BMG

Hello. I'm looking to purchase a 2016 F-150 Lariat. I will not be doing much towing at all and will use the pickup primarily for home use. Driving will be done mostly within the city and highway. I've found a great vehicle with the following specs:

3.5L Ecoboost
3.31 Electronic Lock RR Axle
Trailer Tow Package
18" Wheels

I'm concerned that the 3.31 in combination with the 3.5l Ecoboost may not be very fuel efficient.

Can you please offer any advice on this configuration? Thanks a lot.

gDMJoe

You may want to poll existing owners for their experience(s) ......

SteveLord

You should get good MPGs out of that.

Boulevard

You will get very good gas mileage...for a truck. If its home use,roads and such than look at the 2 wheel drive stuff. They get better mileage that a 4x4 and with good tires and a little weight they can offer surprisingly good traction.

bubbabud

IMO. the 3.31 is a perfect match for the 3.5 EB's low speed high torque output and will give the best economy unless you are towing heavy often. Then the 3.55 or 3.73 would be a better choice but MPG's will suffer slightly.

peahrens

I'm no expert but here's some things to think about. The ratio difference will mean the engine is running at 5.1% faster than the 3.15 axle at a given speed. Let's say it would run at 2000 rpm at a speed with the 3.15, that's 2100 rpm with the 3.31. I doubt the fuel efficiency would increase proportionate to the rpm increase, but if it did (as an example), a real world average of (let's say) 17 mpg would drop to 16.2 mpg. If you drive 12000 miles per year, the gallons used difference would be 742 - 706 = 36. At $3 per gallon, that's a decision worth $108/yr. Conversely, if linear, you could just drive 5.1% slower to maintain the same rpm which would mean 67 mph instead of 70. This is a crude, undoubtedly inaccurate, way of thinking about it. My guess is the effects are less than this.

I do think we tend to be driven by a desire to get the best / highest gas mileage, which always makes us happy when we have a new personal best trip. But then there's reality (averages). I had concluded I wanted a Lariat with 2.7EB and 3.31. But I then concluded I would be fine with the stronger 3.5EB and 3.15 so I went looking for either. Part of this was concluding what mileage I might get with each. The stickers are one thing (rather high mpg) but I relied on the real world averages, such as Consumers Reports obtaining 17 vs 16 mpg, about 1 mpg different for the 2.7 vs 3.5. I think a big part is we're pushing the big flat front through the air, which requires a certain amount of power, and the efficiency differences of different engines like these aren't that huge, unless the gear ratios are widely different, or if we start talking turbo diesels. I wound up with a 2015 King Ranch this Friday with the 3.5 and 3.15, which was priced (not many options) a bit less than I could order a 2016 Lariat. Most of the 2015 King Ranches around here were $5k higher, but i found the right one for me. It surely will give better mileage than my 2004 5.4 V8, given the lighter truck and higher tech (more efficient) engines of today.

JayS2015

I have a 2015 Lariat 2.7 with the 3.31...
I consistently get 25+ MPG highway doing 70.. and lowest is 19 around town, stop and go.. rush hour traffic etc..

Very happy with the engine, handling and MPG!

jdtemple

I have a 2015 Platinum 3.5 EB/3.31 and have no complaints. I don't do much towing, though.

I get about 18 mpg with mixed driving, 15-16 if I use E10 fuel.

PawPaw

The 3.5 and 3.31's seem to do pretty good in my '13 Platinum for daily driving. Towing anything over 4K pounds or even adding larger tires I think the 3.55's would be better. I'm getting 16 mpg in town and 18 to 19 mpg on the highway with 19K miles on the truck so I guess I can't complain.

Cold

I have this combo in a XLT, I got 21mpg, driving 63mph for 40 miles on the hwy, and 77mph on the interstate for another 130 miles.
Now its around 17mpg only because I have a lead foot and love to feel the power from this ecoboost!