this King Ranch was equipped with.
Behind the Wheel
You can buy a new Ford F-350 with the base engine, a naturally aspirated 7.3L V8 that makes 430 horsepower and 485 lb-ft of torque. But for serious pulling power, you’ll be wanting the optional PowerStroke engine, a 6.7L turbodiesel V8 that starts at 475 hp and 1,050 torques.
Still Not enough? May I suggest the High Output variant?
It’ll cost you $13,495, but with it, you will enjoy 500 horsepower and 1,200 lb-ft of torque at your beck and call. The speed is staggering with the truck unloaded, and the ride is bouncy. But this is not a truck for idly riding around town; it wants to be loaded to the gunwales, which would likely improve ride comfort. Speaking of around town, you might want to avoid it, at least old New England towns like the one I live in.
There just isn’t much room for error when you’ve got cars parked on the shoulder to your right and coming at you on the left. Factor in loosey-goosey steering and spongy brakes, and sweaty palms are guaranteed. There is a built-in engine brake that can be switched on or off, and that helps considerably with slowing this big boy down. But the F-350 dually is a truck that likes big open spaces.
Final Thoughts
Ford has built an absolutely spectacular pickup truck with the 2026 F-350 King Ranch dually. I have no need for such a rig and…I am in love with it. The term “presence” is often lavished on supercars of the exotic variety, but none hold a candle on that front to this pickup. It dominates the landscape. The engine is a monster. In King Ranch guise, it’s fit for an episode of Yellowstone. And it has 6 wheels! You can’t not like it.
So what about needing it? It’s an obvious question for such a singular machine.
Certainly, it’s a great vehicle for contractors. For those who regularly tow huge loads and fill up their truck bed with many thousands of pounds of stuff, the F-350 dually is nearly unmatched. As for the six-figure-plus King Ranch, it’s an impressive spec that conveys exclusivity, so why not? You could always go the used heavy-duty pickup route to trim that cost. Either way, it is a work truck first and foremost, but one that also manages to stun with its level of Western-themed luxury.
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