Photo: Ford
The twelfth generation of the F-150 is when Ford started focusing on fuel-efficient powertrains for the half-ton pickup truck. The first step in this regard was the introduction of the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6, the first incarnation with 365 ponies on deck.
Fast-forward to the fourteenth generation for the 2021 model year, and the twin-turbo six delivers up to 400 horsepower and 500 pound-feet of torque. Efficiency hasn’t been forgotten either, and this brings us to the PowerBoost V6 hybrid that returns 26 miles per gallon (9 liters per 100 kilometers) on the EPA’s combined driving cycle.
These options – along with the 2.7-liter EcoBoost that you can also get in the all-new Bronco – account for “almost 60 percent of our lineup.” Those are the words of F-150 chief engineer Craig Schmatz, who believes that the Coyote still has a place in the options list. He also said that V8 loyalists are what convinced Ford to add “cylinder deactivation and variable displacement” to keep this powerplant relevant.
What Craig fails to mention is what dealer technicians prefer to work on. Not that long ago, Town and Country TV found out that 10 out of 15 dealership employees would go with the Coyote while the remaining five prefer the 2.7- and 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 engines. So why did the V8 win, you may be wondering? Well, their most telling arguments are easy maintenance and the far more pleasant sound it makes.
Turbocharging puts a strain on a downsized engine whereas natural aspiration is the more reliable choice thanks to larger displacement. However, the difference in displacement and induction technology puts the EcoBoost at a clear advantage in terms of efficiency. More to the point, the four-wheel-drive F-150 with the 2.7 returns 21 miles per gallon on the combined cycle while the 5.0 downgrades to 19 MPG.
That 2-mile-per-gallon difference multiplied by 100,000 miles is what makes a fleet operator choose the turbo engine over the good ol’ V8 even now when gas prices are relatively low and stable. There’s also the matter of pricing, namely a difference of $800 between the smallest EcoBoost available and the 5.0-liter Coyote. If a company is planning to purchase 100 examples of the F-150 for its employees, that’s a whopping $80,000 the business owner would invest in something more important.
On an ending note, don't worry because the V8 isn't going anywhere anytime soon. When asked about the future of the Coyote in the F-150, Schmatz told Muscle Cars & Trucks that "we're always able to get a little bit more out of it."
These options – along with the 2.7-liter EcoBoost that you can also get in the all-new Bronco – account for “almost 60 percent of our lineup.” Those are the words of F-150 chief engineer Craig Schmatz, who believes that the Coyote still has a place in the options list. He also said that V8 loyalists are what convinced Ford to add “cylinder deactivation and variable displacement” to keep this powerplant relevant.
What Craig fails to mention is what dealer technicians prefer to work on. Not that long ago, Town and Country TV found out that 10 out of 15 dealership employees would go with the Coyote while the remaining five prefer the 2.7- and 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 engines. So why did the V8 win, you may be wondering? Well, their most telling arguments are easy maintenance and the far more pleasant sound it makes.
Turbocharging puts a strain on a downsized engine whereas natural aspiration is the more reliable choice thanks to larger displacement. However, the difference in displacement and induction technology puts the EcoBoost at a clear advantage in terms of efficiency. More to the point, the four-wheel-drive F-150 with the 2.7 returns 21 miles per gallon on the combined cycle while the 5.0 downgrades to 19 MPG.
That 2-mile-per-gallon difference multiplied by 100,000 miles is what makes a fleet operator choose the turbo engine over the good ol’ V8 even now when gas prices are relatively low and stable. There’s also the matter of pricing, namely a difference of $800 between the smallest EcoBoost available and the 5.0-liter Coyote. If a company is planning to purchase 100 examples of the F-150 for its employees, that’s a whopping $80,000 the business owner would invest in something more important.
On an ending note, don't worry because the V8 isn't going anywhere anytime soon. When asked about the future of the Coyote in the F-150, Schmatz told Muscle Cars & Trucks that "we're always able to get a little bit more out of it."
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