Can a Ford F150 with a 2.7L EcoBoost V6 safely tow a trailer that weighs up to 8,000 lbs? If not, then which truck should I get? Which truck is more reliable. This question came in from Oleg V. Oleg writes:
Which truck would you recommend for towing a trailer that weighs about 7,000-8,000 pounds? Right now I have an F150 with a 2.7L, and it’s too much weight for it. I’m planning to buy a new one, but I can’t decide. Which truck, in your opinion, is more reliable: F150 with 3.5L EcoBoost Or Silverado or GMC with a 5.3L or 6.2L? I would really like to know your opinion since you know these trucks very well. I like the F150 a lot, but I’m not sure if it’s more reliable than a Silverado or a GMC? Thank you.
Oleg, thank you for the question! We can definitely give you the answers with the exception of reliability. We simply are not able to test all of the recent trucks for a long period of time, in order to evaluate reliability. We have most of these trucks for about one week.
Ford F150 with 2.7L or 3.5L EcoBoost V6?
The 2.7L EcoBoost is one mighty small pickup engine. When we tested it several years ago, the 2.7L twin-turbo was the fastest 0-60 MPH truck that year. You need to tow up to 8,000 lbs. The 2.7L EB F-150 crew cab 4×4 is rated at a maximum towing capacity of 7,600 – 8,100 lbs (depending on the rear axle ratio). Indeed, you do not want to push the truck near its limit for all of your towing trips. You would not have much payload weight left for people and gear. The truck will be less efficient when pushed to the limit, rather than working a little less.
What about the 3.5L EcoBoost V6-powered F150? This engine allows the truck a much higher towing rating: between 10,500 – 11,700 lbs for a crew cab 4×4. This truck has a big power reserve. This configuration F-150 won the 2017 Gold Hitch awards for the half-ton class.
Also, an F-150 with a 5.0L V8 could do the job with a maximum rating of 10,800 with a 3.73 rear end.
Chevy Silverado 1500 with 5.3L or 6.2L V8?
We did a direct comparison between the 5.3L and the 6.2L V8 (see video below). The 6.2L was better all around including highway towing efficiency. Yes, it comes at a price, which is a higher purchase price of the big V8. Personally, I like the 5.3L V8 when it’s mated to the 8-speed automatic. There are reports of the smaller V8 overheating under stress, but we have never observed this during our testing.
In the end, the choice would likely come down between the F-150 with the 3.5L EcoBoost V6 and the Silverado with the 6.2L V8. Both are great towing trucks, both are similarly priced with options, and the final decision would be up to personal preference.
Please leave comment below with your thoughts on this question.
