The 2018 F-150 has more horsepower with the V8 & more torque with the 3.5L EcoBoost. But which is faster in a head-to-head drag race?
The two premium engine options for the 2018 Ford F-150 are the 5.0-liter V8 and the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6. The V8 offers more horsepower and greater payload capabilities while the 3.5L EcoBoost offers more torque and greater towing capabilities. But when all else is equal, which is quicker and offers better real-world performance?
To find out, the Kunes Country TV YouTube channel took two new F-150 pickups and raced them head-to-head.
The Competitors
This video features two 2018 Ford F-150 pickups with all of the same features and options – except for the engine. Both trucks are XLT models with the Chrome Appearance Package, four-wheel-drive and the 10-speed automatic transmission, so they have the same wheels and tires, the same interior features, etc.
The only difference between these 2018 F-150 pickups is the engine. The truck in the right lane (going away) is powered by the 3.5L EcoBoost V6 with 375 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque. The truck in the left lane has the 5.0L “Coyote” V8 with 395 horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque. In short, the V8 truck has 20 more horsepower, but 70 lb-ft less torque, while the EcoBoost engine weighs slightly more.
The Racing Action
In the first, both trucks are in 2WD and Sport Mode, but when the EcoBoost spins the tires a bit more coming out, the V8-powered F-150 gets an early lead that turns into a clear win on the top end.
These two new F-150 pickups make four head-to-head runs.
In the second race, both trucks remain in Sport Mode, but the drivers put the new F-150s in four-wheel-drive to get the best possible traction. This race is too close to call, with the trucks being perfectly aligned at the finish line.
The third and fourth races are run with the same settings and in each of those matchups, the EcoBoost-powered F-150 takes the win. In fact, in the last race, we can see daylight between the two trucks at the line, so the V6 pickup won by more than a length.
The bottom line here is that when both trucks get good traction, the 2018 F-150 with the 3.5L EcoBoost V6 will knock off a similar truck with the 5.0L V8.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
