I don't recall feeling any real lag on the 2.7L trucks I've driven. Though I probably always did so with sport mode. It's pretty much been my exclusive driving mode on F150's since my 2015 Lariat with the 3.5L EcoBoost engine. That said, if what the OP is talking about goes away in sport mode I'd agree.

 

I've been driving a 2.7 for 3 1/2 years. I don't feel any lag in normal mode and it's fast. Have a 26 ordered. with a 2.7. No issues here.

 

I was just faced with this question and for me it comes down to reliability, repair costs, etc. I think you go with the 5.0L and then you just worry about the 10 speed if it comes with that. Sure you have things like T connectors and what not, but compared to replacing a turbo or something of the like, who cares.

 

Personally if not doing a lot of towing if your only options are the 2.7 or 5.0. I'd look for a F150 with the 3.5. Near same hp as the 5.0. And higher torque #'s. XLT are pretty nice, like the stx. Column shift. But the seats are better design than the base models. I have a 21 eco boost.3.5 rate 400hp 500# torque, And I tow upto 7000# open trailer, average 14 mpg. much of it over mountain passes. And never had a issue 94000 mile on OD.. I just ignore the gas mileage climbing passes. Just set cruise at 65, and watch my transmission temps. I have 2 trailers 1 is a 20' en closed. I get about 11 pulling that. Total weight closer to 8k fully loaded.

 

I've had two 2.7s, on my 3rd right now. Work trucks. Over 220k miles on both although never keep over 10 years. There is slight turbo lag off the line with a cold start. If it was a personal vehicle I'd probably go 5.0. Not for reliability but for feel. I'd have to drive them both to be sure. Change the oil every 5k and you should be good. No way any modern truck is going to be as reliable as your current. Buy the one you like best and if its the 2.7 the engine overall is fantastic.

 

I’m pretty sure Makuloco wouldn’t agree with your statement :-) Ford will make him a millionaire just by working on the F-150 engines, no matter which one. :-))

 

Do not buy anything with a plastic oil pan. That is without a doubt, the stupidest thing I have ever seen in my life! You have to be a total dumbass to put a plastic pan on a combustion engine!

 

[QUOTE=F150Bill;7822763]I'm getting ready to buy a new 2025 F150. I don't need or want fancy and highly optioned vehicles. I've been driving single cab work trucks since 1987. Hard to believe. The dealer is trying to get me to switch to a STX as he thinks it's a better value.

Most trucks on the lot have the 2.7 ecoboost engine but there is at least one that has the 5.0l engine, might be 4 x 4 but that one might be too tall to fit my garage. I don't tow so I don't need a high tow rating. I'd be happy with a short bed single cab. Which engine would be best for the long term, 2.7 or 5.0? I kept my last truck for 24 years. The dealer even told me how much I spent in maintenance and repairs ($16,000) plus 3 sets of tires I didn't buy from Ford. I understand there are issues with all engines from coolant leaks into the cylinders to cam phasers and transmission problems. I'm hoping I don't get those problems down the road. I also read somewhere to put premium fuel in them.[/QUOTE
I went with a brand new 2021 F-150 XL with the 5.0. It was the first vehicle with power windows and power door locks since my 1987 F-150 Lariat. In 2001 I bought a used 1998 Jeep Cherokee with 4.0L then traded for a new 2004 Ram with 4.7L. I realized I need a truck instead SUV style vehicle. I owned the 87 F150 for seventeen year. It was electrical nightmare. I could change out power window motors as quick as a nascar team can change a tire. Alternators would last two- three years. After my third one, I found it was a design flaw in the alternators. Replaced with a Bosch alternator which never failed. Both fuel gauges never worked properly. Multiple Ford dealers could not figure it out. No problems what so ever with Cherokee. My Ram after seventeen years was in the shop only once for blend door replacement. Like the Ford, I replaced upper and lower ball joints, tie rods and radiator. I wished I kept it after buying the 2021 F-150 for back up. I figured surly by 2021 Ford would have power windows figured out. No. Already replaced the master switch with OEM from Amazon last year. When I called to schedule to have it checked out, it was under warranty. We scheduled it at he earliest day available. When I arrived, they told me I would need to leave it with them for a couple days and it was out of warranty by three days. I left ticked off for not being told I would have leave it for a couple days. I could have made arrangements to get home. I called Ford customer service and they told me the same thing the dealership told me about the warranty. "Nothing they can do". After three days out of warranty? It was under warranty when scheduled!! My biggest issue was at 15K when I noticed the transmission had a drip while changing my engine oil. I brought it to the dealership to have it checked since its dang near impossible to even check transmission oil level in vehicles anymore. I was told it didn't have any oil in it. I never experienced shifting issues. They gave me a loaner for a few days while troubleshooting. The tech said it looked like it was leaking from the cast, not seals. They wound up replacing the transmission. The auto stop/start is a pain. I do manually cut if off as soon as I get in the truck. I don't have a warm fuzzy feeling having cylinder deactivation. All in all, with four recall services and the rest of issues, my new ford has been in the shop more times in four years than my Ram had in seventeen years. I worry more about all the plastic in it and the rust underneath the truck. If I ever purchase a new truck, It will not be a Ford. Ford tough in my opinion can be considered false advertisement. Especially when it has an aluminum body.

 

Nah.. I bought my '16 5.0 because it's pretty much written in stone the 2015-2017 5.0/6spd is the most reliable combo you can buy. No phaser issues, no direct injection issues, no 10 speed issues. You change a water pump, and VCT solenoids (easy and cheap) every 100k and drive it forever. I'm not a truck guy, I bought mine to serve a purpose and not to have to buy another one for a LOOOONG time, but I've grown to love it (especially with Roush exhaust!).

Now that being said, to the OP's point - if your last truck you drove 24 years, buying a BRAND NEW generation F150 is going to be a toss up. They seem to have figured out the 10 speed for the most part, but the engines have changed. The 2.7 has arguably gotten more reliable, and the 5.0 slightly less. After all of my friends in other model trucks have lost engines due to the cylinder deactivation BS, I swore I'd never by a truck with one - and the new 5.0's have it. You can buy things to turn it off, but the physical hardware is still in there, and people still have failures on "deleted" trucks. So you have that con for the 5.0s, and the 2.7's have turbos - more things to fail - I've worked in the auto business over 25 years and I've never seen a turbocharger last 20 years on a regularly driven vehicle - even with proper maintenance.

Having owned a 5.0, I would love to try out a 2.7. A 2.7 with a tune sounds like it may be more fun around town (more low end torque) and the extra 5+mpg would be great.

If were strictly picking from brand new F150's, I'd probably chance it on a 2.7 over the 5.0

 

The talk about the 5.0 being more reliable is Bull. More 2.7 and 3.5 engines are on the road than the 5.0, so statistically there WILL be more complaints on repairs for those engines, even if the have a 1:1 ratio of repairs, because there are more of them, there will be more repairs. Take care of any of the engines and they will be reliable. Point in case, I have a 2014 Flex with the 3.5 EB, not the exact same as in the F150 as it has 2 phasers instead of 4, but overall, same engine. 195K mile, runs like a Swiss watch, Smooth, powerful. highly reliable and its my 8th EB. There are more people with 5.0 issues than I have every experienced with all 8 of my EB's. In fact, I have had NO issues other than having to replace the phasers at 194K miles because they started ticking on start up. The 5.0 is also a DOHC, has a similar chain setup and is just as likely to suffer chain issues (not phaser) as the EB, and the 2.7 has been far more reliable than the 3.5, doesn't suffer from phaser issues. The teething issues they originally had are long gone. They are not hard to work on either. More 2.7 and 3.5 engines are on the road than the 5.0, so statistically there WILL be more complaints on repairs for those engines, even if the have a 1:1 ratio of repairs, because there are more of them, there will be more repairs.

IOW either engine will last for as long as you keep the truck. Drive a few and buy the one you like the most and forget about what engine it has.

I have had 2 Flex EB, 1 MKT EB, and 4 F150 EB, and still have 1 Flex EB. I rented a 2017 5.0 and felt it was a dog compared to the 3.5, but at least it made REAL V8 noises, not the piped in grunt, Do they still do that? My current truck is a 2024 F350 DRW with the 6.7 and SPANKS the 5.0.