I just read an early review from a test drive on one of the new 2015 pre-production F150's 4x4 crew cab XLT with the 2.7L eco-boost and the reviewer's hand calculation of mileage was 16.5 MPG!!!!!

Yikes!

The truck was empty with one passenger. And ok it's not broken in and apparently the drive was relatively steep terrain but still very concerning...I mean how much can this figure improve? If this number stays true or even if a mile or two better this is a BIG problem!

 

It's a test drive (so the drivers are perpetually flogging the crap out of the truck, plus long idle time) on a brand new, not-broken-in truck. I wouldn't take those numbers as being indicative of real world service.

 

I don't understand why people are freaking out about the possible mileage of this engine. Settle down, it's a truck, and in most combinations, the 2015's will be better than the 2014's. What more do you want?

what I'm much more interested in is the release of the full towing guide for all the engine and axle combinations. Also excited to get a test drive. Fuel economy is waaaay down my list.

 

Not waaaay down MY list, and apparently not Ford's either since the billions invested in this entirely new approach (aluminum and all). Mileage is a primary concern for many buyers - run the numbers and fuel expenditure can be a real game changer. I am not saying its the be all and end all but capabilities in terms of towing, payload, durability, and performance (acceleration,etc.) are marginal differences when compared among the big three. But mileage is rising as a primary concern. I am not freaking out about this but if this number holds true - the 2.7L WILL BE waaaay down my list.

 

With the lighter body, I'm just hoping to do brunouts in the new 3.5 EB. Maybe my priorities are skewed . . .

 

Hehehehee, ye ain't right, ye ain't right. Hey, mileage, schmileage, they're gonna be fine. All I care about is highway mpg, and my '02 5.4 got ----- 20 on my last interstate trip! I usually don't even check it, but as long as I'm about 20 or so highway, I'm good. One day, I'll get a newer truck. Y'all boys take good care of them new ones for me!

 

From where I'm sitting looking in at this, mileage absolutely was the point of the 2.7L otherwise why else would it be in the F-150 in the first place.....

As the poster above mentioned, if it is a "test drive" chances are that truck did a lot of heavy pedal runs and sitting around in between......I'd wait until some formal magazine type tests put a few full tanks through it and then see what it gets in a real world situation.

Also, when the 3.5EB came out there were all sorts of wide variances with mpg experiences.....some were related to actual issues and some were related to heavy shoes....

 

This isn't going to be a 28-30 MPG truck like the Ram diesel. The best MPG's will come from a 4x2 rcab truck with the 3.15 gearset. MOST buyers just ain't buying that configuration anymore.

 

Gee, shocker. Ford couldn't break the laws of physics. Unless there is a drastic change to the aerodynamics of this truck, there's only so much improvement to be made in engine efficiency. It's still a flying brick.

 

People won't but companies will as a fleet vehicle. Dodge advertised the 2014 Ram 1500 4x2 with the 3.6L at 17mpg city and 25mpg highway with a EPA combined 20mpg. A twin turbo 2.7L in a lighter truck should be able to at least meet these numbers. Of course the Ram is mated with a ZF 8 speed automatic, while the F150 is rocking the old 6 speed automatic, but the O/D is roughly the same think both are .69:1.

Do we even have a link for this test?

 

The 2015 F-150 and the current Ram will have similar weights and the 10 speed is coming, for both GM and Ford as it's jointly developed.

 

The article I read quoting the 16.7 MPG mileage figure is :

2015 Ford F-150 SuperCrew XLT 4x4 2.7L EcoBoost First Drive

Or just go to the Truck Trend web page as it is currently one fo their feature articles. I think the 2.7L with the current drive train configuration will simply catch Ford up with the rest of the competition in terms of mileage - it does not surpass. That said the tow/haul and payload figures are significant especially for the 3.5L eco-boost - 12,000lbs towing - whoa! That places this half ton truck in the world of fifth wheel hauling almost without restriction as to the size of the 5th wheel you could tow.

Back to the mileage I think the choice for buyers is going to come to mileage v. capability - true work truck owners who have less concern about mileage will continue to opt for the Ford (with these numbers how can you not) and the weekend big box lumber store haulers looking for daily drivers will opt for another brand - Ram or possibly one of the mid-sizers the Canyon or the Colorado.

 

hmmmmm 2015 Ford F-150 2.7 EcoBoost Four-Door Crew Cab Is Capable Of 23.5 MPG

 

A 2014 AWD Explorer with 3.5 has EPA ratings of 17/23 with an average of 19 mpg. Why should anyone expect mileage better than this out of a pickup truck with a larger frontal area? Even in aluminum, the F150 will weigh more than the steel Explorer. There are laws of physics at play here. I remember the days when all full size pickups and vans got 12-15 mpg at best.

As is typical, I also assume that a lot of buyers will put on "leveling kits" to allow more air turbulence under the truck and increase frontal area, and add larger, heavier, tires with gnarly treads, etc. to make their trucks look cool at the expense of gas mileage.

If you are serious about gas mileage in a pickup, get a 2wd truck with a long gear, put on the narrowest low-rolling-resistance tires that have adequate weight capacity, and drive like Grandma. If you need the truck to carry loads or tow, a smaller engine can use more gas than a larger one.

They'll be good trucks, and I hope the 2.7 ends up being durable in the long haul. I like the idea of the graphited iron block instead of aluminum and its other design features. I am not sure how anxious I am for 10 speed transmissions--those are gonna cost a LOT of money to rebuild.

George

 

True, 10 spd tranny will cost more to rebuild. But as displacement decreases so does torque and power. The power band or sweet spot on these smaller engines require more gear ratios to keep them in their best operating rpm range for power and fuel economy. Everything will probably be more expensive to repair on the new F150. Think of how much more expensive the aluminum body will be to get repaired from a minor wreck. That will also be factored into insurance rates.