2012 Ford F150 with Ecoboost

by Albert Vandervelde

Ford has introduced an entirely new engine line up for the 2012 F-150 model line. Everything from the based 3.7L V6 to the “big block” 6.2L has been redesigned from the ground up. With 4 engine choices in the F150, the Ecoboost is the engine which is receiving the most attention. The 3.5L twin turbo engine uses a turbo mounted directly to the exhaust manifold on each side of the engine to give the truck a rating of 365HP and 420ft lbs of torque. The Ecoboost provided the Ford F-150 with an amazing 11500lbs of towing capacity. These are amazing numbers from a small engine. The Ecoboost engine can also be found in a wide array of Ford vehicles from the Flex to the Edge and a 2.0L Ecoboost is an option in those smaller vehicles.

When Ford redesigned the F-150 a few years back I became a fan of the interior and exterior styling but with that new styling still came the old power options under the hood. This new engine line up better suits the needs of today’s buyers but how would the Ecoboost perform under real world conditions? I’m a big fan of diesel technology; could this dual turbo gas powered engine replace small displacement diesel engines? Given the specifications from Ford, this has to be the target for this truck. During my week behind the wheel I ran the truck as a commuter but also dragged my 20 foot enclosed trailer to and from Vancouver. Empty it weights 3400lbs. I maybe had 400-600 lbs of gear inside so a typical light tow load – about 1/3 of the trucks rated capacity.

With no load behind the truck, the engine is quiet and feels very confident with little gear searching on hills from the transmission, this is where the big HP numbers come in. The interior is one of the best in its class and the seats are very comfortable. I was surprised to see that when I picked it up, the fuel economy reading said 17L/100K, almost double its posted highway rating. Not having any idea who or how it was driven before I picked the truck up, I reset the fuel consumption meter. I can say I was mildly disappointed in the fuel usage considering it was a regular highway drive home. I was averaging 14-15L/100K empty at highway speed (albeit in the mountains). But with Ford claiming 8.9L/100K highway you can see why I was disappointed.

Loaded, the truck easily handled the weight and size of my trailer. I did feel some tail wag despite all the electronics that should have taken care of that. I’m not talking sway exactly but it was more movement than I feel in my daily driver, the Duramax that I was on my way to pick up. What did shock me was the fuel consumption. After all you put a name like ECO on the side of your vehicle it should stand for something. With close to a full tank of fuel I felt I would not have an issue driving the distance from Kelowna to the lower mainland, roughly 350 kilometres, on one tank of gas (especially considering the large 136L tank). At the advertised fuel mileage, the truck should get around 1000 kilometres per tank. Well not even close… It was pretty apparent I had to stop and fill the truck in Merritt, dash results were 26.5L/100K. In plain speak that was 11.2MPG (Can-Gallon).

Ford claims 8.9L/100K (32MPG) highway and 12.7L/100K city(22.25MPG), our week of testing showed nowhere close to these numbers and when towing, open your wallet, this baby is going to inhale some fuel.

Can it tow 11,500lbs? I think it can. Can you afford to tow 11500lbs on a regular basis (or any trailer for that matter)? No. I’d say skip over the F-150 with Ecoboost and buy a diesel instead, you will be way ahead, the SuperDuty Fords are built better for the heavy loads and the power train will pay for itself down the road in resale value and fuel savings. Given that your average diesel engine life will be twice that of a gas engine, let alone one with twin turbos, that’s where you’ll find real savings.

www.ford.ca

Read the full story and photos in Volume 14 Issue 1