Can the V6 be more powerful than the V8 with 5.0 horsepower?
Once upon a while, the largest engine-powered gas-powered pickup truck wasn’t the best. While turbo-diesels have been around for a while, Ford’s twin-turbo EcoBoost V6 is a newer addition to the petrol-pickup market. It promises more power and better fuel economy. Comparing engines on paper is one thing, but it’s another to run straight-line performance testing. Fast Lane Truck elevated the V6-versus–V8 debate to new heights with a towing comparison on a mountain road.
The 2019 Ford F-150 EcoBoost is in the red corner. In the gray corner, a 2019 F-150 with a 5.0-liter Coyote-V8 under the hood is located. It’s not an apples-to–apples comparison because the EcoBoost has four-wheel drive and a 3 to 55 rear axle ratio. The V8 turns only the rear wheels, giving it a weight advantage approximately 700 pounds. It also uses a higher 3:15 rear axle ratio.
The engines themselves are quite different. The 3.5-liter EcoBoost produces 375 horsepower (280kilowatts) while the EcoBoost produces 470 pound-feet (637 Newton meters) of torque. The 5.0-liter V8 produces a little more power at 395 horsepower (295kW), but has less torque at 400 lb/ft (542Nm). The 10-speed automatic transmission is available on both trucks.
The test is simple. The test involves a truck pulling a trailer weighing 8,900 pounds (in this instance, water tanks) along the same stretch. It reaches its highest point at 11,158 feet. Eight miles of road are characterized by a seven percent gradient. Trucks that travel up the hill will be evaluated for their ability to maintain the speed limit at 60 mph and how much fuel they use. The trucks are judged on their ability to maintain speed through engine braking while going down the mountain. Scores will drop if the driver hits the brakes more often.
The video will provide all the details. Here are some spoilers. Despite the fact that turbocharged engines perform better at higher altitudes, where the air is thinner, both trucks made it up without any problems. Both trucks required a lot of braking intervention to get back down. However, there was one clear winner. Both consumed a lot of gas, but the mileage winner might surprise you.