I'm considering a used 17 King Ranch with the 3.5. It's got just over 9K Miles. The dealer let me take it til Friday. Driving an hour and a half back to CS on FM roads and highways, using the cruise when possible, I averaged 15.8 mpg. I wasn't gunning it. Cruise was never set higher than 76.

The trip in the truck hadn't been reset in over 5k miles and the fuel economy was nearly identical to what I got on my drive.

So my question...is this the best I can expect from a truck that is supposed to be getting around a combined 20 mpg? Googling shows almost no one gets the epa estimate, but nothing as terrible as I got today either.

Not entirely sure about the second gen 3.5 with the 10 speed and all, but the mileage on my first gen (2011) drops off significantly over about 65.

65 - 20-21
70 - 18-19
75 - 16-17
80 - 15ish

I have about a 10 minute commute to work and never get above 35 and I sometimes get 13-14. There seems to be a sweet spot about 50-65 where you can get 21+.

They had a tag line back when it first came out that was something like "V8 power with V6 economy", but it's "V8 power with V8 economy"

Also depends heavily on axle ratio and if it's 4x4 or not. From the sounds of it, it's 3.55 or or higher and definitely 4x4.

Mine's a 3.55 and 4x2

2017 (second gen) 3.5 here with 10 speed, 3.31s, and 4x4. Also has 6.5ft bed so a little longer/heavier than most f150s. Completely stock as of now.

Right now I am averaging 17.5. If I go 70mph on highway it'll do 20ish mpg, but I usually do 80mph so that drops highway mpg down to about 18.

Caveats:
1) My truck only has 4K miles on it, mpg has been going up since I bought it brand new, and continues to go up. My first couple of tanks were around 13mpg and after 1k miles it started steadily going up. I'm hoping after engine is fully "broken in" my average will be 18+.

2) Due to the nature of my work, I idle a lot. So that impacts my mpg significantly and makes it more difficult for me to get a fair mpg reading.


EDIT: I originally posted that my truck was 3.55 rear but I went back and double checked my window sticker. It is actually 3.31 rear.

Fun little anecdote. My last f150 was a 2015 2.7, 6 speed, 4x2. Now that truck was a gas sipper. It would consistently average 20-21mpg mixed. As an experiment one time I put the cruise on 68mph, reset the calculations on the dash, didn't touch the brake pedal for 25 straight miles. It got 28.2mpg.

3.15 rear end? I've wondered about hypermiling that combo.

Yes the 2.7 was 3.15 rear. It was the most fuel efficient combo you could buy in a crew cab configuration.

Coincidentally, it was also the cheapest crew cab Lariat I could find in the Houston area that had leather seats.

2018 F-150 XL series 4x2 supercab, long bed: 5.0 with 10 speed. 3.15 gears, 900 miles. First two tanks are 17.8mpg. Computer showed 18.5mpg.

2016 f150 6 speed 5.0 roushcharger 4x4 crew with 3.55 and 33" tires. 13.5 average and 14.5 cruise set at 75. Haven't hand calculated yet, but the Speedo reads a little slow due to the tires, so the computer reading should be a little better once I get that calibrated. Hopefully the VMP tune in my future will help as well if I can keep my foot off the skinny pedal.

I'm doing a cruise control test on Highway 6 right now. I'm going to try 20 miles at 70 on the cruise control, and then 20 miles at 75 on the cruise control, and see what I get I just can't believe that my 2005 SuperCrew 4 wheel drive F-150 it's basically the same gas mileage as a truck that's 12 years newer.

I had a 2014 F-150 SuperCrew 4x4 3.5 w/3.55 gears. In a round trip 1700 mile trip to Florida and back I averaged 18 according to the computer. A year later in my 2015 Tundra 4x4 Cremax 5.7 I did the same trip and got 16.8.

So with the Cruise set at 70 I got 17.5 miles per gallon. With the cruise set at 75, I got 16.1 miles per gallon. In day-to-day life, I will never have the cruise set at 70. This is extremely disappointing.

LGAggie said:

---

So with the Cruise set at 70 I got 17.5 miles per gallon. With the cruise set at 75, I got 16.1 miles per gallon. In day-to-day life, I will never have the cruise set at 70. This is extremely disappointing.

---

Yeah, it's shocking how quick mine drops off with 5 mph differences at highway speeds. I can get over 20 at 55, but by 75 it's down to 14.5. Aerodynamics of a brick and what not.

The mileage sweet spot on our Expy is about 65-70 Highway.

I'm going to look at a 2017 F 150 4 X4 with a V8. If I'm going to get V8 mileage, I'll just get the V8, and not have to worry about a turbo. I still can't believe that over a decade later, fuel efficiency has an increased more in these trucks.

LGAggie said:

---

I'm going to look at a 2017 F 150 4 X4 with a V8. If I'm going to get V8 mileage, I'll just get the V8, and not have to worry about a turbo. I still can't believe that over a decade later, fuel efficiency has an increased more in these trucks.

---

It still takes a similar amount of energy to move a similar amount of mass at the same speeds. You can increase efficiencies through, direct injection, lower mechanical friction, less weight (aluminum), less rotational mass, displacement on demand, variable valve timing, better aerodynamics and lower cruise rpms with more gears. While those differences can be significant, they are not going to be huge. You're still converting chemical energy to kinetic energy, just by slightly more efficient means. As far as smaller forced inducted motors being more efficient than their bigger N/A brothers. All else being equal they should be more efficient at cruise, but when making boost they will likely get the same or worse fuel economy at the same power levels.

saltydog09 said:

---

So basically the same/1mpg better than the tundra everyone ****s on for gas mileage

---

Which isn't bad for 4.30 gears. I wonder what I'd get with a 3.55 in the tundra....

When my 14' 5.0 was in the shop, I had a 17 crew 4x2 with the 2.7 boost. The computer indicated like 20+mpg which was surprising considering I wasn't shy on the gas. I was also pretty impressed with the response and quickness. the whole time I had it I swore I had the 3.5 until I checked under the hood right before dropping it off.

Side note, my 14' 5.0 gets like 14 in the city. Might as well still be driving my 94 with the 5.8.

LGAggie said:

---

I'm considering a used 17 King Ranch with the 3.5. It's got just over 9K Miles. The dealer let me take it til Friday. Driving an hour and a half back to CS on FM roads and highways, using the cruise when possible, I averaged 15.8 mpg. I wasn't gunning it. Cruise was never set higher than 76.

The trip in the truck hadn't been reset in over 5k miles and the fuel economy was nearly identical to what I got on my drive.

So my question...is this the best I can expect from a truck that is supposed to be getting around a combined 20 mpg? Googling shows almost no one gets the epa estimate, but nothing as terrible as I got today either.

---

I might be wrong, but the computer not being reset for 5K might influence the mileage posted - I believe the computer uses some of the stored information in its calculations. I've noticed changes in mileage calculations after changing the battery and when I have towed with one tank and not the next 2 - the 2nd tank, same driving, has better mileage than the first tank after towing.
I have a '13 with 134K and it gets pretty consistent mileage of 17-18.5 on a 135 mile drive back and forth from Tyler to Frisco at an average speed of 80. Gets better mileage in the summer than the winter - I guess the gas formulations affect it.

JSKolache said:

---

saltydog09 said:

---

So basically the same/1mpg better than the tundra everyone ****s on for gas mileage

---

Which isn't bad for 4.30 gears. I wonder what I'd get with a 3.55 in the tundra....

---

It would be a gutless wonder. While everyone dogs on the 4.30 gears in the Tundra, few actually look up the transmission ratios, which are much higher than comparable trucks from the big three. They're not really geared that low.

As a matter of fact, I was just looking at that the other day.

Effective 1st gear ratios:
Ford 6r80 w/ 3.55: 14.80
W/ 3.73: 15.55
Chevy 6l80 w/ 3.42: 13.78
W/ 3.73: 15.03
Dodge 845re w/ 3.55: 16.72
W/ 3.92: 18.46

Toyota w/ 4.30: 14.31

With all them horsetorques and mechanically advantages, the Ram 1500 should be able to pull TWO space shuttles.

aggieforester05 said:

---

JSKolache said:

---

saltydog09 said:

---

So basically the same/1mpg better than the tundra everyone ****s on for gas mileage

---

Which isn't bad for 4.30 gears. I wonder what I'd get with a 3.55 in the tundra....

---

It would be a gutless wonder. While everyone dogs on the 4.30 gears in the Tundra, few actually look up the transmission ratios, which are much higher than comparable trucks from the big three. They're not really geared that low.

---

Overdrive ratios would be relevant here.

I have a 2017 Boost with the 3.31's and the 10speed. I keep it in sport mode all the time.

Have just over 10,000miles.
Lifetime fuel economy shows 15.2
Typically get 15.5-16 mixed driving
On road trips with cruise at 75 i can get 20
Towing a trailer 10-12

The boosts get 20 or over if you are on a flat road, going down, with no headwind

I have a 2015 F150 Lariat FX4 with the 3.5 boost with the 35 gallon fuel tank
A little over 60K miles on the truck and I average 19-20 mpg

That being said I drive 80 miles a day round trip for work all on 2 lane FM type roads where I can drive a pretty consistent 60 mph and that is 90%+ of my driving

I just got rid of my 2012 Ford 5.0 4x4. I probably got 14-15mpg and it always felt underpowered to me. It also would only tow around 7,500#. Meh.

In my 2014 3.5 work truck I am showing 16.7 on the dash. I reset it about 10-15k ago. All highway driving. 228k on the odometer.

I have a '16 F150 4x4, crew cab with the 2.7. I generally get 19.8-20 in my general commute. Stay under 75 on the highway, I get regularly get ~21. Now if I romp on it, drop to 15-16.

When I got it, I did not realize it is the sprinter of half tons. Hit the gas, it will go.

2017 4x4 with 3.55 and 2.7l ecoboost here. 12k miles and averaging 18.6 according to computer. I usually drive 75-85mph to Houston and back to BCS weekly.