2026 Ford F-250 7.3 V8 Review: The Case for Gas Over Diesel

> True Motion Auto Verdict: 8/10 > The 7.3-liter "Godzilla" gas V8 is the smart-money engine in the Super Duty for a huge slice of buyers. It's thousands cheaper than the diesel, simpler, tougher, and plenty capable for most towing and hauling. Unless you tow heavy every day over long distances, gas is the rational choice — and this is the review that makes that case.

The question every Super Duty buyer should ask

Walk into a Ford dealer to order an F-250 and you'll face a fork in the road that costs thousands of dollars: the 7.3-liter gas V8, or the Power Stroke diesel?

The reflexive answer — "it's a heavy-duty truck, obviously get the diesel" — is wrong for a large share of buyers. The 7.3-liter "Godzilla" gas V8 makes a genuinely compelling case, and for many people it's the smarter buy. This review is about when gas beats diesel — because the honest answer surprises a lot of truck shoppers.

Meet "Godzilla"

Ford's 7.3-liter pushrod gas V8 earned its "Godzilla" nickname honestly. It's a big, simple, torquey, over-built naturally-aspirated V8 — old-school in the best way. No turbos, no complex emissions plumbing, no diesel-specific maintenance regime. Just a large-displacement gas engine making stout power and torque, built to work hard for a very long time.

In the F-250, it delivers robust output — strong horsepower and torque figures that handle the vast majority of towing and hauling tasks a Super Duty buyer actually performs. It's not as torque-monstrous as the diesel, but it's far more capable than most buyers will ever need.

The gas-vs-diesel maths

Here's the decision framed honestly, because it's genuinely a maths problem, not a machismo one.

The diesel's advantages:

• More torque — meaningfully more, especially low down, for the heaviest towing
• Better fuel economy under load — relevant if you tow long distances frequently
• Higher tow ratings — matters if you're regularly near the limit
• Engine braking — the exhaust brake is genuinely useful on long grades

The gas V8's advantages:

• Thousands cheaper upfront — the diesel option is a large premium (often $8,000–$10,000+)
• Simpler and cheaper to maintain — no DEF, no diesel particulate filter, no diesel-specific service costs
• Better in cold weather — no diesel cold-start complications
• More reliable/durable perception — fewer complex systems to fail
• Better for low-mileage/occasional use — diesels prefer regular long runs; gas doesn't care
• Cheaper fuel (usually) and no DEF top-ups

The break-even reality: the diesel's fuel savings take a lot of heavy-towing miles to recoup its large upfront premium plus higher maintenance. Unless you tow heavy loads over long distances frequently, you may never break even. For the buyer who tows occasionally, hauls moderate loads, or uses the truck for work that doesn't involve constant maximum-capacity towing, the gas V8 is the rational financial choice — and you pocket the diesel premium.

The numbers

Provisional/representative — confirm against Ford's current configurator:

| Spec | 2026 Ford F-250 (7.3L gas V8) | |---|---| | Engine | 7.3L naturally-aspirated "Godzilla" V8 | | Configuration | Pushrod, NA, gas | | vs Diesel | ~$8,000–$10,000+ cheaper upfront | | Maintenance | No DEF/DPF; simpler, cheaper servicing | | Best for | Occasional/moderate towing, work use, cold climates, value buyers | | Diesel better for | Frequent heavy long-distance towing |

Who each engine is really for

Get the 7.3 gas V8 if:

• You tow occasionally or moderately (boat, camper, trailer — but not daily at max capacity)
• You value lower upfront cost and simpler, cheaper maintenance
• You operate in cold climates or use the truck intermittently
• You want maximum durability with minimum complexity
• You'd rather pocket the ~$8k–$10k diesel premium

Get the Power Stroke diesel if:

• You tow heavy loads over long distances frequently (this is the real dividing line)
• You're regularly near max tow ratings
• Long-grade engine braking matters for your terrain
• You'll accumulate enough heavy-towing miles to recoup the premium

What it's like as a truck

Beyond the engine choice, the F-250 is a modern Super Duty — a vast, capable, comfortable heavy-duty pickup. Recent Super Duty generations offer genuinely pleasant cabins (especially in higher trims), strong tech, and the imposing capability the segment demands. With the 7.3 gas V8, it's a truck that does the heavy-duty job for most buyers without the diesel's cost and complexity.

The gas V8 has a character diesels lack, too — a big, willing, old-school V8 growl and a linear power delivery that some drivers simply prefer to the diesel's turbo-torque surge. It's a more pleasant engine to drive when unladen, which is how most trucks spend most of their time.

The honest caveats

Fuel economy is thirsty unladen. A big NA gas V8 in a heavy truck isn't economical when empty — if you rack up huge unladen highway miles, the diesel's efficiency (or a half-ton truck) may suit you better.

It won't match the diesel's peak capability. If you genuinely need maximum torque and tow ratings, the diesel is the tool. The gas V8 is "enough for most," not "the most."

Specs to confirm. Verify current power, torque, tow ratings and pricing on Ford's configurator, as these evolve by model year.

The bottom line

The 7.3-liter Godzilla gas V8 is the smart-money engine in the F-250 for a large majority of Super Duty buyers. It's thousands cheaper upfront, simpler and cheaper to maintain, tougher in the ways that matter, and plenty capable for the occasional-to-moderate towing most owners actually do. The diesel remains the right choice for those who tow heavy over long distances frequently — but that's a smaller group than truck-buying machismo suggests. For everyone else, gas beats diesel on rational grounds, and the 7.3 V8 makes that case convincingly. Do the towing maths honestly before you tick the expensive diesel box — you may find Godzilla is all the engine you need.

• The 7.3L "Godzilla" gas V8 is the smart-money F-250 engine for most buyers — thousands cheaper than the diesel and simpler to maintain
• The diesel wins on torque, loaded economy, tow ratings and engine braking — but its ~$8k–$10k premium takes heavy-towing miles to recoup
• Gas advantages: lower upfront cost, no DEF/DPF, better cold-weather and occasional-use behaviour, more durability perception
• The dividing line is simple: frequent heavy long-distance towing = diesel; anything less = the gas V8 is the rational choice
• A big, willing, old-school NA V8 that's also more pleasant to drive unladen — how most trucks spend most of their time

Key takeaways

• The 7.3L "Godzilla" gas V8 is the smart-money F-250 engine for most buyers — thousands cheaper than the diesel and simpler to maintain
• The diesel wins on torque, loaded economy, tow ratings and engine braking — but its ~$8k–$10k premium takes heavy-towing miles to recoup
• Gas advantages: lower upfront cost, no DEF/DPF, better cold-weather and occasional-use behaviour, more durability perception
• The dividing line is simple: frequent heavy long-distance towing = diesel; anything less = the gas V8 is the rational choice
• A big, willing, old-school NA V8 that's also more pleasant to drive unladen — how most trucks spend most of their time