Tested - 2017 Ford F-150 3.5L V-6 EcoBoost 10-Speed

[kscarbel2]

Car & Driver  /  September 2016

Enter the term “2017 Ford F-150” into Google's search engine, and we bet that, by the time you type the second F, the search bar will autocomplete your query to “2017 Ford F-150 Raptor.” Well, if your internet history includes a heavy focus on cars, as ours does, it might. Even if the world’s biggest search engine seems to be eagerly anticipating that high-performance off-road truck as much as we are, there’s a little bit of Raptor to look forward to in the regular 2017 F-150, because the Raptor’s new 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V-6 and 10-speed automatic transmission are headed for the latter’s option sheet.

More Gears, Even More Power!

On a macro level, the ’17 F-150 is the same as the ’16 model, which means the new EcoBoost powertrain is the headline news for the nameplate. The new EcoBoost V-6 replaces the first-generation 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6, which has been optional throughout the F-150 lineup since 2011. With “only” 375 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque, the pedestrian-duty F-150’s EcoBoost represents the lower state of tune for this engine. We’re still waiting on final power figures for the Raptor, but it’s guaranteed to have far more than 400 horsepower. Everything’s relative, though, and even the regular-grade 3.5 is certifiably meaty, edging out its predecessor by 10 horsepower and 50 lb-ft of torque. Ford calls this EcoBoost “all new,” and indeed it carries over only the old engine’s bore center dimension, piston displacement, and cylinder liners. The block is new, the turbos are new, the cooling system (which features new flow paths and a higher-volume, higher-rate water pump) is new, and the fuel-delivery system now employs both direct and port injectors for improved emissions and more power.

The engine comes paired exclusively with a 10-speed automatic transmission co-developed with General Motors. The unit cleverly packs its six clutches and four planetary gearsets into a package barely larger and heavier than the six-speed it replaces, and its ratios and internals are shared with the General Motors version. The bellhousing is, of course, unique to Ford—no, you can’t bolt the Camaro ZL1’s 10-speed automatic to an EcoBoost, even though their inner bits are identical—as are the transmission software and shift strategy. The 10-speed’s ratio spread, at 7.4, is wider than the six-speed’s, but not by much. First gear is shorter than its six-speed equivalent, and 10th gear is slightly taller than the old automatic’s sixth. The arrangement promises quicker off-the-line acceleration and slightly lower engine revs at highway speeds. As before, the 3.5-liter EcoBoost is the de facto top-dog engine in the F-150 lineup, packing far more peak torque (an additional 83 lb-ft) than the 5.0-liter V-8. Like the V-8, the base 285-hp 3.5-liter V-6 and the mid-level 2.7-liter twin-turbocharged V-6 EcoBoost both go unchanged for 2017 and keep the six-speed automatic.

Perhaps More Eco, Definitely More Boost

We really liked the F-150’s previous combination of the 3.5-liter EcoBoost and the six-speed automatic. The powertrain provides plenty of thrust and is nicely polished, which was enough for us to give it a win in a recent two-truck comparison test with the V-8–powered F-150. That EcoBoost proved quicker than the V-8, more comfortable towing, and smoother in operation—but, crucially, it was more “boost” than “eco.” The other 3.5-liter EcoBoost F-150s we’ve tested failed to post appreciably better fuel-economy numbers than their eight-cylinder counterparts, despite higher EPA figures. Final EPA estimates for the new engine are forthcoming, but as before, they should be higher than the V-8 model’s. Ford can claim up and down that its EcoBoost offers the best of both worlds—fuel economy (eco!) and power (boost!)—but even with the efficiency-boosting measures applied to the new 3.5-liter EcoBoost, we predict the 10-speed automatic will do the heavy lifting when it comes to improving the truck’s EPA ratings.

Credit the 10-speed’s smaller steps between gear ratios, which help keep engine speeds low more of the time. Step onto the F-150’s gas pedal lightly, and you can easily accelerate at a normal rate (i.e., not holding up traffic) without the engine breaking 3000 rpm. This is key, because the six-speed’s wider gaps between gear ratios encouraged higher revs from the old EcoBoost to build speed, thus keeping its turbochargers “in the boost” more of the time. The 10-speed, on the other hand, makes it easier to avoid dipping too far into the throttle in normal driving, which should improve the EcoBoost’s real-world fuel economy.

Don’t underestimate extra power, though. As one Ford engineer put it, the additional 50 lb-ft of maximum torque is great for foot-to-the-floor drag racing or towing, but it also means there’s more off-peak torque at the lower engine speeds where many drivers spend most of their time. Should you want to poke a stick in the EcoBoost, though, the transmission is game to help provide maximum thrust. Floor the accelerator, and the transmission clicks off clean, firm shifts about 400 rpm shy of the indicated redline. We’re told that torque falls off precipitously between about 5300 rpm and the 5750-rpm fuel cutoff, so Ford programmed the transmission to short-shift and keep the engine on boil. As for the engine itself, it feels pretty much exactly like the outgoing 3.5-liter EcoBoost, with more punch.

You Can’t Have Too Many Gears

Clever software tuning keeps the transmission’s multitude of gears from feeling busy or shift crazed. In part-throttle acceleration, the computer skips gears, typically starting in first before jumping to third, then fifth, and then going quickly gear to gear (sixth, seventh, eighth, etc.) as the driver eases off the gas pedal upon reaching the desired road speed. The same thinking applies to downshifts, with the transmission taking greater leaps—say, from 10th to eighth to fifth to third to first—rather than shuffling through every gear as the vehicle slows to a stop. This alleviates the juddering sensation common in other mega-gear-plus transmissions that try to keep pace with the driver’s braking when downshifting sequentially through lower gears.

There are really only two scenarios during which the 10-speed will shift sequentially, and they couldn’t be more different. The first is during wide-open-throttle events, from a standstill to top speed, where the transmission winds out each gear all the way. The second is, essentially, the EPA’s fuel-economy test cycle. To replicate this kind of throttle input in the real world, you’d need to place an eggshell between your foot and the gas pedal—and then attempt to accelerate the F-150 without breaking that shell. We only explored the full-throttle method.

For the ever-critical towing aspect of trucking, the 10-speed doesn’t disappoint. We drove a 2017 F-150—with a big dual-axle trailer that Ford claimed amounted to 9900 pounds of ballast—back to back with a 2016 model with the same load. Although we can’t speak to the V-6’s power advantage over its predecessor, the 10-speed holds a clear edge. Its extra ratios afford more options when downshifting, such as when descending a steep grade, and the shifts are even rev matched in Tow/Haul mode for maximum smoothness. The six-speed, by comparison, is slower to shift and feels lumpier when selecting a lower gear; it can also be caught out trying to choose among gears.

The only wrinkle in the 10-speed’s suit is occasional part-throttle hesitation when shifting out of third gear, when it seemed like it was searching for the next gear but taking its time doing so. Ford says the transmission’s programming is nearly final, and that this issue is on the chopping block. We’ll have to wait for a full test to see how effective the combination of the new V-6 and the 10-speed is at quickening the F-150 and improving its fuel economy, but our first impressions are positive. The Raptor’s take on this powertrain will be hotter, for sure, but the everyday version will serve far more buyers as a $2095 option on the base, regular-cab 2017 F-150 XL (with the longer eight-foot bed)—and costing between $1300 and $2095 on more expensive trim levels; it is standard on the F-150 Limited. Already, the 2.7-liter and 3.5-liter EcoBoost engines power nearly 65 percent of all new F-150s, with the V-8 and the base non-turbo V-6 duking it out for the scraps. This new version—and its 10-speed automatic—should continue to tip the F-150’s sales mix in favor of EcoBoost.

Photo gallery - http://www.caranddriver.com/photo-gallery/2017-ford-f-150-3-5l-v-6-ecoboost-10-speed-first-drive-review