Don't wait for the EPA's lab results, we've got real-world fuel economy figures from the 2015 Ford F-150 with its new 2.7 EcoBoost engine. Here's how we did driving like a granny, driving like a maniac, and everything in between.
Ford puts this engine's output at 325 horsepower and 375 lb-ft of torque.
XLT SuperCrew (full four-door crew cab) 2WD with road tires. No cargo, four people onboard.
Test 1: Doing my darnedest to squeeze every drop out of the tank: 23.5 MPG over about 50 miles of 70% rolling hill highways, 30% windy dirt roads.
Test 2: Same truck as above, Doug DeMuro driving at a normal pace: 18.1 MPG over about 40 miles of 100% windy backroads (mostly paved).
Lariat SuperCrew 4WD with the FX4 Off-Road package, driven in 2WD only on all-terrain tires. No cargo, four people onboard.
Test 1: 16.6 MPG over 75 miles mixed between backroads and rolling hill highways. A few blats at full throttle.
Test 2: 16.9 MPG with Doug driving 47.5 miles of the same kind of terrain.
Based on what I saw today, I reckon 18 MPG will be doable in true mixed driving even in a 4WD truck. Driving carefully, even 20 shouldn't be much of a problem as long as you can stay clear of stopped traffic. But get your boot into it, use a lot of four-wheel drive, or start hauling luggage, and I imagine you're going to start dipping into the mid-teens.
How's this compare to your expectations, or what you've seen in other trucks?
Images: Andrew P. Collins