How much engine does a pickup truck really need? The redesigned-for-2015 Ford F-150 takes this question to extremes, offering a puny-sounding 2.7-liter turbocharged EcoBoost V6 as one of its main engine choices. We bought and tested two F-150s, one with the 2.7-liter and one with Ford’s familiar 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6, to find out if there indeed is a replacement for displacement.
Working in tandem with the redesigned F-150’s 700-pound weight savings from its new aluminum body, the 2.7-liter posts class-leading fuel economy numbers in our testing. That wasn’t really a surprise here at our test track. What did shock us was that the 2.7-liter outsprinted the 3.5-liter EcoBoost from 0-60 mph. We discuss the reasons behind that, as well as the tradeoffs incurred from the smaller engine, in our latest podcast. (Read "2015 Ford F-150 EcoBoost engine shootout.")
In other news from the test track, our Tesla Model S P85D suffers a malfunctioning door handle. Its fancy retracting grip failed to automatically unveil itself, so we couldn’t open the driver’s door. Digging through Consumer Reports’ reliability data shows just how common Tesla door handle problems really are.
We then move onto questions. Some viewers remind us that there have been collaborations between car companies—unlike the Scion FR-S/Subaru BRZ—that actually proved reliable. We revisit the VW Golf R vs. GTI and discuss whether the R’s all-wheel-drive is really worth it. Another viewer objects to our opinion on the Acura ILX. We wrap up talking about two Mazda SUVs, the CX-5 and the oft-overlooked CX-9.
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—Tom Mutchler
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