Is the petrol V6 the right engine choice for Ford Australia F-150 buyers? Hybrid, diesel and V8 powertrains are non-starters, but not ruled out

Ford’s F-150 will make a return to Australian showrooms from mid-2023, but will come equipped only with a single engine– the 3.5-litre twin-turbo EcoBoost petrol producing 298kW/678Nm.

This is despite there being a myriad of other options available in the US market, including a 5.0-litre Coyote V8 (the same engine found in the Mustang GT), a hybrid version of the 3.5-litre petrol V6 and even a turbo-diesel variant.

These engines aren’t completely ruled out for Australia however, with Ford’s local boss Andrew Birkic telling local media the decision on powertrains is first about reducing complexity.

Read More About Ford F150

Why Ford Australia had to go down the remanufacturing route to get the 2023 F-150 into local showrooms Is there room in Ford showrooms for two utes? How the Ranger and F-150 differ, and how each model appeals to different buyers Would you pay $100,000 for the 2023 Ford F-150? Australia's latest full-size pick-up to be priced 'favourably' against Ram 1500 and Chevrolet Silverado

“We think we’ve picked the right powertrain,” he said. “Yes, we looked at all the options, but you have to make a decision.

“Given our volume, we’re not going to have too much complexity for our customers, our dealers and for us.

“We believe we’ve got the right option.”

That volume is expected to be around 2000-3000 cars per year, if popularity of the rivalling Ram 1500 and Chevrolet Silverado are any indication, with the F-150 to be locally remanufactured in right-hand-drive form by RMA Automotive Holdings in a Melbourne facility.

Ford Australia global trucks enterprise manager Natalie Manariti said the 3.5-litre EcoBoost V6 was a natural choice for Australia as it is the most popular option in the US.

“When we were looking at the F-150 powertrain options, it was a really clean standout solution for us – the EcoBoost V6 is actually the number one engine in North America,” she said.

“And it’s really because of its power and torque that makes it the towing engine of choice, and when we think about the application of this product in this market and what our Aussie customers want in a full-size pick-up truck, the research told us it had to be the most powerful vehicle, the most capable vehicle to be able to tow their toys, and that’s why we chose the EcoBoost V6.

“I’m pretty confident we’ve made the right choice for our customers.”

For comparison, the Ram 1500 and Chevroelt Silverado are both equipped with petrol V8s, with the former featuring a 291kW/556Nm 5.7-litre unit and the latter punching out 313kW/624Nm from a 6.2-litre engine.

The 3.5-litre EcoBoost V6 will endow the 2023 F-150 with a 4500kg towing capacity, exceeding the diesel-powered Ranger’s limits by 1000kg.

Looking at output figures however, makes it clear why Ford Australia has opted for the EcoBoost engine, which produces a healthy amount of power and torque compared to other options.

The V8 version punches out 298kW/556Nm, while the 3.0-litre turbo-diesel PowerStroke V6 outputs 190kW/597Nm.

Meanwhile, the hybrid version of the F-150, known as the PowerBoost, produces 321kW/773Nm by pairing the 3.5-litre EcoBoost engine to a hybrid motor and 1.5kWh battery pack.

However, Ms Manariti said the focus was first on launching the V6 F-150 next year, before reassessing and looking for other “opportunities”.

“We’ve gone with the most popular engine for our first rodeo, that being the EcoBoost V6,” she said.

“Let’s get the car into the country, let’s kick off this process – the first for Ford globally – and then yeah, we’re absolutely open to opportunities.”