2020 Ford F-150: Consumer Reports Says You Won’t Miss a V8 Engine
The Ford F-150 is the best-selling truck in America. So, when the automaker significantly changed the 2020 model, many truck enthusiasts wondered why Ford abandoned the successful strategy of previous models.
Consumer Reports‘ review of the F-150 suggested that you won’t miss the V8 engine of yesterday. Let’s take a closer look at what else Consumer Reports had to say about the 2020 F-150.
What’s new for the Ford F-150 in 2020?
If you’re considering a new F-150, the 2020 models have a few significant changes. For starters, Ford announced an aluminum construction that reduces the pickup’s overall weight by almost 700 pounds.
Ford also brought a turbocharged V6 engine to the forefront as a flagship configuration option in addition to the traditional V8. Here are a few other upgrades you can expect to see:
- Ford introduced new appearance packages for select trims
- The 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot has migrated from being optional to standard.
- Ford added a standard driver assistance suite known as Co-Pilot 360. This package offers a family of rear- and forward-facing cameras for safety basics, making trailering easy.
Why did Ford make this change?
If the automaker found a recipe for success with the No. 1 truck in the industry, why did they opt for the engine changes? Some reviews suggest Ford has embraced strategies to create a more fuel-efficient model without compromising the proven performance.
Consumer Reports recently explained that Ford is taking a big risk by doing so. Car and Driver’s tests show the 375-hp V6 getting 19 MPG in their real-world fuel-economy review. This might be a win for Ford, considering the traditional V8 gets 16-17 MPG.
What Consumer Reports thinks about the 2020 Ford F-150 engine
When Ford launched the new availability of the Power Stroke turbo-diesel V6 for the F-150, many wondered how loyalists to the traditional V8 would feel.
According to Consumer Reports’ testing, the magical marriage of the 2.7L turbo V6 with a 10-speed automatic transmission won’t disappoint the fans. They say you can expect big power, even at low revs. Acceleration is snappy, and towing capability isn’t compromised at all. In fact, they believe you won’t miss the V8 and will love the higher V6 torque.
What other reviews have to say
Car and Driver‘s review of the 2020 F-150’s new engine states that the powerful twin-turbo V6 is the most robust configuration. With it, you can pull a whopping 13,200 pounds. Without the Trailer Tow package, you can pull up to 7,000 pounds on either V6 or V8.
Car and Driver also tested the Ford’s King Ranch (armed with the 375-hp V6) and suggest it may be the best in all categories against the biggest V8s in their survey. If you want a different configuration, you’re in luck. The F-150 will give you six available engine options.
If you’re thinking about buying America’s best-selling truck, it’s worth your time to test drive the new turbo V6 engine. You may agree with the reviews so far and opt for the lighter model Ford F-150 with a better fuel economy.
You won’t have to compromise in the power department and likely won’t miss the V8 at all. Although, as Consumer Reports points out, you may miss that traditional V8 rumble just a little.
