Ford F-150 V8 Gets Better Fuel Economy Than Mid-Size I-4 GMC Canyon in Real World Test

In a rather shocking highway fuel economy test, this V8-powered Ford F-150 Tremor was notably more efficient than a four-cylinder GMC pickup.

Physics can be a funny thing sometimes, even though its laws tend to be pretty predictable, for the most part. As an example, generally speaking, a V8-powered full-size pickup is going to return worse fuel economy than a smaller, mid-size, four-cylinder powered hauler, as we’ve seen time and time again. Heck, the whole reason automakers have largely ditched the V8 in favor of smaller displacement, forced induction powerplants is to slash emissions and meet rising fuel economy standards. However, in this recent real-world test, a Ford F-150 V8 proved that particular notion wrong.

This test was conducted by the folks at The Fast Lane Truck, who took their own Ford F-150 Tremor, equipped with the 5.0-liter Coyote V8, and pitted it against the GMC Canyon AT4X and its turbocharged 2.7-liter TurboMax engine – not in some sort of drag race, but rather, a cruse around Denver, Colorado, to see which was gets the best real-world fuel economy.

What makes this test even more interesting is that both pickups are EPA-rated to return 17 miles-per-gallon in combined city and highway driving, which is already enough to raise a few eyebrows. The Ford F-150 Tremor in this guise churns out 400 horsepower and 410 pound-feet of torque, paired with the 10-speed automatic transmission, while the Canyon AT4X’s I-4 makes 310 horsepower and 430 pound-feet, and it’s mated to an eight-speed automatic.

Both of these trucks utilize a number of upgraded suspension components and larger 33-inch all-terrain tires, so we could call that a wash, but the same can’t be said for weight – the Tremor in this case tips the scales at around 5,300 pounds, compared to just under 5,000 for the GMC. Regardless, after both tanks are topped off with some 87-octane fuel, they embark on a 111-mile loop around town – driving the speed limit – to see how efficient they really are.

Once that’s finished, the trip computers in both trucks reveal some pretty surprising results – the Ford F-150 returned 21.8 mpg on the loop, compared to 21.3 for the GMC. However, those readings aren’t always accurate, so our hosts proceed to see how much fuel each truck used, exactly, and then the actual mileage traveled to come up with true numbers. When those numbers are tabulated, the Ford F-150 Tremor managed 22.7 mpg compared to the Canyon’s 20.8 – nearly a two mpg difference.

It’s a shocking result, indeed, particular when we consider that the F-150 weighs more, is larger (and perhaps less aerodynamic), and has quite a lot more power, not to mention space, towing, and payload capacity. Thus, if size isn’t an issue, it just seems to make a heck of a lot more sense to go with the larger, naturally-aspirated, V8-powered pickup in this case.

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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.