Ford Super Duty review: the tow rig Bahrain's boat and horse owners actually need
3.9/5MotorsSouq Editorial Team
The Super Duty is a specialist's truck, not a general-purpose one: buy it because you tow a boat, a horse float or heavy equipment on a regular basis, not because you want a bigger F-150. In that role it is close to unmatched in this market, and the size and thirst that make it a poor daily driver in Manama are the same numbers that let it do the job in one trip instead of two.
Pros
- 6.7L Power Stroke diesel has enormous low-rpm torque built for towing
- Fully boxed frame and heavy-duty axles built for real payload, not image
- 10-speed automatic and factory trailer aids make long tows manageable
- Ford's Bahrain dealer network stocks Super Duty parts and services the diesel
Cons
- Width and turning circle are a genuine liability in Manama's older parking structures
- Fuel and running costs are high if you are not actually using the payload or tow capacity
- Ride is stiff and truck-like unladen — this is a work vehicle first
- Cabin comfort and refinement trail well behind the F-150 it is based on
The Super Duty range sits a clear step above the F-150 that Bahrain already knows well: a fully boxed steel frame in place of the F-150's partially boxed unit, heavier-duty axles, and a payload and towing capacity built for trailers and equipment the smaller truck cannot legally or safely pull. It is sold here through Ford's regional distributor and, increasingly, brought in directly from North America by buyers who know exactly what they need it for.
The 6.7-litre Power Stroke turbo-diesel V8 is the engine that matters. It makes its torque low in the rev range, which is exactly where a loaded trailer needs it, and pairs with a 10-speed TorqShift automatic that keeps the engine in that band rather than hunting for gears. This is not a truck built to feel fast unladen; it is built to not notice the load behind it.
Towing and heat in Bahrain
A 45°C Bahraini summer is a real stress test for any diesel cooling system, and the Super Duty's oversized radiator and transmission cooler are sized with exactly that kind of duty cycle in mind — towing a boat down to the Bahrain Yacht Club car park at midday is the sort of thing this truck is engineered for, not something it merely tolerates. The causeway run to Saudi Arabia with a loaded trailer behind it is similarly uneventful, which is the whole point of buying one.
The trade-off shows up the moment you are not towing anything. The width and turning circle are a genuine liability in Manama's older multi-storey car parks and narrow side streets, and a Super Duty parked next to a family sedan makes the size difference obvious in a way the F-150 does not.
Running costs and service
Ford's dealer network in Bahrain services the Super Duty and the Power Stroke diesel, and diesel fuel is easy to find, but running costs are meaningfully higher than an F-150's if you are not actually using the payload and tow capacity you paid for. This is a truck that makes financial sense only when it is doing the job it was bought for.
Buy it if you tow real weight on a regular basis — a boat, livestock, construction equipment. If your idea of towing is an occasional jet ski, an F-150 will do it for less money and a great deal less daily inconvenience.