Owners are passionate about their trucks, and they’ll defend how much better their’s is than the competition until the very end. However, it first has to earn a person’s respect. Unfortunately, the 2021 Ford F-250 might not have a huge fan base when all is said and done.

The Super Duty has a reputation for reliability, but it is really up to handling the toughest tasks? It’s easy to see the appeal of the new F-250. It has other-worldly power, and buyers have the choice between a gas or diesel engine. But as alluring as the Super Duty is, it might not be all it’s cracked up to be.

Those in the market for a heavy-duty truck may be ready to get behind the wheel of the 2021 Ford F-250, but should you? That depends on who you ask, as some critics and consumers don’t think it’s entirely up to par. Let’s analyze what the experts have to say to help you make a more informed decision before purchasing an F-250.

The 2021 Ford F-250 didn’t impress in the road test

It’s easy to be swayed by impressive figures when shopping for a truck. However, a truck’s value comes down to how well it can perform. Many shoppers turn to industry experts to evaluate just how well a vehicle performs in real-life situations. Consumer Reports got behind the wheel of the 2021 Ford F-250 and detailed some problematic issues in its review of the model.

Let it be known that Consumer Reports didn’t give any full-size truck a genuinely outstanding score for the 2021 model year. However, that doesn’t mean there isn’t valuable information to take from its assessment.

While the publication didn’t list the F-250 at the tail-end of its rankings, it did give the truck an abysmal score in the road test. The 2021 Ford F-250’s 53/100 road test rating is the lowest of all full-size trucks currently listed by Consumer Reports at the time of this writing. Notably, the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 have worse overall vehicle scores.

Down to brass tacks: Here’s why the Super Duty failed to meet expectations

We all know heavy-duty trucks are built to take on grueling conditions. But these vehicles still need to deliver passable driving dynamics. Unfortunately, the 2021 Ford F-250 didn’t impress in some significant categories.

Consumer Reports tested a Ford F-250 Lariat Crew Cab outfitted with the available Power Stroke turbo-diesel V8 engine. This heavy-duty truck isn’t expected to be remarkably agile or a smooth ride. However, the publication pointed out just how difficult it is to pilot a 2021 Ford F-250.

Consumer Reports’ review stated, “This is probably among the clumsiest handling vehicles we’ve ever tested. The F-250 practically takes a village to make it turn.”

Clunky handling may come into play more often than you’d think. Drivers will have to deal with this shortcoming when navigating crowded work sites, small parking lots, and busy city streets.

Meanwhile, Consumer Reports also criticized the truck’s braking capability, blind spots, and lack of standard USB ports and Bluetooth phone connectivity.

Why does a road test score matter?

Industry experts take time to painstakingly analyze every aspect of a vehicle while they’re behind the wheel of it. These road test scores help you visualize what it’ll be like to drive the model on a day-to-day basis.

You won’t likely be buying the 2021 Ford F-250 as a daily driver, but it’s still important to note its shortcomings. If you can live with these drawbacks, then you might still be able to fall in love with this truck. After all, it does boast incredible towing capability. However, terrible handling, long braking distances, and other annoyances might be enough to make some shoppers pass on Ford’s latest Super Duty.