Ford Piles on the Tech, Squeezes More Mileage From the 2017 F-150

It’s not a revolution in fuel efficiency, but an evolution.

Ford added a healthy dose of new technology to the 2017 F-150’s 3.5-liter Ecoboost V6 powertrain, but the significance of the newfound efficiency depends on who you ask. To the folks at the Blue Oval, it’s a mileage boost worthy of celebration. To would-be buyers, it’s a minor perk, but tell me more about the torque.

We’ve already detailed the improvements made to the next-generation 3.5-liter Ecoboost. Producing 375 horsepower and 470 foot-pounds of torque, the revised mill makes many V8s envious. The added power comes by way of a dual direct and port fuel-injection system that sends fuel to both the intake port and cylinder, turbochargers with lighter turbine wheels and electrically activated wastegates.

Adding to the efficiency, Ford paired the engine with its new 10-speed automatic transmission, a unit co-developed by the automaker and General Motors.

What’s the payoff? A solitary mile per gallon. Ford rates rear-wheel-drive F-150 models equipped with the engine at 18 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway, or 21 mpg combined. That’s an increase of 1 mpg in all three categories.

Four-wheel-drive models return 17 city/23 hwy/20 combined, or an overall gain of 2 mpg.

Compared to the base V6 engines of its domestic competition, the rear-drive Ecoboost-powered F-150 matches the highway mileage of the 3.6-liter Ram 1500 (4×2 model), but beats its city mileage by 1 mpg. Ford matches the 4.3-liter Chevrolet Silverado 1500 4×2’s mileage in the city, but beats its highway figure by 1 mpg.

Modest gains if you’re only looking at displacement, not output. That Ford could wring any mileage improvement out of the engine while delivering a significant power boost is admirable.

Within its own stable, the new powertrain’s combined mileage beats the naturally aspirated 3.5-liter F-150 by 1 mpg, and falls 1 mpg short of the 2.7-liter Ecoboost’s combined figure.

[Image: Ford Motor Company]