Acceleration and Towing Showdown: 2016 vs. 2017 EcoBoost

You don’t exactly have to be a genius to figure out that the second-generation 2017 EcoBoost is going to produce a faster 0-60 time than the first gen. After all, the new mill produces 10 more horsepower and a whopping 50 lb-ft of torque more than the outgoing version. Plus, the new 10-speed automatic transmission is promised to offer superior low-end and peak performance.

So the real question is, just how much faster is the new EcoBoost? Particularly, how has towing acceleration improved? The answers are somewhat surprising. The new truck, with all that extra power and extra gears, managed an unloaded 0-60 time of 6.85 seconds. An identical 2016 model ran right with it, pulling off a time of 6.91 seconds.

That mediocre improvement is pretty disappointing, but the real benefits of the new engine and transmission combo can be seen in the towing acceleration test.  Once again with identical trucks and trailers, this time going up a 7% grade, the 2017 finished a full truck and trailer length ahead of the 2016.

There’s more good news. Feedback on the transmission indicates that it shifts smoothly and acceleration is steady with no jerkiness. Many have expressed concern that the new 10-speed transmission would be constantly searching for the right gear, but those fears appear to be unwarranted.

Still, it would have been nice to see a bigger spread between the Gen 1 and Gen 2 in terms of raw acceleration. It’s pretty surprising that there isn’t at least a half second difference in straight up 0-60 times with that much extra torque and shorter gearing in 1st and 2nd.

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Brett Foote

Brett Foote has been covering the automotive industry for over five years and is a longtime contributor to Internet Brands’ Auto Group sites, including Chevrolet Forum, Rennlist, and Ford Truck Enthusiasts, among other popular sites.

He has been an automotive enthusiast since the day he came into this world and rode home from the hospital in a first-gen Mustang, and he's been wrenching on them nearly as long.

In addition to his expertise writing about cars, trucks, motorcycles, and every other type of automobile, Brett had spent several years running parts for local auto dealerships.

You can follow along with his builds and various automotive shenanigans on Instagram: @bfoote.