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Thoughts after a week of V6 vs. EcoBoost 4 cyl. ownership


Further North

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1) The 2.0L EcoBoost 4 banger is just flat out smoother than the 3.5L V6. Never thought I'd say that...but it is what it is. Am very interested in the new 2.0. Am crazy interested in the turbo diesels on the way.

2) MPG is pathetic, in 2018. I can average 19.3, but I have to think about it...otherwise I'm looking at ~18.5. It's OK, given that we don't drive much, but I'd be PO'd if I drove 40K miles a year. We're talking $600 on an annual basis, that's decent fly rod/reel, and a very good baitcaster/musky rod every year.

3) I need some more time to get a feel for it...but the 4 banger came on the power much more predictably than the 6 cyl.

4) Advantage 6 cyl.: coming up an on ramp, and you get on 'er...the acceleration seems progressive rather than linear...I like this. A turbo would be the cat's ass.

5) Am anxious to try pulling the boat. Research suggests the 6 cyl. will be better...the math guy in me say 277 ft./lbs. is better than 250 ft./lbs. It'll be fine either way, just wanna get 'er done, find out where I am, deal with it and move on.

6) Not sold on the 20" rims. Ride is impacted negatively compared the 19" we had on the 2.0L that we had for 6 weeks...I think. Might just be the roughness of the 6 cyl. getting in my head. Buying decent tires in a few years is gonna suck...

7) Modern AWD is kick ass. With the foot of snow over the weekend, this thing just goes, much like the Freestyle did, unless you do something stupid. Backed out of the garage, drove to town, not even the slightest issue, anywhere. matches the 2.0L exactly. Modern AWD kicks incredible ass, makes old 4WD look archaic, with obvious exceptions where locked this and that would be needed. I don't need that any more, so this is better. Having driven all the major makes AWD systems in the past 8 weeks or so, if you get stuck with any of them, you're a maroon. Differences between the makes are measured in microseconds and are perceived in terms of some potentially interesting noises...they all work, and all work insanely well compared with what I grew up with. Are some "better" than others? Sure...Jeep and Subaru are the best...but see previous reference to difference measured in micro-seconds and funny noises. Note to self to not do something stupid inserted here...

8) Getting used to the wider body of the Edge vs. the Escape. Subjectively the Escape is more "nimble" and fun to drive...the Edge is more "stable". At 55, going on 56...it's a push...If I want fun, I'll buy one of the Fiat/Mazdas, a Miata or find an older Honda S2000...when the kid is gone I can park it and drive it when the weather is good...

Edited by Further North
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5) You will likely find that the Ecoboost will hold its own with towing. Yes, the torque is higher for the V6 but that's peak torque... the Ecoboost produces its torque much lower in the rev range and maintains a flatter torque curve that should help compensate for the peak difference.

 

8) What's wrong with a Mustang for a fun car? You can get an S195 model (05-14) for $6K - $16K. The S2000 has to run almost at red line all the time to get any kind of performance out of it and the older Miatas were just plain anemic until the MZR engine came along in the 3rd generation.

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Went from escape 2011 3.0L 6cyl to mkx 2016 2.7L 6cyl ecoboost. Both AWD.

 

 

The ecoboost is really great. There is no noticeable turbo lag. The paddle shifter are actually useful and responsive enough to set the right gear going out of a curve or preparing to accelerate onto the highway. MPG is not great but for the power I get it seems reasonable. Even the engine sound is nice but maybe that it fake stereo sound. I enjoy having both drive and sport because sport is too reactive to drive your grandma as comfortably as possible.

 

 

As for the AWD. It was working just as well on the 2011 escape but the braking and traction control would kick in way too early; had to disable it from the console button. In the MKX disabling it is a pain going into the menu 3 layers deep but I don't really need to most of the time; it will let me slide a little before kicking in. As a side note I also had a 6.2L F250 with locker. I loved it but it was a pain to have to manually go out of 4x4 at low speed just to be able to park. Also when in 2x4 on ice or snow removing the traction control was just crazy; slight blip of the throttle and the rear end is already sideways.

 

 

Note on the rims too. One of the big reasons I went with the MKX. Really did not like the rims on the edge but the rest of the car looked good to me. The sport rims I liked but at this point I was already near MKX used cost so that is what I got.

 

 

I am sure I would have been almost as happy with the Edge 2.0 but I really enjoy my MKX. I do not plan on going back to normally aspirated engines when turbos are available. Of course by the time I am due for a new car it could be the Edge all electric 80KW or something like that.

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5) You will likely find that the Ecoboost will hold its own with towing. Yes, the torque is higher for the V6 but that's peak torque... the Ecoboost produces its torque much lower in the rev range and maintains a flatter torque curve that should help compensate for the peak difference.

Agreed, 100%. I've towed a Crestliner CMV 1850 the last 4 seasons with a 2014 Ford Escape with the 2.0L EcoBoost. Zero problems, loved it. The 2.0L EcoBoost actually has more torque than the 3.5L V6; 275 ft. lbs. for the 2.0L EcoBoost vs. 250 ft. Lbs. for the 3.5L normally aspirated V6...while I'm not worried about it, it's 10%...

 

The EcoBoost is the motor of the future, and I really like them. I was disappointed to not be able to find one, but I'll live.

 

 

8) What's wrong with a Mustang for a fun car? You can get an S195 model (05-14) for $6K - $16K. The S2000 has to run almost at red line all the time to get any kind of performance out of it and the older Miatas were just plain anemic until the MZR engine came along in the 3rd generation.

Mustangs are great cars, love them, but for me, they are just too big.

 

It's ironic, but when I stopped by my Ford dealer this afternoon to pick up my USB update for my NAV...there was a brand new Mustang, sitting next to a bright blue S2000...love the mustang...but the S2000 is the kind of car that singes to me. The S2000 had a "SOLD" sign in the window...which is good. Rolling into retirement, I'm pretty sure the Accounting Office woulda had a problem with an S2000 in the driveway...woulda been particularly difficult given that the trailer for the folks putting on a new roof is still out there...

 

I owned a 1969 Austin Healey Sprite from the mid 80s until just a few years ago, and I loved driving it...but hated maintaining it. A Miata, the new Fiat, or an S2000 gets me back to the format I like but upgrades the reliability.

 

I've driven fast cars...I've run a Porsche 930 Turbo on a track (and off a track, but that's another story), and a Formula Ford, I've owned an Infiniti G35 (Yeah they are electronically limited to 155, don't ask how I know), and a BMW 3 series, and driven some of the newer, insanely fast Mustangs...but that's just not what I want at this stage of my life.

 

Small, fun, tossable and reliable is what I'd be looking for, were I to go after something now.

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Went from escape 2011 3.0L 6cyl to mkx 2016 2.7L 6cyl ecoboost. Both AWD.

 

 

The ecoboost is really great. There is no noticeable turbo lag. The paddle shifter are actually useful and responsive enough to set the right gear going out of a curve or preparing to accelerate onto the highway. MPG is not great but for the power I get it seems reasonable. Even the engine sound is nice but maybe that it fake stereo sound. I enjoy having both drive and sport because sport is too reactive to drive your grandma as comfortably as possible.

I love the EcoBoost, would rather have one, but fate and timing and $$$ are what they are. I love our '14 Escape with the 2.0L EcoBoost, it's a great vehicle.

 

As I said above, I believe that the EcoBoost, and others like it, are the engines of the future; Smaller displacement with turbo, twin turbo or superchargers are where it's at, for a myriad of reasons.

 

I am particularly looking forward the the small displacement turbo-diesel in the new Ranger Raptor. These motors have been all over Europe for quite a while already, it's time for us to get dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century in the US...

I am sure I would have been almost as happy with the Edge 2.0 but I really enjoy my MKX. I do not plan on going back to normally aspirated engines when turbos are available. Of course by the time I am due for a new car it could be the Edge all electric 80KW or something like that.

Same here - we had a 2.0 '17 Edge for about 6 weeks...really liked it. I'll get used to the 3.5L V6, but I enjoyed the 2.0L EcoBoost more...if it was possible to add a tow package without breaking the bank we'd have kept the 2.0L.

Edited by Further North
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I am particularly looking forward the the small displacement turbo-diesel in the new Ranger Raptor. These motors have been all over Europe for quite a while already, it's time for us to get dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century in the US...

 

 

I wonder if maybe a lot of those engines will lose power or increase in cost due to anti-polllution changes. VW was the first to get caught but it seems that every German maker was cheating in some way with diesels. No reason to believe that Ford has a magic engine that can outperform German engines.

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...but the S2000 is the kind of car that singes to me. The S2000 had a "SOLD" sign in the window...which is good. Rolling into retirement, I'm pretty sure the Accounting Office woulda had a problem with an S2000 in the driveway...woulda been particularly difficult given that the trailer for the folks putting on a new roof is still out there...

 

I owned a 1969 Austin Healey Sprite from the mid 80s until just a few years ago, and I loved driving it...but hated maintaining it. A Miata, the new Fiat, or an S2000 gets me back to the format I like but upgrades the reliability.

 

I've driven fast cars...I've run a Porsche 930 Turbo on a track (and off a track, but that's another story), and a Formula Ford, I've owned an Infiniti G35 (Yeah they are electronically limited to 155, don't ask how I know), and a BMW 3 series, and driven some of the newer, insanely fast Mustangs...but that's just not what I want at this stage of my life.

 

Small, fun, tossable and reliable is what I'd be looking for, were I to go after something now.

 

 

I know exactly what you are saying! I love mine.

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I wonder if maybe a lot of those engines will lose power or increase in cost due to anti-polllution changes. VW was the first to get caught but it seems that every German maker was cheating in some way with diesels. No reason to believe that Ford has a magic engine that can outperform German engines.

I think the answer is in having realistic expectations...and at the end of the day, German engines aren't really any better than American ones...

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