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AUTO REVIEW

This is a strange time for diesel engines in the automotive in- new. In fact, it’s a beefed-up version of an engine that was jointly
dustry. Passenger cars with diesel engines are being phased out developed a few years ago for use in Europe and elsewhere by
quickly, while at the same time their use is increasing in light Ford and Peugeot, the company that’s about to merge with Fiat-
trucks. Hmm. Chrysler, the makers of the Ram pickup. How’s that for ironic?
Sprinter vans and the like have offered diesel engines for years, Oh by the way, Land Rover uses the same engine manufactured
and that’s not changing, but in the last few years, Ram, Nissan, at a plant in England in the Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, and
GM, and in 2019, industry sales leader Ford have started selling Land Rover Discovery.
half ton pickups with diesel engines. This was formerly the Also btw, Ram isn’t offering a diesel engine in its half-ton pickup
purview of heavy duty three quarter or one ton pickups only, but this year, although I’m told it will reappear in 2020 (assuming Peu-
now everyday trucks are getting in on the action. geot approves.....)
It should be noted that diesel engines are slowly being muscled Anyway, if this were a twitter review, I’d start by typing #torque-
out of the global marketplace. European and Chinese regulations andrange because those are the factors that make the diesel stand
in particular are very tough on particulates, which diesels emit out from other F-150s. Ok, yes, the 3.5 liter Ecoboost has even
more than gasoline engines, so it makes sense. Still, while electric more power and torque (375HP and 470lb-ft respectively), but at
powered vehicles clearly represent the future, it’s interesting that 17MPG city and 23MPG highway, it can’t compete with the
diesel pickup trucks are actually increasing in number in this coun- diesel’s fuel economy numbers of 22 city and 30 highway.
try and seem to be selling well. The F-150 diesel engine’s output numbers are 250HP and
If you ignore regulatory pressures, diesel engines are attractive 440lb-ft of torque, and the only available transmission is a 10-
because they provide excellent fuel economy as well as good dri- speed automatic. And, while you get a decent amount of grunt
vability. A German auto executive I can’t recall summarized, very and towing ability from the diesel, it’s not as muscular as the 3.5
succinctly, why car buyers like diesels: torque and range. Ecoboost.
Pickup trucks that are designed to tow trailers and carry loads It should be noted that choosing the diesel option in the F-150
are ideally suited for torquey and efficient diesel engines. We’ll see costs an additional $3000 to $4000 depending on which version
what happens to the diesel engine over time, but in the meantime of the F-150 you select (and it can’t be the XL or XLT, those can
I’m pleased to see one offered in the popular F-150. only be diesels if you’re a fleet customer).
For readers who may not be aware, the current (thirteenth) gen- Now is where I remind potential buyers that diesel engines typ-
eration F-150, launched in 2015, differs from its competitors the ically get better fuel economy than the EPA predicts, while gaso-
Chevrolet Silverado, Ram 150, and Toyota Tundra primarily in its line and (especially) hybrids do worse. Remember that as you
construction, which is aluminum intensive. While the weight sav- calculate how long you’ll need to own a diesel F-150 before the
ings from using aluminum body panels and other components are fuel savings overcome the extra cash diesels cost.
significant, there may be durability concerns, as Chevy ads have Diesel engines may be dying, but they’re experiencing a bit of
highlighted, where heavy cement blocks are dropped into F-150 a renaissance in the half-ton pickup world. I’m a diesel fan, so I’d
beds. Nevertheless, real world usage, during which buyers are choose an oil burning F-150 over an EcoBoost any day. But the
likely to put much less damaging items like dog kennels and dirt EcoBoost offers more power for less cost, so I suspect most buy-
bikes back there, probably won’t result in any more wear than ers will go with that engine option.
owners of the competition experience.
I’ve reviewed the current (gasoline powered) F-150 previously, To get your best deal on a new F-150, call Phil Hornbeak at
so I won’t repeat what I’ve written before about its interior (nice BCMS at 210-301-4367.
but not quite as nice as the Ram’s) and exterior (still best-in-class
and much better looking than the Silverado’s). Instead I’ll focus Stephen Schutz, MD, is a board-certified gastroenterolo-
on the diesel engine and what makes the oil burning F-150 differ- gist who lived in San Antonio in the 1990s when he was
ent from the other ones. stationed here in the US Air Force. He has been writing
For the record, the 3.0 liter turbo diesel in the F-150 isn’t really auto reviews for San Antonio Medicine since 1995.

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