Ford F-150 MPG Towing Test Pits Coyote V8 Against EcoBoost V6

When Ford introduced its EcoBoost V6, it was billed as having the performance of a V8 with the fuel economy of a V6. Since then, Ford has introduced a range of EcoBoost engines but that best-of-both-worlds ideology remains. Thing is, there are so many variables that contribute to a vehicle’s fuel economy – gear ratios, weight, and weather conditions to name a few – that a manufacturer’s published fuel mileage rating can vary considerably. Hence why it’s just an estimate.

Keep On Truckin:

Enter the guys from The Fast Lane Truck on YouTube. We’ve watched them conduct numerous towing and mileage tests, but this one will be of particular interest to Ford F-150 fans. It pits the 5.0-liter Coyote V8 against the 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 in an apples-to-apples comparison to determine if the economy claims hold up while towing a trailer. In the spirit of transparency, we should say this is nearly an apples-to-apples test – the V6 truck is an XLT with a shorter 3.55 rear axle ratio, while the V8 is an XLT Lariat running 3.31 gears. The Lariat is also packing some extra options that might affect weight ever-so-slightly, but otherwise, both pickups are identical, right down to the color. That includes the four-wheel-drive system and 10-speed automatic transmission.

Gallery: Ford F-150 Coyote Vs EcoBoost Towing

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It should also be noted that this 66-mile test loop is on the eastern Colorado plains, roughly a mile above sea level. Such altitude favors the boosted V6, though with the V8’s gear ratio favoring efficiency, the proverbial scales are relatively balanced. The rest is cut-and-dry, with each truck towing the same trailer loaded with 7,000 pounds of ballast while maintaining 70 mph.

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How does the test turn out? Ordinarily, we’d direct you to the video but with the EcoBoost-versus-Coyote debate being such a hot one, we’ll spare you the dramatics and cut right to the chase because the result is rather surprising. The V8 actually beat the EcoBoost by over a full mpg, achieving a calculated average of 9.8 versus 8.7 for the smaller, twin-turbo engine. When empty, the V8-powered F-150 is rated at 22 mpg highway compared to 24 mpg for 2.7-liter EcoBoost model.

This doesn’t mean the estimated mileage ratings are wrong, but in real-world situations that call for heavy-duty towing, perhaps the EcoBoost isn’t quite as eco-friendly as its name suggests.

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