GREEN | 7 out of 10
Expert Quotes:
Range from 12 mpg city, 17 highway with the 6.2-liter V-8 to 16/23 with the base V-6. Ratings not yet finalized
U.S. EPA
Most noteworthy here is the turbocharged 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6. Obviously, this is a desperate grab for improved corporate average fuel economy, as is the six-speed automatic
AutoWeek
the EcoBoost will eke out an extra few miles from each gallon of (regular grade) crude pumped into the tank, both when compared to its competitors from other automakers as well as Ford's own 6.2-liter V8
Autoblog
The 2011 Ford F-150 has improved fuel economy throughout its lineup, thanks to a new standard V-6, newly offered EcoBoost twin-turbo V-6, and a new V-8 that's both more powerful and more fuel-efficient.
The Dearborn automaker said that it found in a poll of F-150 owners that 70 percent wanted improved fuel economy, and it hopes to conquest more current owners of full-size trucks from the other brands with these higher-mpg offerings.
Ford claims that both the V-6 and V-8 provide best-in-class fuel economy, but the key phrase here is "in the respective segments." However, their claim might be disputed; the figure ties with the highway mileage of the 2011 Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid and 2011 GMC Sierra Hybrid—models that achieve 20 mpg city, 23 highway, for a better EPA combined figure than the F-150. To its defense, Ford assumes—probably correctly—that shoppers looking at the V-6 aren't going to consider the Hybrids; for the V-8, we're not as sure that's true.
With the new 5.0-liter 'Coyote' V-8, the F-150 comes with EPA ratings of 15 mpg city, 21 highway, and the EcoBoost V-6 is expected to do considerably better than that. With the 6.2-liter, it's 12/17.
Conclusion
While impressive for such a large vehicle capable of hauling and towing such heavy loads, much of the F-150 lineup sits at the low end of the fuel-economy scale for 2011.
