AUTO RED BOOK TEST DRIVE: FORD ECOBOOST

Ecoboost™ is the name marketing folks at Ford have penned for their next generation high horsepower, fuel efficient, low emission engines. The Ecoboost™ engines, as defined here, are 3.5L, twin turbocharged, direct injection V-6’s that produce 365 HP and 350 pounds of torque in the 2010 Taurus SHO and 355 HP, 350 pounds of torque in the Lincoln MKS, MKT and the Flex. We will limit this discussion to the drive train itself as those products have already been reviewed in this space.

These vehicles are all quite competent with their standard power plants; however, with the addition of the optional Ecoboost™ engines, their character is transformational. They feel like they are powered by big V-8’s with their on-demand horsepower and torque. All-wheel drive is standard so all that power is spread out to all four wheels. One always felt in complete control even though our test day was rain soaked and included a number of S curves as well as merging in and out of traffic at highway speeds. The paddle shifters controlling the six-speed were fun at first but the automatic mode was preferred for most of the day.

Ford is positioning itself to capture those discriminating buyers who demand performance from their personal transportation, and as a bonus Ford throws in 25 mpg fuel economy and thoroughly modern design.  The Ecoboost™ system could have been called a lot of names that might better translate to “these engines rock,” but then the message boards would have been lit up with the usual bashing by those not educated enough to understand how sensible these engines really are. So Ecoboost™ it is.