2011 Ford F-150: New, more efficient V6 and V8 engines

Competition in the full-sized truck arena continues to intensify, as Ford introduces four new engines for its best-selling F-150. The automaker boasts that these engines show a marked improvement over the engines they replace and even claim best-in-class fuel economy ratings from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (See our pickup truck buying advice and ratings.)

The new 3.7-liter V6 produces 302 horsepower and 278 ft.-lbs. of torque. It is paired with a six-speed automatic transmission that has a manual override feature. This powertrain is expected to deliver an EPA-rated 16 mpg city and 23 mpg highway in 4x2 configuration, aided by newly fitted electrically-assisted steering that replaces the hydraulic one across the line. This same engine yielded 24 mpg overall in our V6 Mustang.

For serious work duty, the 5.0-liter V8 (a version of the engine in the latest Mustang GT) generates 360 horsepower and 380 ft.-lbs. of torque, enabling a 10,000-pound tow capacity. This flex-fuel engine is expected to return an EPA-rated 15 mpg city and 21 mpg highway in 4x2 configuration. We expect 4WD versions will get 1-2 mpg worse.

For a balance of power and efficiency, there is also a 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 with 365 horsepower and 420 ft.-lbs. of torque. On sale in early 2011, the EcoBoost engine has a greater tow capacity at 11,300 pounds.

The monster motor in the line-up is the 6.2-liter V8 that is standard in the F-150 SVT Raptor off-road pickup. This engine produces 411 horsepower, though its EPA-rated fuel economy is a less impressive 12 mpg city and 17 mpg highway in a 4x2 truck.

The last Ford F-150 we tested was a 2009 CrewCab XLT 4x4 with a 320-horsepower, 5.4-liter V8. It recorded 10 mpg city and 19 mpg highway (14 mpg overall) in our tests.

We have seen significant improvements in the full-sized pickup trucks from Chevrolet, Dodge, and Ford recently, and all three domestic brands offer compelling choices. We look forward to putting Ford's latest claims to the test down the road.

—Jeff Bartlett