The 2016 Ford F-150 offers a range of engine options from the practical to the overpowered, so whether you need your pickup to serve as an everyday commuter or a dedicated work truck, there’s a motor that suits your needs.
Key Points
- Of the five engine options in the 2016 Ford F-150, the entry-level 2.7L is your best choice if you want your pickup to serve as a daily driver, while the 3.5L EcoBoost is your best bet for a dedicated work truck.
- The 5.0L V8 feels and sounds awesome under the hood, but its incredible output is compromised by the 12,200-pound towing capacity of the chassis itself, making an F-250 a better choice for drivers seeking maximum power.
- A six-speed automatic transmission is the standard no matter your engine, trim, or options. You’ll have to go aftermarket if you insist on a manual.
- Overall the 3.5L EcoBoost is the best engine available in a 2016 F-150, offering plenty of power and towing capacity without being too thirsty at the pump.
2.7L EcoBoost V6 Engine Makes the 2016 F-150 a Practical, Efficient Daily Driver
The 2.7L puts out 325 horsepower and 375 lb.-ft. of torque, with a maximum towing capacity of 8,400 pounds and carrying payloads of around one ton. The 2.7L will get you somewhere around 19/25 miles to the gallon city/highway in two-wheel drive mode, or 18/22 in 4×4, according to the EPA.
The 2.7L is ideal if you’re looking to make this your everyday vehicle. With these specs, the pickup is capable of some pretty heavy workloads, from hauling and pulling to construction work, or just getting your buddy’s Hyundai out of the mud. But at 19/25 mpg, you’re not spending work truck prices at the pump just to get to the grocery store and back.
No matter your engine or your options, you’re getting an electronic six-speed automatic transmission with your truck, and a 23-gallon fuel tank.
With 365 hp, the 3.5L EcoBoost V6 Engine Offers Enough Power to Suite Almost any F-150 Driver
Cranking out 365 horsepower and 420 lb.-ft. of torque, the 3.5L EcoBoost will pull around 12,000 pounds and carry 3,200. For fuel economy, you can expect to get an average of 17/24 mpg in two-wheel mode, or 16/22 with all four wheels in drive.
Technically speaking, yes, the 5.0L is the more powerful of these two engines, but the F-150 chassis will only pull up to around 12,200 pounds. The extra horses in a 5.0L are more about bragging rights than they are about actual, practical performance. Think of it like a bodybuilder who can lift 500 pounds, but the bar he’s using will only carry 300 before it bends in half. It is possible to be a little too powerful for the job at hand.
For drivers looking for a dedicated work truck, the 3.5L EcoBoost engine delivers about as much power as you’re ever likely to need.
3.5L Ti-VCT V6 Engine is the Weakest of the Bunch, but Still Ford Tough
At 282 horsepower and 253 lb.-ft. of torque with a towing capacity of around 8,000 pounds, the 3.5L Ti-VCT (Twin Variable Camshaft Tuning) V6 may be the weakest engine on the list, but it still hauls like a mule.
The 3.5L Ti-VCT should get you around 16/22 miles to the gallon in two-wheel drive, or 15/20 in four-wheel mode.
Less powerful, and less fuel-efficient than the entry-level 2.7L, the 3.5L Ti-VCT is a fine engine in its own right but feels a bit out of place in the F-150’s lineup.
5.0L Ti-VCT V8 Engine is Stronger than an F-150 Needs to be for Daily Driving, and it can Tow Just About Anything
You expect a Ford V8 to be the toughest of the tough, and the 5.0L Ti-VCT does not disappoint, at 385 horsepower and 387 lb.-ft. of torque, with a maximum towing capacity of 12,200 pounds and payload capacity around two and a half tons. Unless you’re moving something like pre-fab houses, the V8 will pull just about anything you need pulled.
With power like that, you have to expect to take a hit at the pump. Expect to get around 15/22 miles to the gallon in two-wheel drive, or 14/19 in 4×4.
The 5.0L’s numbers are technically higher than the 3.5L EcoBoost’s, but it delivers effectively the same performance if we’re talking about how much of that power actually translates into towing capacity. The 5.0L can pack an extra 1,000 pounds into the box, but whether that’s worth the extra cost in fuel is up to you. Our take: if you really need those extra cylinders, you’re probably better off upgrading to an F-250.
3.5L EcoBoost is the Best of the 2016 F-150’s Engine Options, Delivering as Much Power as an F-Series Chassis can Handle
Chances are you jumped right to the bottom of the list to see how the 5.0L performs. We can’t blame you, we all love our V8s. But the 2.7L is the go-to if you’re looking for a daily driver, and you’re better off with a 3.5L EcoBoost if you want a tough-as-nails work truck.
The 5.0L engine is the toughest of the bunch, sure, but you’re not going to be able to put all of that power to work in this frame. The 5.0L is better suited to an F-250 chassis, while a 3.5L EcoBoost engine will pull about as much as an F-150 can handle, and without burning quite as much gas.
Photos: Ford
