First Test: 2011 Ford F-150 Full Line

When this generation of of Ford's F-150 was introduced for the 2009 model year, it was impressive enough to winMotor Trend'sTruck of the Year honors. That was despite its one big downside: an aging lineup of engines, all three of which were V-8s. They included a two-valve, 248-horsepower, 294-pound-foot, 4.6-liter V-8; another 4.6-liter V-8 with three valves per cylinder that put out 292 horsepower and 320 pound-feet of torque; and a 5.4-liter V-8 offering 310 horsepower and 365 pound-feet. Making things worse, the two-valve was backed by a four-speed automatic, and fuel economy wasn't good enough. Many clues pointed to the same conclusion: It was time for new engines.

Fast forward two model years, and all three V-8s have been swept aside for two V-6s and two V-8s, all with variable valve timing. All but one (the 6.2) feature all-aluminum construction, and all are backed by the same six-speed automatic. Fuel economy has improved across the board, except for the 6.2. And in what seems a major contradiction, power has increased as well: Even the base V-6 has more horsepower than the three-valve 4.6-liter, falling only 8 shy of the 5.4.

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We wanted to know how these new engines perform, so we wrangled together four F-150s with four different attitudes: a 3.7-liter, V-6-powered regular cab STX, a 5.0-liter SuperCrew XLT, a 6.2-liter Harley-Davidson Edition SuperCrew, and a 3.5-liter EcoBoost SuperCrew Lariat. We took the quartet to the track in El Toro, California, on the road, and to the dyno at K&N Engineering to see how the F-150 fares with the new engines.

We also wanted to find out if the horsepower, torque, and fuel economy data match up with the manufacturer's numbers, and whether it makes sense to get a twin-turbo V-6 instead of a good old American V-8.

A couple notes about our test procedures: Unfortunately, we couldn't get all four trucks with exactly the same equipment. There are two different axle ratios, 3.55:1 and 3.73:1; two trucks are rear drive; and one has a shorter wheelbase. Associate editor Mike Febbo made the following observations: All graphs represent the trucks being tested in second gear. The high and low run were thrown out and one of the remaining runs was chosen as representative. We were surprised by how consistent the engines dyno'ed. Power and torque varied by only a few percent from pull to pull. It was determined that third-gear pulls would be significantly longer, and heat soak would be higher on the dyno than in real-world conditions with proper airflow.

All trucks began with at least three-quarters of a tank of 87-octane gasoline, the minimum requirement for all engines tested per Ford. A SuperFlow eddy current dyno was used for testing all trucks. (Eddy current dynos generally show lower numbers than inertia dynos.) Although it is possible to theoretically calculate crank horsepower numbers from wheel horsepower numbers, we're using the wheel horsepower numbers to measure the trucks against each other and not against factory claims.

3.5-liter EcoBoost Twin-Turbo Lariat SuperCrewThis is the first time in a long time a V-6 has been the engine at the top of a half-ton's lineup. The EcoBoost doesn't come standard on any F-150, but pricing is aggressive: The upgrade from the 5.0-liter can cost a mere $750, depending on trim level. For that money, you add only 5 horsepower (which peaks at a lower rpm). Big deal, right? The true benefit is with torque, where the gain is 40 pound-feet (420 versus the 5.0's 380), and peak torque is at 2500 rpm as opposed to the 5.0's 4250. The EcoBoost engine doesn't sound like a V-8, but it certainly pulls like one. The twin-turbo's power delivery is much smoother than expected, with no noticeable turbo lag, and much quieter.

At 17.2 mpg, our fuel economy was within the EPA estimates at 16 mpg city/22 highway, and best of the test.

When we set up this story, the idea was to see whether it makes more sense for buyers to get the twin-turbo V-6 or the 5.0-liter V-8. From the dyno and track results, the EcoBoost's performance data makes it a better rival for the 6.2. The EcoBoost F-150 was fastest of the test, reaching 60 mph in 6.2 seconds and finishing the quarter in 14.8 seconds at 95.0 mph. Things got a little more complicated at the dyno, where the guys at K&N said that this was the most finicky turbocharged vehicle they had ever tested. For dyno testing, the rear-wheel speed sensors had to be disconnected. The traction control would not allow operation with the front wheels stationary. But K&N completed four successful runs. Febbo explains: "In early testing, it was clear the EcoBoost would use a less aggressive timing map if a proper amount of cooldown was not given. These runs were thrown out as nonrepresentative."

The dyno showed 316 rear-wheel horsepower at a peak of 5000 rpm, with 347 pound-feet of torque at 4395. The torque peaked at a much higher rpm than predicted, but if you look at the curve at 3000 rpm, the torque there is very close to what Ford's numbers show when factoring in driveline losses. There, it makes 344 pound-feet of torque on this dyno. The runs showed that the turbos don't produce full boost until above 2000 rpm. Febbo tested this further at the track with a G-Tech performance meter, and got a real boost signal. However, the torque converter doesn't lock up until 2000 rpm.The results: The 5.0- and 6.2-liter V-8s showed an average of 22-percent driveline loss in power and torque. If that number were to be believed, you could estimate that the EcoBoost engine is actually making closer to 385 horsepower instead of the Ford-rated 365. These are best-guess theoretical numbers and should not be considered fact.

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6.2-liter V-8 Harley-Davidson Edition AWD

Why isn't the 6.2-liter V-8 considered the best in the line? It didn't perform as well at the track, though the scant difference is probably attributable to the weight and friction of its AWD system. It also achieved less impressive numbers at the dyno. Overall, it seems the EcoBoost has a lot more to offer as a daily driver. But the Harley-Davidson does truly shine: It is a big, raucous V-8 -- the last of the two-valves -- with a nasty grumble at idle and fantastic seat-of-the-pants feel. Its 6.4-second 0-60 time is nothing to sneeze at, and its braking is best of test -- it stopped in 117 feet from 60 mph, which can be attributed primarily to its 45-series Pirelli Scorpion Zero tires.

Anyone who likes Harley-Davidson motorcycles will love the attitude this truck has. Another way to make this truck even more special would be to add a supercharger. There's plenty of room under the hood for one.

It went through the quarter mile in 15 seconds flat at 94.6 mph, and the dyno runs showed 329 horses at 5745 rpm and 335 pound-feet at 4548 rpm. Peak horsepower is about 13 higher than that of the EcoBoost, but at a significantly higher rpm. Torque is 15 lower, also at a higher rpm. Its fuel economy on the road was 13.5 mpg combined, which is about what you would expect from the largest-displacement engine here.

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5.0-liter V-8 XLT Supercrew 4x4

The level of refinement in this engine is very good, and the benefits of variable valve timing and dual overhead cams pay off. Febbo writes, "This engine is constantly building power, and it loves to rev. It's so smooth, it doesn't feel like it's working hard. I love the sounds this thing makes. I hope Ford makes a performance exhaust for this engine. There's something about this truck in bright red and this engine note that always has me seeing the Mustang tie-in." This version of the Mustang's 5.0-liter has been detuned, with 360 horsepower and 380 pound-feet, as opposed to the Mustang GT's 412 and 390.

The Coyote-equipped F-150 goes from 0 to 60 in 6.9 seconds, and finishes the quarter mile in 15.3 seconds at 93.3 mph. That's slightly slower than the 6.2, but when you factor in the better as-tested fuel economy (15.5 mpg), only slight difference in performance, and $15,245 difference in base price, the 5.0-liter provides a lot of value for the money. This is a much better workaday hauler than the 4.6 or 5.4-liter V-8s that previously powered the F-150. Most half-ton buyers will be happy using this truck for towing and hauling, and it's a great daily driver, too. We have to presume that when towing, the EcoBoost will spend more time with the turbos at work, meaning more fuel consumption -- and in that environment, this V-8 may produce similar or better fuel economy with a trailer hooked up. The best dyno run showed 286 peak horsepower at 5770 rpm, and 287 pound-feet of torque at 4390 rpm.

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3.7-liter V-6 STX REGULAR CAB

This work truck's plain cabin has gray cloth seats and few goodies. The STX comes in at an as-tested price of $27,570. Says Febbo, "The little engine that does. This is the utilitarian of the group. It kind of disappears, but in a good way. You don't have to think about it. It never feels fast, but it doesn't feel particularly slow, either. If you aren't towing, or towing anything big, this might be the perfect engine. I think it would happily tow a small boat or two jet skis."

The lack of amenities and its shorter wheelbase turn into benefits at the track, where the truck's light weight--the only one here under 5000 pounds--gave the 3.7 the best possible chance to shine. Like the 5.0-liter Coyote engine, the 3.7 was detuned relative to its Mustang specification. Horsepower is 302 at 6500 rpm, torque 278 at 4000 rpm. It got from 0 to 60 in 7.4 seconds, and through the quarter mile at 89.4 mph in 15.7 seconds. Its best dyno run showed 232 horsepower at 6120 rpm, and 217 pound-feet of torque at 4240 rpm.

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There is no definitive winner here. All four engines in these four trucks show the breadth of the F-150 line: The 3.7 serves as a work truck base model, but it's far from a penalty to drive. The 5.0-liter V-8 is the volume engine, most similar to the 4.6- and 5.4-liters that were replaced, but is vastly better than both. The 6.2-liter gives you the sound and feel of a big V-8 -- it's the one for showing off. The EcoBoost has the potential for providing decent fuel economy, plus plenty of towing capacity -- just not necessarily at the same time. When it comes to fuel economy, those who tow frequently may prefer the V-8s, but for buyers who are looking for a daily driver and only occasionally tow, the the EcoBoost is, as Febbo aptly stated, "the game changer for trucks." If they can get enough people in them, they will have converts left and right.

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