There’s more than one reason Ford Super Duty trucks out-sell the heavy-duty pickups from Chevy and Dodge combined. But it boils down to the fact that the marketplace believes they’re just better trucks.

And Ford improved them in 2003, adding a new 6.0-liter diesel engine with more power and reduced emissions, while the standard 5.4-liter V8 gas engine has been refined for quieter and more efficient operation Although Ford Super Duty trucks don’t offer the chassis sophistication of the newer GM and Dodge offerings, the updated powertrains give them the edge.

Couple the powertrain changes with a nicer base interior, optional power sliding moon roof on Crew Cabs and a host of new option packages, both the F-250 and F-350 Super Duty models are seriously more people-friendly. Owning a slightly older, F-250 Lariat XL, 4X4 myself, I could tell the difference immediately.

Like just about all domestic pickups, it almost takes a computer to keep track of all the configurations available on the Super Duty line. The F-250 and F-350 are available in regular, extended (SuperCab) and Crew Cab configurations. The SuperCab features rear doors that are 25 inches wide and swing out a full 90 degrees. The Crew Cab comes with four full-sized doors, and is the most passenger-friendly,

Bed choices include short (6 3/4 feet) and long (8 feet). There are also a wide variety of wheelbase choices, although all Ford F-250 models come with single rear wheels. F-350 models are available with single rear wheels (SRW) or dual rear wheels (DRW). Four-wheel-disc brakes and ABS come standard on all Super Duty models.

All versions and configurations are available with two or four-wheel drive. The 4X4’s offer either manual-locking or shift-on-the-fly auto-locking hubs

In total, Ford offers 28 variations on the F-250 (3/4-ton), and 50 more on the F-350 (one-ton). Any one of them can pull anything from a small utility trailer to a serious 5th-wheel, or as in my case, a 7,000-pound boat. These are all the truck most non-commercial buyers will ever need.

Our test truck was a Ford Super Duty F-250 two-wheel drive, SuperCab, XLT Styleside, with the 142-inch wheelbase and the 6.0 Liter diesel coupled to a five-speed automatic.

The 3/4 ton Super Duty line basically competes with the Chevrolet Silverado 2500, GMC Sierra 2500.and Dodge Ram 2500. With the ability to tow up to 12,500 pounds (with the optional Class IV trailer package), the Super Duty F-250 offers the best towing capacity in this class.

There are three trim levels offered: standard XL, mid-level XLT, and luxurious Lariat. XL. The XL is pretty basic while the XLT is equipped more like a mid-priced passenger car, and luxurious Lariat comes with an overhead console, leather seats with six-way power, and aluminum wheels.

Base prices start at slightly over from $21,000 for a two-wheel drive XL regular cab. Our test model, which was equipped with the $895 XLT Sport Package, stickered at $37,950. The diesel alone was $5,085 of that with another $1,480 for the automatic.

XLT Sport Package includes chromed tubular step bars, an exclusive twill cloth 40/20/40 split-bench front seat, body-color exterior accents, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, rear sliding window, fog lamps and privacy glass. Options for this package include a $245 reverse proximity sensor, and a power driver’s seat. Exterior color choices have been expanded from just one, black, to include white, gray, blue, and red.

The King Ranch package features premium leather interior trim, and accents the exterior with body-color mirror housings and door handles, Arizona Beige wheel lip moldings, lighted running boards, premium aluminum wheels and a choice of three exterior colors: Estate Green, Chestnut and Oxford White.

Also new for 2003 is the $225, FX4 Off-Road Package which adds skid plates, Rancho shock absorbers, a steering damper and FX4 decals. The skid plates ($100) are also available as a stand-alone option.

Make no mistake, the Super Duty isn’t made to replace the family-sedan. Unlike the Ford F-150, the F-250 Super Duty sits on an entirely different platform. The Super Duty pickups are serious big rigs and look like it, with aggressively bull-nosed and menacing, square-jawed front ends, compared to the F-150, which has softer, rounded edge-styling.

The Super Duty’s low beltline adds a sense of openness and accessibility. A distinctive dip along the front door side glass improves the driver’s view of the exterior mirrors, a big help when towing a trailer. New telescoping trailer mirrors are also available that feature power adjustments, heated glass and integrated turn signals, and telescope manually. A locking tailgate is also standard.

Ford paid a lot of attention to interior comfort and convenience with features like a fold-down armrest, a floor console that can accommodate a laptop, and a removable hanging storage bin that can attach to the dash. Instrumentation is easy to read and controls are large and easy to reach and manipulate. Two large cupholders are provided as well as the standard cigar lighter and a second auxiliary power outlet.

Under the hood, the Super Duty’s standard overhead cam Triton powerplant is a 5.4-liter V8 rated at 260 horses. The 6.8-liter Triton V10 is rated 310.

The new 6.0-liter turbo-diesel is cleaner, more efficient, and actually more powerful than the former 7.3-liter diesel. Although smaller, it’s rated at 550 lbs.-ft. of torque at 2000 rpm and delivers 325 horses at 3300 rpm, compared with the 7.3-liter’s 275 hp at 2800.

A six-speed manual transmission is standard on all Ford Super Duty models. The new 6.0-liter diesel offers an all-new five-speed automatic as an option, which works well with it. The gasoline engines and the 7.3-liter diesel can be ordered with a four-speed automatic transmission ($1095).

Whines: Although handling is good, it’s not as good as the newer offerings from GM or Dodge. Ride quality is good for a heavy-duty truck, thanks to a forgiving suspension, but again, not nearly as smooth as the newer Dodge and GM trucks.

Bottom Line: Ford Super Duty trucks are very roomy, comfortable and civilized for a big rig. The new 6.0-liter diesel, which is getting rave reviews, and the revised gas powerplants, make Ford’s heavy-duty pickups even more capable than previous models. And although Ford Super Duty trucks look good, their real beauty lies in their ability to do any job at hand.