NEW WHEELS
2012 Edge and Explorer get the 4-cylinder EcoBoost By Howard J Elmer The word that you don’t hear much from Ford these days is “hybrid.” Not that they don’t mention it, but not that often and it’s most noticeable by its absence from most of their product releases. This subtle non-event signals a shift in thinking at Ford towards an item we do hear lots about: “EcoBoost”. EcoBoost is Ford’s answer to its customers’ need for fuel economy, and their desire for power. Built as either the 2.0L I4 or 3.5L V6, the EcoBoost is spreading through Ford’s lineup as quickly as the flu moves through the office. In a way it’s the “anti–hybrid,” a new spin on the venerable ICE (Internal Combustion Engine). Today, the latest models to get the EcoBoost option (the 2.0L I4, that is) are the popular Edge and the Explorer. These were the two vehicles I drove at Ford’s Proving Grounds in Romeo, MI. Power-wise, the I4 EcoBoost doesn’t match the V6 option (which is still available in both) but it doesn’t lose as much as you might think. This direct-injected, turbocharged and intercooled engine delivers 240 hp and develops 270 lb-ft of torque, which moves both vehicles along smartly. Not too shabby for a little 2.0L motor. The why of this move hardly needs to be explained in Canada with gas prices well north of a dollar a litre. However, even in the powerhungry States, Ford reports that fuel economy is now the Number One new car purchase consideration for a significant slice of its customers; 35 percent they say. This desire for fuel economy is not limited to cars, though; amazingly, the F150 pickup truck is currently being ordered 41 percent of the time with an EcoBoost V6 engine in it. And this is just since 54 Trucks Plus
FEB / MAR 2012
it was first made available this past March. Now, while V8s are still available, these truck customers are proving that the combination of horsepower and promised fuel savings can turn around even a dedicated V8 crowd like F-series owners. Driving the Edge and Explorer at FPG at Romeo, brought out two truths for me. One, the 2.0L I4 EcoBoost is enough engine to do the job of moving both vehicles. Two, you have to want the fuel economy more than the snap a larger motor delivers when you kick it. Particularly uphill, on the test track, you can easily floor the EcoBoost and hold it there without feeling the need to lift. It pulls uphill – just. What does help is the six-speed transmission that is standard with this engine. It quickly downshifts when the call for power hits, even two gears, but then that’s it. Foot on the floor, it pulls – just. The other downside that sticks out (probably more for me than most) is the fact that towing is not recommended with the I4 EcoBoost. In the Explorer (in particular), I think this is a loss. If you have even occasional need to tow, Ford suggests you spec the V6 in its SUV. Still, EcoBoost is making inroads. In fact, Ford says by year end it will have built 180,000 of these engines. And in the Explorer, the shift from the naturally-aspirated V6 to the I4 EcoBoost is said to equal a 40 percent improvement in fuel economy; that’s the carrot, and if F-series sales are any barometer, the same shift can be expected in Explorer.