For the past four decades, the Ford F-150 has been the truck of choice for most American pickup buyers. With a wide selection of engines, the F-150 can offer just about anything that a customer needs from a pickup truck. So what are these engine options? Here's what our research has uncovered.
The current F-150 comes with six different engine options.
- 3.3-liter Ti-VCT V6
- 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6
- 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6
- 3.5-liter PoweBoost Full Hybrid V6
- 5.0-liter Ti-VCT V8
- 3.5-liter EcoBoost High Output V6
Although discontinued, three other engines used to be under the hoods of the two previous generations of the F-150.
- 3.7-liter Ti-VCT V6 (2009 to 2014)
- 6.2-liter VCT V8 (2009 to 2014)
- 3.0-L Turbodiesel V6 (2015 to 2020)
Now that we've enumerated the F-150's different engine options, it's time to know more about these machines' characteristics and performance. Read on, because we've also thrown in some juicy information about these engines' influence on the F-150's towing and payload capacities.
What Engines Are Offered In The F-150?
The Ford F-Series has been the best-selling pickup truck in America. As the flagbearer of the F-Series line, the Ford F-150 cemented its legacy as a versatile truck made both for homes and businesses.
Aside from offering different body (cab and bed) and drive (4x2 or 4x4) configurations, the F-150 also comes with several engine options. This wide range of powerplants helps truck buyers "choose or "build" an F-150 that suits their personal or business needs ideally.
Here are the different engine choices for the 12th, 13th, and 14th generations of the Ford F-150.
14th Generation F-150 (2021-Present)
- 3.3-L Ti-VCT V6 - 290 h.p. and 265 lb.-ft. of torque
- 2.7-L EcoBoost V6 - 325 h.p. and 400 lb.-ft. of torque
- 3.5-L EcoBoost V6 - 400 h.p. and 500 lb.-ft. of torque
- 3.5-L PoweBoost Full Hybrid V6 - 430 h.p. and 570 lb.-ft. of torque
- 5.0-L Ti-VCT V8 - 400 h.p. and 410 lb.-ft. of torque
- 3.5-L EcoBoost High Output V6 - 450 h.p. and 510 lb.-ft. of torque
13th Generation F-150 (2015 to 2020)
- 3.3-L Ti-VCT V6 - 290 h.p. and 265 lb.-ft. of torque
- 2.7-L EcoBoost V6 - 325 h.p. and 400 lb.-ft. of torque
- 3.5-L EcoBoost V6 - 375 h.p. and 470 lb.-ft. of torque
- 5.0-L Ti-VCT V8 - 395 h.p. and 400 lb. lb.-ft. of torque
- 3.0-L Turbodiesel V6 - 250 h.p. and 440 lb.-ft. of torque
- 3.5-L EcoBoost H.O. V6 - 450 h.p. and 510 lb.-ft. of torque
12th Generation F-150 (2009 to 2014)
- 3.7-L Ti-VCT V6 - 302 h.p. and 278 lb.-ft. of torque
- 5.0-L Ti-VCT V8 - 360 h.p. and 380 lb.-ft. of torque
- 3.5-L Ti-VCT EcoBoost V6 - 365 h.p. and 420 lb.-ft. of torque
- 6.2-L VCT V8 - 411 h.p. and 434 lb.-ft. of torque
As we can see from the lists above, the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 and the 5.0-liter "Coyote" engines made their way into three generations of F-150s. However, with each new generation, these engines evolved in both horsepower and torque outputs.
On the other hand, Ford discontinued the 3.7-liter V6, the 6.2-liter V8, and the 3.0-liter turbodiesel V6. These options made way for newer, more efficient, or more sought-after engine options.
Which Ford F-150 Engine Is Best?
The Ford F-150's engine options provide truck buyers a choice of which powerplant serves their budgets and purposes the best. After all, some F-150 buyers want a truck fit for everyday use, while others want a workhorse vehicle. Moreover, other F-150 buyers want to tackle extreme off-roading courses.
If you're looking for the most affordable option for a business or workhorse truck, then you should consider the base 3.3-liter V6 Flex-Fuel engine. This engine option is available for the XL and XLT trims.
Now, if you're looking for the highest horsepower and torque rating, then the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 will suit you well. With this engine, a properly-equipped and configured F-150 achieves the highest towing capacity among all full-size trucks.
The 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine also comes in a high-output (H.O.) tuning specifically for the F-150 Raptor trim.
If you prefer bigger, naturally-aspirated engine blocks over turbocharged ones, then the 5.0-liter Coyote V8 engine may suit you best. Moreover, the Coyote engine also gives the F-150 the highest possible payload capacity in the full-size pickup segment.
Check out this video poll about Ford technicians and their respective favorite F-150 engine options.
Which 2022 F-150 Engine Gets The Best Gas Mileage?
If you're trying to build the most fuel-efficient F-150 from the current generation's lineup, then you'll want to take a close look at the 3.5-liter PowerBoost Full Hybrid V6 engine.
Based on the latest federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ratings, a 2022 2WD F-150 with the hybrid engine option can get a 25-mile-per-gallon combined rating.
If you choose to pair the hybrid V6 powerplant with a 4WD configuration, you can still get a respectable 23-mile-per-gallon combined rating.
In fact, according to a Kelley Blue Book (KBB) study, the hybrid F-150 is the most fuel-efficient gasoline-powered full-size truck in America for 2022. Although this F-150 only ranks 4th in overall fuel efficiency, it only lags slightly behind diesel-powered competitors.
How Much Will A Ford F-150 Tow?
The 2022 Ford F-150 achieves different tow ratings according to cab type, bed size, drive configuration, and engine type. Nevertheless, we can safely say that a truck's maximum towing capacity mostly depends on its engine.
Here are the different maximum towing capacities of the F-150 by engine type for the current generation. All measurements assume that the truck has the appropriate towing package equipped.
14th generation F-150 Maximum Towing Capacity (2021- present)
- 3.3-L Ti-VCT V6 - 8,200 pounds
- 3.5-L EcoBoost High Output V6 - 8,200 pounds (Raptor trim)
- 2.7-L EcoBoost V6 - 10,100 pounds
- 3.5-L EcoBoost V6 - 14,000 pounds
- 3.5-L PoweBoost Full Hybrid V6 - 12,700 pounds
- 5.0-L Ti-VCT V8 - 13,000 pounds
To illustrate, the F-150 can achieve its best-in-class 14,000-pound maximum towing capacity with the following configuration:
- 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 engine
- SuperCab or SuperCrew cab format
- 4x2 drive configuration
- Max Trailer Tow Package
What is The Difference Between Ford Tow Package And Max Tow Package?
Ford has two available towing packages for the F-150, namely the Trailer Tow package and the Max Trailer Tow package.
The Trailer Tow package comes standard for the F-150 Limited trim, but you can add it on as an option for all other trims except for the Raptor. This towing package includes the following:
- Class-IV hitch receiver
- 7-pin trailer connector and harness
- 7-to-4-pin trailer connector adapter
- Electronic trailer brake controller (integrated)
- Pro Trailer Backup and Pro Trailer Hitch Assist
- Smart Trailer connector with blind-spot information system (BLIS)
- Tailgate LED
Alternatively, the Max Trailer Tow package will give certain F-150 trims the highest possible towing capacities. The tow package combines the following configurations and components.
- Class-IV hitch receiver
- 3.55 rear axle ratio
- 3.73 differential ratio (for trims equipped with the optional Heavy-duty Payload package)
- 36-gallon fuel tank (except for PowerStroke diesel and PoweBoost hybrid engines)
- 4-pin connector and harness
- 7-pin trailer connector and harness
- Pro Trailer Backup and Pro Trailer Hitch Assist
- Electronic trailer brake controller (integrated)
- Smart Trailer connector with BLIS
- Rear bumper upgrade
The Max Trailer Tow package also comes standard with the F-150 Raptor trim.
How Much Can A Ford F-150 Carry?
With a maximum payload capacity of 3,325 pounds, the 2022 Ford F-150 leads all full-size trucks in the market today. Again, the drive configuration, cab type, and bed sizes affect the payload capacity, but the engine variety is the biggest factor.
Over the past decade, the 5.0-liter Coyote V8 engine has provided the highest payload capacity for the F-150. Of course, the powerplant needs Ford's Heavy-Duty Payload Package to achieve this rating. The package includes upgraded suspension, tires, and wheels.
Here are the maximum payload capacities based on the different engines of the 2021 and 2022 F-150.
14th generation F-150 Payload Capacity (2021- present)
- 3.3-L Ti-VCT V6 - 1,965 pounds
- 3.5-L EcoBoost H.O. V6 - 1,400 pounds for Raptor, 1,520 pounds for Limited trim
- 3.5-L PoweBoost Full Hybrid V6 - 2,120 pounds
- 2.7-L EcoBoost V6 - 2,480 pounds
- 3.5-L EcoBoost V6 - 3,250 pounds
- 5.0-L Ti-VCT V8 - 3,325 pounds
How Much Does A Ford F-150 Cost Now?
Were we able to convince you to include the Ford F-150 on your shortlist for your next pickup truck? For your window shopping convenience, we've compiled the starting prices of the different trims of the 2022 Ford F-150.
- XL - $ 31,520
- XLT- $ 39,165
- Lariat- $ 49,100
- Tremor - $ 54,120
- King Ranch- $ 60,320
- Platinum- $ 63,100
- Raptor- $ 70,555
- Limited- $ 77,625
These starting prices are accurate as of November 2022.
Wrapping Up
Ford offers the current-generation F-150 with six different engine options for the U.S. market. From an entry-level 3.3-liter V6 to a fuel-efficient hybrid, up to a high-output EcoBoost powerhouse, there's an engine that will suit an F-150 buyer's purpose.
Thank you very much for reading. We hope we were able to share some good tips about the different types of F-150 engines.
For more interesting reads about the Ford F-150, you may also check out these great articles below.
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