Patrick and I traded trucks for a couple weeks. I own a 2017 EcoBoost 3.5 10 speed FX4 with 8000 miles on it. Before my 2017 I had a 2013 EB that I put 78000 miles on. So I've been out of the N/A V8 game for a few years and miles.

Patrick's Truck is a 2018 5.0 Supercrew 6.5 Bed 3.15 rearend 2wd. Here's a quick picture of both trucks



First thing I will say is this Gen truck with the engine/trans is leaps and bounds better than the previous gen 5.0 6 speed.

I put right around 1400 miles on the truck

PROS

1. Sound.. Doesn't matter if your 100 percent for the EB you cannot deny that the coyote sounds great!

2. Performance is great over 3000 rpm. It really pulls good.

3. Engine Braking going down a good grade, you can really feel it pulling the truck back. Where as the eb you dont get the feel that it's really slowing it down.

4. Fuel Mileage. For a long bed 4 door V8 truck it got respectable MPG. 250 mile drive home was 21.5 mpg. Another 400 mile trip was 22.4 mph then the 250 mile trip back to Patrick was 21.8 mpg. Also did 250 or so miles in town and ended up at 15mpg.

5. Transmission. This 10 speed was made for the 5.0. It makes the truck a blast to drive. Click it in sport mode and it's like a whole nother animal.


Cons

1. Down Shifting while crusing at highway speeds. It would stay in 10th gear on flat ground crusing at 75mph. Any grade what so ever it would drop down to 8th gear then once level back to 10th. There was a few times flat ground with a head wind was making it downshift from 10th to 8th. I'm sure the 3.15 gears doesn't help either.

2. Performance below 3000 rpm. You just get the no one home feeling for a little bit when rolling into it then all of a sudden she gone. Would be great to have a little more low end. Of course that's where the EB shines..


I will also say if I hadn't drove a boosted and tuned truck for the last 5 years I'd probably have no cons about performance on the 2018 f150 coyote. Overall I enjoyed the 2 weeks with the truck and wouldn't mind having it again if need be.

Also we did some Mexico testing and I will say I was VERY surprised on the outcome of all of our tests. The EB got a couple wins and the 5.0 got a few. Stock vs Stock.

 

Nice

 

Very nice.

 

Awesome! Love the idea of trading trucks, wish my buddies lived close enough to do this!

 

Interesting comparison, I made a switch too, but with the dealership. Now I have the best of worlds, a turbo V8.

 

Now drive a 5.0 with 3.73s! I've only driven a 13 5.0 with 3.31 (my old man's truck), and then of course my new to me 15 5.0 3.73s. totally different and I never have had the "no one's home" feeling. Both of your trucks look great!

 

Then try losing 1500+ pounds and add 100+ hp with 3.73's and you will know what it's like driving my mustang.

 

So I had my plat in for some things to be taken care of. The owner arranged a courtesy vehicle for me. Little did I know itd be his sales managers demo, an 18 limited with 2000 miles on it. 3.5 with 3.55. In short, I'm completely happy with my decision to buy a 5.0 with 3.73s. I like the Ecoboost because you can definitely feel the boost in the seat. However, I feel like mine pulls all the way to the moon where the eb signs off a little early in comparison. I haven't towed with either so who knows. Ive done a couple hundred miles of in town and rural driving and based off of that, I'm a happy 5.0 owner.

 

If you towed it would be a completely different story, even more so if you towe in elevation /mountains

 

Have you driven a 5.0 with 3.73s? Or just going off 3.5 vs 5.0 reports?

 

Me? Yes I have, in fact I've even towed with one, a few times. It was painful compared to my turbo vehicles, ecoboost or diesel.

Where I live and tow the mountains eat na V8's alive. Sh!@ even in the flats it was painful, gear hunting and sluggish.

 

Coy, that was a great comparison! I agree totally with you about the lack of engine braking with the 3.5L Ecobeast. It's my single complaint, especially when towing. I've learned to shift into manual when approaching a steep downhill stretch and then forcing it down into 2nd gear to maintain downhill speeds. It's a bit of a bother, but now I find I'm doing it almost automatically and rarely have to use the brakes. I bet the problem would be much worse with the 2.7L engine!

Otherwise, the 3.5L EB is light years ahead of my old 5.4L Triton. It pulls without effort, and rarely drops below 4th gear when pulling uphill.

- Jack