F150 2018 Truth Behind Engine & Powertrain Options 

Already have 100k on the 2.7 eco and Averaged 22.8mpg in 100k miles. Unbelievable. Problem free. Love it!

Meanwhile I’m still rocking my 90 F250 7.3 turbo diesel... almost 30 years old 881,000 miles and still hauls my 5th wheel no problem.. 🇺🇸

I never owed a ford until 2017. Always bought Chevy, but never again. Love my F150 with 3.5 eco.

Love my 3.3l. Its actually got balls you wouldnt know until you drove it

In my opinion, the 5.0L V-8 is the way to go. Naturally aspirated and still puts out 360H.P. That is what I have in my 2014. The Ecoboost engine spells trouble later in the life of the truck. A twin turbo on a V-6 will overwork the engine. And on top of that, people that don't know better will treat in like a race car. Being an auto tech for over thirty years, I had my day in the sun racing around town. The days of V-8's and carbs with 4 on the floor. Today I want dependability and simplicity. I believe the 5.0 L is the way to go.

I get 21 MPG with my 2015 5.0 (highway and 18 MPG mixed driving) and it hauls my 4 place enclosed snowmobile trailer (7,700 lbs) like a boss! I would recommend the 5.0 to anyone looking at the F-150 over any of those 6 cylinder junks

Great video bro. Good pace, good info, calm & collect. Cant ask for anything more.

Really good video. This channel is going to grow quickly.

God I hate auto start stop bull crap. All it is. Is unnecessary extra wear and tear.

No offense,but if your planning on pulling 8000lbs with a half ton pick-up very often,no engine or transmission combination will last very long! Those of us that pull 8000lbs on a regular basis knows that's not a load for any half ton pick up

Skip the 5.0? I'm sorry but I have to disagree there. The 5.0 should be the ONLY choice for anyone serious about having a truck that will be used for longterm towing and hauling. The simplicity and proven design give the 5.0 an almost guaranteed work life of 200,000 with proper maintenance. As others have mentioned, the dealership I used to work at had ecoboosts in for mid to serious engine work all the time - never once did I see a 5.0 or even the old 6.2 in for work. Also, you can thank the lack of turbos for the "sluggish" feel. Add a single turbo to the 5.0 and it would be running low 12s and possibly high 11s easily and vastly out-tow the ecoboost. Boosted, low displacement engines are not a long term solution in the full-size truck market and we have already begun to see the consequences of high boost take effect.

Thank you 🙏 for the info . I’m now subscribed , so keep them coming 👏 👍

4WD Magazine. To advise skipping the V8 is a bit short sighted. Few people tow 8,000lb's often, but if you do, Ford advises the V8 for frequent heavy towing. Also, if you plan on keeping your truck long term, the V8's lack of complex Twin Turbo's, intercoolers, as well as extra coolant plumbing for the Turbo's, will add up to a more reliable, lower maintenance engine, and with lower intake temperatures, and combustion pressures than a Turbo engine, the V8 will have better longevity. All that, and mileage very close to the Turbo's, this is the engine to choose. Yes, you give up the Turbo's quickness, but when your truck reaches 150,000 miles, you'll be thankful for that NA V8, still running strong.

These prices are rediculous! How did we get to 40k / 50k / - 60&70k is lunacy! $40,000 for a truck is assualt!

They have had some oil burning issues with the 2018 5 litres. WTH did they do to this engine in 2018? These engines were always a great engine.

This is a great review. Proud 2.7 owner

After asking mechanics in multiple FORD dealerships what their opinion of the best engine for a 150 was, 100% said 5.0 liter. I bought my new 150 with the 5.0 and could not be happier. It has tremendous acceleration, it is smooth, not overstressed, great mileage and I expect to get 250K miles from it. Boosting tiny engines to get big horsepower is what Indy cars do.....they last for a whole race...maybe.

I got the 3.3l 4x4. Don't pull 8000 lb. trailers and don't have a problem, if you know how to drive. Its got more horsepower than my '93 Trans Am had. Way better truck than my '05 f-150 2x. And about 700 lbs. lighter. Did I mention I paid 25 grand.

Very informative review, thanks for all the details.

Does stop start damage your engine? I’ve heard it can cause premature engine wear

"only an 8000lb trailer" dude it's a half ton 😂😂😂 also not a chance it's going to get 30mpg

Loving my 2019 3.5 EcoBoost

I like these new V6s and i have seen some of them with over 300.000 miles on them and still going, with minimal repairs-water pump, brakes etc. The milage is what sells them as they get great milage. Nice to see there coming out with a V6 diesel which will pull better and even get better mileage. Although (smile), if it was me, id of kept the inline 300ci six cylinder. When they had fuel injection on them in the 90s in the 4 wheel drive F150 they got over 20 MPG. Here is the part i like best about them, they are easy to work on, anybody with a set of tools can work on them. They were easy to change injectors,tune-up, do a valve job, even do a engine rebuild while the motor was still in the truck (if it didn't need to be bored out for bigger pistons). That is why "i think" they should of kept making them. This was a good video, thanks. Tom in Portland OR where it only rains from sep thru may.

Axle gear ratio can make a huge difference when pulling a trailer. Most v-8 Ford trucks come a 3.15, 3.31, 3.55 options. The 3.3 v-6 comes with 3.55 or 3.73 options. Ford also puts out what they consider to be the best all-around ratio in any give combination usually favoring fuel economy. The 3.55 Axle ratio for overall general use will give you decent fuel economy along with great towing capabilities. If you do a lot of highway driving, then a lower number (For example, 3.08=higher ratio) will produce better fuel economy. And, a higher number (e.g. 4.10=lower ratio) will work well for driving in stop-n-go traffic. Just depends what you use your truck for most of the time it's driven. I have a 98 Chevy Tahoe with the 5.7, 4 spd. od & 3.08 rear end, stock wheels and tires. It still gets 12-14 mpg. But it is pretty torquey. Turbos are always fun to drive. But the 5.0 does seem to have more potential for gains, with the right upgrades of course.

Failed to mention the issues occurring with the two ecoboost engines. There is carbon buildup and overheating transmission pumps that destroy the engines. The V8 is also not sluggish. Not sure where you got that.

Every comment says the same: 5.0 all the way. I have a '18 5.0 and love it! So happy I got it over the Ecoboost. Im putting in a Whipple, btw. :)

I pulled a 8.5' x 6.6' x 27' long v-nose trailer loaded to the gills with lots of auto parts , 2 complete 351w engines, 4 c6 transmissions, crates of tools plus 2 huge gun safes, engine stands, hoists, chains..at least 12,000 pounds plus 4 passengers all our luggage, never skipped a beat , never felt bogged down from Denver to Rapid city., with 6 speed tranny and 3.31 diff gears in my 5.0 2015 super crew f150 4x4 lariat fx4.

Great honest review Thanks

5.0 with factory installed tow package.355 posi,HD trans cooler,HD engine oil cooler plus several other goodies all designed to snatch and sling a trailer all day long

i'll rather have the 5.0, not looking forward to possibly replacing the turbo's later on down the road after the warranty runs out on the eco-boost

I hear the 3.5 ecoboost isn’t reliable mostly because of the turbos. Is the 3.5 v6 naturally aspirated more reliable? It’s standard on the 2017 XL

A Family/home property work truck, we have the 2019 F150 4x4, locker and the 3.3L and we love it! I average 23 mpg at 70 mph. I have no need to pull a 10,000 lb trailer but do haul lumber and it does great. The Week we bought our F150 I was standing outside the bay door of our local Ford dealership and I saw two vehicles without an engine and two 2.7L engines on engine stands... both new! NOBODY TALKS ABOUT HOW LONG THESE TURBOS ARE GOING TO LAST. They are still 4cyl and 6cyl engines and you treat them like a V8 and they will not last.

The 3.3 is really an ignored engine and that's a shame. Most people buying a new truck rarely tow and rarely haul anything more than some bags of mulch and a few pieces of lumber. I'm sure there are a ton of people like me that want a lower price point, full size truck with 4wd to get through bad snow storms and tow something maybe twice a year. The 3.3 would be perfect for a lot of people and they don't even realize it. The damn thing will still tow nearly 8,000 lbs. Plus it's naturally aspirated, so no turbos to service. I firmly believe that the 3.3 is the pick of the engine lineup.

At 390 for a turbo replacement I can't complain in the future if it needs replaced. A lot of assumptions that people are paid ford supporters or these engines are problematic. I've had my 2.7l for 2 years and use the auto stop start most of the time. No problems here. I've loaded mine with 1500 payload on steep hills and grade, pulls it like I never added the weight aside from some squat with the load. Ford's 2.7l is practically a hybrid of diesel and gas engines. The torque down low like diesels, the extra air is a performance boost over naturally aspirated engines at high altitudes where others lose power ratings substantially, and in general keeps high HP where diesels are lacking. The aluminum body is substantial in allowing for improved capability. I feel I'm driving a sports car but with visibility and power of a truck. Not to mention much improved braking with weight savings. Anyone with doubts needs to test drive one and if you want more power just put it into sport mode... All the owners on the f150 forum agree, sport mode is a blast. As other owners commented...its sure to make you smile. At 19mpg on my 15' loaded xlt 36 gallon supercrew I'm loving every bit of it. Sign me up for turbo engine and replacements every time should it come to that. Now just to see if aluminum will last longer in the rust belt.

No recent comments? I'm reading the 2018 5.0 I'd notorious oil burner and the Ecos are plagued with cam phasers problems. Plus the rattles from taking the cab off to work on the motors. Anyone hear anything bad about the 3.3?

What about this 3.5 V 6 with twin turbo a that out pull anything ? This looks like re hash of the 3 8 grand national with a turbo .

5.0 is the best F150 engine. By far the most reliable no extra plumbing or turbos. Easy to work on. Sounds great. Plenty of power. He said “only an 8,000lb trailer” it’s a half ton. It’s not a semi truck. I’d take my 5.0 with an intake and exhaust over any 6 cylinder with dual hair dryers. It’s a pickup truck.

5.0 v8 and disconnect the stop and go crap!

After 40,000 Mi of light-duty the 3.5 EcoBoost had to have the heads rebuilt. Ford technician says he doesn't understand why there's not a recall cause it happens so often.

Hi, I purchased a 2004 F150 new and still running good aft a few issues with plug coils & injectors. Presently getting 25.1 mpg Hwy & 17-18 mpg city. (5.4 cu) with 116000+ miles.. Why would I trade this vehicle?

I have a 2019 3.3L and I love it. Don’t tow with it and didn’t really buy it to pull.

Performance wise, the ecoboost engines are impressive. However, I cannot disregard the fact that a V8 NA will have less things that can go wrong. As one guy said, she has less plumbing to go bad! V8 is still king in my book!

My 2013 5.0 still gets 21 hwy and 15 to 16 city after 63000 miles and my friends new Ecoboost 3.5 2018 Raptor gets he says if he's lucky 15hwy and wouldn't show me his dashboard read out for the city because I was picking on him how bad is it owners?

What was the axle ratio of the 5.0L that you drove? It's not sluggish with the 3.73! The best you can get for towing in a Chevy is a 3.42, that sucks!

I just picked up a 2.7 liter EcoBoost, I cant believe how much power it has for such a small engine. I came on the lot wanting a 5.0 v8 but after driving the 2.7 I was hooked and wanted it instead. I definitely recommend the 2.7, it will shock you how quickly it accelerates.

I love that MPG rating... 18 City 20 Hwy 22 Combined 😂😂😂

I heard somewhere that the 2018 3.5L ecoboost engine has Direct & Port fuel injection at the same time...

when did ford start to combine the port with direct injection in the echo boosts? Before that they / all manufactures were having issues with carbon build up on the back of the intake valves????

Great Video, just picked up a 2018 F150 V6 2.7L Ecoboost and I absolutely love it. Its a fun drive during my regular commute and is capable for towing and offroad when needed. I traded in my '07 4.6L V8 F150 and am happy with the change to V6, your review on the 2.7 is incredibly accurate to my experience.

Long term tests should be taken into consideration, I just traded in a 2012 f150 3.5 ecoboost with 95000 miles because I needed a new timing chain at 78000 miles and then started having same symptoms at 93000, sputtering engine at 80000 miles from needing spark plugs, leak in cooling lines from turbo heat, speakers, backup camera not working. Went to a ram and love it. No more fords for me!

Great review

3.3 f150 has a better power to weight ratio than 1980s f150s had with the 4.9 i6 or the 5.0 v8 ? And those did all kinds of work back then?

I have the single cab regular bed 2016 F150 2.7 ecoboost and it's a great work truck.

Solid review, I thought you broke this down extremely well and spoke very clear. Maybe back the camera up a little bit on the next one.

Is it good or bad that my 99 f150 with the 5.4 2v tows 8,000lbs and isn't sluggish what so ever

You forgot to mention an important aspect of the two different Ecoboost engines. One has a much stronger, more durable engine block. The 2.7L EcoBoost V6 uses a compacted graphite iron (CGI) engine block, which is the same material used in the 6.7L Power Stroke diesel engine block. The 3.5L Ecoboost V6 uses an all aluminum engine block.

For Ford to only offer the diesel option in higher trims kinda defeats the purpose of offering a diesel in the first place since most contractors and construction fleets will likely only go with basic work trucks like the XL or XLT.

No mention of dealing with crud build up under the valves in the cylinder heads common with direct injected gas engines.

I’ve been a ford guy most of my life My last f-150 was a 2009. They’ve been slowly taking the power away from the F150 with each new model. My current truck is the F-250 with 6.7 power stroke and that thing is a beast. Given how much they’re asking for F150’s you’d be nuts not to jump up to the F-250 unless all your doing is city driving.

5:43 18mpg city, 20mpg hwy, and 22mpg combined. Is that extra ~3 mpg from the entrance ramp?

Always had f150 trucks and one f250 not a single problem out of any of them current truck is a 2011 5.0 V8 I've pulled all kinds of stuff with it never felt it was short on power and in the long term no turbos to heat up towing and b a possible problem later

Ford wants you to go to the repair shop sooner with those turbo engines. Sometimes the slower engine means spwer to the repair shop.

I have always been a Ford man, in 2016, I drove one, 5.0, column shifter, console shifter unavailable unless you bought a Sport Package, Same for black interior, only available in Sport, body color bumpers, all that I didn't want, so I drove and bought a 2016 Tundra, I'm pretty happy with it. Plenty of power, torque, very reliable. All that said, If Ford came out with an Ecoboost 5.0 I'd probably come back as quick as I could !

Is Ford still using the woefully inadequate oil pumps in the 150?

I’m about 5 months in on 5.0 ownership. The day to day in town driving’s FAR superior to the Ecoboost. My wife says the Ecoboost is jerky, at first I didn’t understand what she meant. Then we test drove the 5.0 and she said “see”! I’m sure the towing is better with the Ecoboost but I’m lucky to own a2016 6.7 F250 for that. Don’t usually chime in on this stuff but all the anti 5.0 chit chat is starting to get to me! The 5.0 is an amazing smooth, reasonably efficient, and powerful motor.........oh and it sounds AMAZING!!!

Have a 2.7 ecoboost and could not be happier with the lil rocket motor. Better than 21 mpg around town, where 90% of my driving is done. Never once have I even thought I'd like to have more power. I never would have guessed just 2.7 liters could do what they do in this truck, hope it's a great engine long term, just 7 thousand miles, and a smile every one of those miles.

I bet the same ones talkin sit about EB have never owned one. Because I can say from my experience, I had the first year 3.5 eco and when I sold it had over 350,000 miles on it. It had 30k when I purchased it. I drive daily all around the state for work and EVERY weekend I pull a tandem trailer boat Let me tell y’all, it’s as close to perfect as you can get. Now I own the new 2.7 eco and so far perfect

I don't tow, just lots of hauling in the bed with close to max payload. I've got the 2016 5.0, I'm really happy, a couple small issues but nothing to do major components. I'm glad I went 5.0, I have even been able to squeeze out 10 L per 100km on long road trips.

2.7 ecoboost is bad ass. I have a F-150 sport and I love mine.. Great fuel mileage if you keep your foot out of it.

While i do agree with what your saying here, especially about the engine choices, i wouldnt count out the the 5.0l completely. Yes, if you plan on towing heavier trailers alot the 3.5l is definitely the best towing engine, having much better torque in the lower rpm and in my experience runs an average of 1000rpm less towing than the 5.0l. And driving empty it is a much smoother driving engine as it doesnt shift as much to pick up speed because of the low end torque. The 5.0l seems that when to touch the pedal even slightly, its dropping gears and is excited to go, its like it wants to be driven hard and doesnt like being in the lower rpm range causing it to shift more. However the 5.0l gets pretty damn close to same mileage empty as the 3.5l, and if drive alittle heavy footed it does seem to do better mpg wise than the 3.5l when the truck is empty. But as far as the fun factor especially for those of us that love building engines and the way a n/a makes power the 5.0l is definitely where its at. There are so many routes and parts to build this engine anyway you want.

So are you saying the 3.5 has more power then the 5.0 coyote?

2018 with the auto start stop and I I disable the minute I start the truck! I see no reason for it other than to increase gas mileage and when is it increase the gas mileage? One or 2 mpg tops

hey not a bad review, broke down very well. I'm the old 6.9- 7.3 era all the way. lol

2013 F150 (46k miles) with a 3.5 ecoboost here. I will NEVER buy another ecoboost and maybe never buy a ford again. Between timing chain issues, carbon build up, sludge build up, torque converter problems, Ford's flat out refusal to honor warranty issues & being lied to but service reps, I have no faith in Ford's "quality".

Immediately saw the stock iMovie intro, read the comments. We're good here bud.

I had a 95 f-150 4 wheel drive with a 4.9 6 cylinder 5 speed manual, believe it or not I put over 400,000 miles on it with no work done on the engine. Had the clutch done twice and the transmission rebuilt once, loved that truck I could always rely on it.

V8 on my brothers 2008 f150 is still going strong no issues , if i ever get one it will be a v8

Good review but like any review, no one can test long term durability and reliability. I'm talking >12years with 300,000miles on the clock especially in northern climates. Logically, more parts and complexity means more things can fail.

I have a 06 f150 with 5.4 v8 200k miles and still running good. And it is payed for

I ownwd a '14 f150 stx sport crew cab with the 3.7 v6, and it was a great truck. I traded it because it would not tow the camper that I wanted to buy. If I had thought my wife and I would want to start camping I would have gotten the '14 with the 3.5eco instead. I then got a '15 f150 XLT crew cab with the 5.0 v8. I had a problem with the rear end shaking after a gear swap to a 3.73 ratio. Never could get the shake out of it. It would shake like a bad balanced tire at or above 80mph. I then read up on the next gen 3.5 ecoboost in the '17 F150. I traded for a '17 f150 STX sport with the max tow, 3.55 gear, 36gal fuel tank, rear factory tailgate step, and sync 3. The ecoboost has been great so far, and it also has the 10spd transmission. In town I average about 19mpg, and on the road with 4 adults and the bed full of luggage, and other stuff, I got 22.9 mpg. I averaged 70-80mph on the interstate. The 10 spd has been very good so far, I have had none of the issues other have had with it. My truck was built in May of '17 after some of the updates to the transmission. Shifts great and it does not "hunt" gears at all. I tend to drive it in sport mode most of the time as the truck is overall more responsive in that mode. I have the factory tail pipe remove , and a 3inch turndown at the rear axle. The resonator has been removed, and it sounds great, and I get good compliments about how good it sounds. You can only do so much with a V6. The power is great and the truck will really surprise you with how much power it has. I can say, having owned both that I do prefer the 3.5 EB over the 5.0. I'm not saying the 5.0 is bad, because it is a great engine for sure, but the low end torgue of the V6 is crazy.

Sorry, I don't like V6s in any pickup truck...I don't care how much boost they have...I'll stick with my Ram 1500 4X4 and the HEMI 5.7L engine...How long will a highly stressed small displacement V6 last without major issues ?

I'll stick with my 18 Tundra. They have been making the same powertrain for 10 years. People think that it's a bad thing I have the complete opposite view. I know it's been tested. New and improved doesn't always mean better. It is basically a fuel injected 350 engine with 4.30 gears. It'll easily last me 20 + years with general maintenance.

Just bought a super cab with the 5.0 three days ago and very happy with the 5.0. Started off wanting the 3.5 but after test driving both decided to go with the 5.0. The 3.5 had nice power BUT when I drove the 5.0 I could not notice a difference in power. I know the numbers say the 3.5 has a little more torque but I really couldn't feel it. What I did feel is the 5.0 has plenty of power and if you want more it would be much easier to add some after market bolt on's to beef it up far past the 3.5. Another thing I noticed is the 3.5 seemed to be working much harder to produce the power. It kinda feels like every time I pushed the peddle a little harder I was abusing the engine where as the 5.0 felt like it was built for it when you pushed harder on the peddle.

But, will ford make an f150 that will not have electrical problems? Did they fix the driveline issue. Did they fix the fuel injectors that go out at 60,000 miles?

I disagree with you on the 5.0

Were you people even around in the days of the low output V8s? You know, the crappy TBI engines? The emissions choked big blocks? Each and every engine available today, outperforms any reasonable comparisons to the "old days." With the obvious exception of simplicity, maintainability, and performance upgrades. You give me a headache.

Should of mentioned in the review that anyone buying a EB, a extended warranty is a MUST! If you lease you’re golden. Go with the 3.5

My 4.6L V8 triton motor has been awesome in my 02 expedition. Truck is going on 17 years old and still running like new. Mileage is kind of low for the age at 168k but still running strong and the rest of the truck is holding up great. I would go V8 all the way.

Auto Stop Start is the biggest scam in the history of automobiles. In real-world driving, it doesn't save any fuel unless you routinely allow your engine to idle for long periods (5 minutes+). Starting an engine generally uses more fuel than idling for less than 5 minutes. Auto Stop Start also puts more wear and tear on starters, alternators, and batteries. In general, it's a useless pain in the ass that you can't disable. (You can turn it off temporarily, but next time you start your vehicle, the system turns itself back on.) It's an unnecessary add-on that overrides what drivers want.

They still should have kept the 6.2 as a option

I have the 3.3 and I can only cruise main street, I tried hauling some 2x4s and no go.

Love the 2.7. Dont regret it one bit.

You know back in the day v8 engines weren't anymore powerful than this 3.3L V6 and everyone hauled their boats and campers just fine. Nowadays ppl feel their trucks are inadequate if they can't hammer down at 130kph up a hill and your words enforce this misguided thinking.

I want a new truck but dont want to pay more than 20 grand. Can Ford do that? Then I'll be impressed..

Wooooow! This was an excellent and informative, well put together video! I learned a lot.

I keep hearing rumors about v8 trucks that also run on 4 cylinders, (just like a Toyota sedan would do in order to save gas) is this true or not?

18 mpg city 20 mpg highway 22 mpg combined???? how?

when a half ton pickup is towing 8000 lbs it just might feel sluggish. but oh does that v8 ever feel capable. boost is cool but not in a $40,000 vehicle. i don’t want all that money to blow a head gasket

I'd like to see how the 5.0 v8 performs on a level playing field using the same 10 speed transmission and then put the smaller eco boost with the original transmission v8 that people say the v8 was sluggish. It would be an interesting mashup.