Car and Driver Ecoboost Manual review - April 2015

[Justpassingas]

Who cares what C&D says....I couldn't be happier with my EB Premium.....Its my wifes car and our daily driver, not a race car.... it has great looks, styling and handles like a dream (compared to the Camry she was driving) and most important meets our needs....300+ HP is enuff for what we need....my only complaint is the gas mileage sucks!!! After 2K miles I'm still averaging around 15MPG...and as far as 87 octane vrs 93 octane how much are you really spending per tank running premium gas....maybe $5 a tank???

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[Bay1Stang]

Usually turbocharged cars have much slower 5-60 times...as it takes a bit of time for the turbo to hit boost from a rolling start. From a standing start, they can rev super high and dump the clutch.

Alright that's what I was assuming. Still learning here but I thought the twin scroll turbo eliminated that problem?

 

[Apwrx]

Who cares what C&D says....I couldn't be happier with my EB Premium.....Its my wifes car and our daily driver, not a race car.... it has great looks, styling and handles like a dream (compared to the Camry she was driving) and most important meets our needs....300+ HP is enuff for what we need....my only complaint is the gas mileage sucks!!! After 2K miles I'm still averaging around 15MPG...and as far as 87 octane vrs 93 octane how much are you really spending per tank running premium gas....maybe $5 a tank???

I'd get your car looked at. I full throttle mine quite often and have never gotten below 20.Right now after 3700 miles iam sitting at 24avg. with lots of full throttle taking friends for rides after my tune:eyebulge:

 

[smitty]

Who cares what C&D says....I couldn't be happier with my EB Premium.....Its my wifes car and our daily driver, not a race car.... it has great looks, styling and handles like a dream (compared to the Camry she was driving) and most important meets our needs....300+ HP is enuff for what we need....my only complaint is the gas mileage sucks!!! After 2K miles I'm still averaging around 15MPG...and as far as 87 octane vrs 93 octane how much are you really spending per tank running premium gas....maybe $5 a tank???

In my '13 Escape we have the 2 liter. I find that driving style and temperature really effects these ecoboost engines. With almost all city driving I can manage ~22mpg when the temp is 50 degrees, but when it's in the 30's it drops to 19. My wife has a less "concerned" driving style and manages ~3mpg lower most of the time. Also I've heard that the mpg gets better as the engine breaks in some. Our Escape has 35k. 15mpg does sound a little low, but if it's really cold and all city "jockey for position" driving, I could see that kind of mpg happening.

If I had more driving to do, I would have gone with the ecoboost car, but my GT will have the luxury of not needing to be driven most of the time, so I figured "what the hell." :shrug:

 

[e30og]

Who cares what C&D says....I couldn't be happier with my EB Premium.....Its my wifes car and our daily driver, not a race car.... it has great looks, styling and handles like a dream (compared to the Camry she was driving) and most important meets our needs....300+ HP is enuff for what we need....my only complaint is the gas mileage sucks!!! After 2K miles I'm still averaging around 15MPG...and as far as 87 octane vrs 93 octane how much are you really spending per tank running premium gas....maybe $5 a tank???

im getting 21 with plenty of right foot action, but generally tame. I only use 93 but fillups haven't gone past $40.

that mileage may also have to do with the driver

 

[limequat]

C&D makes fair points, but I think it's all cast in the shadow of the Coyote.
That said, if BMW made this car for $25k they'd be creaming themselves over it.

C'mon, here's an american car, drop-dead gorgeous, 300 hp, 30 mpg, RWD, manual trans and it starts under 25k. Oh, and it pulls .98 on the skidpad. Wow, find me another car that checks all those boxes.

 

[limequat]

C&D makes fair points, but I think it's all cast in the shadow of the Coyote.
That said, if BMW made this car for $25k they'd be creaming themselves over it.

C'mon, here's an american car, drop-dead gorgeous, 300 hp, 30 mpg, RWD, manual trans and it starts under 25k. Oh, and it pulls .98 on the skidpad. Wow, find me another car that checks all those boxes.

Got off track. Yes, there's a lot of mass for a 4 cylinder. If Ford would just give us the nano 2.7 EB, we'd be all set.

 

[smitty]

Got off track. Yes, there's a lot of mass for a 4 cylinder. If for would just give us the nano 2.7 EB, we'd be all set.

They will

 

[Marino]

They will

I have a hard time seeing them do that but I'd be more than happy to be proven wrong.

 

[Ski3143]

For me it was do I buy the EB or do I buy one of the BRZ/FRS twins. When I saw the comparative power to weight ratio and the roadholding numbers, combined with the fact that I could buy American with the EB; It was no longer really a contest. I don't have enough money to worry about beating corvettes and BMWs, but for the S550 to convert someone who's always been into imports that handle well, you know Ford has done something right.

If they are comparing the EB to the V8, they're comparing it to the wrong thing for any number of reasons. And if they're comparing it to the GTI and the Civic Si, and then they say they would rather have one of those two FWD penalty boxes, then they clearly aren't driving enthusiasts. I've never met anyone I'd actually call a "car person" who prefers FWD for a sporty car. Sure maybe in the snow it's better or something, but for the rest of us who want to have fun with our cars, it's RWD or GTFO.

 

[Duc93]

especially like in this review how he says maybe Ford will give it a better tune from the factory..Lol who cares when you can tune it yourself its not like there going to change the engine..

The key detail here being that the enhanced factory tune would be covered under warranty. Considering the EB's reliability is very much unproven at this point, I imagine there are quite a few EB owners who do care about a tuning alternative that won't potentially compromise warranty coverage.

 

[Dave2013M3]

to throw in some owner bias, here is the performance data from C/D's test of the Audi S5 and the BMW 435i:

http://www.caranddriver.com/comparisons/final-scoring-performance-data-and-complete-specs-page-4-3

The EB looks like a performance bargain when you figure both of those just barely touch $60k. Different cars, I know.


and for the inevitable '13 V6 stats comparison from the same source:

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2013-ford-mustang-v-6-premium-instrumented-test-review

That test was extremely slow for the 435i, here is a test where the sedan ran a 13.3 @105mph and did 0-60 in 4.6. However, I get your point completely. My biggest complaint with the 2.3EB is the way the power just drops off after 5500rpm. This is what I hope the tune coming from FRPP cures. This will go along way in making this power-plant much more exciting.

http://www.caranddriver.com/comparisons/final-scoring-performance-data-and-complete-specs-page-5

I agree with some of the other posts, ditch the EB 2.3 and give us the 2.7 nano.

 

[TheZman]

That test was extremely slow for the 435i, here is a test where the sedan ran a 13.3 @105mph and did 0-60 in 4.6. However, I get your point completely. My biggest complaint with the 2.3EB is the way the power just drops off after 5500rpm. This is what I hope the tune coming from FRPP cures. This will go along way in making this power-plant much more exciting.

http://www.caranddriver.com/comparisons/final-scoring-performance-data-and-complete-specs-page-5

I agree with some of the other posts, ditch the EB 2.3 and give us the 2.7 nano.

A good tune is definitely going to help. Your in the 12' s with a tune and wether you track the car or not thats a quick car especially for the streets.. once the aftermarket goes nuts with this thing it will be a very fast car on a budget with good fuel economy! Your faster then most v8s out there at that point..

 

[michaelmfl]

C&D makes fair points, but I think it's all cast in the shadow of the Coyote...find me another car that checks all those boxes.

I watched a video review of the EB before buying mine. The reviewer was shaking his head, complaining about something-or-other when he mentioned he was going well over 100 mph. I stopped watching then. These guys are not real world drivers, they are comparing the EB to cars much more powerful / expensive.

I purchased my EB after considering many points, including performance, price, and my expected real world driving. I could have afforded a faster car, but I chose not to spend money on something that did not provide much benefit to me.

My EB is more than enough to have fun for all types of driving and will 100% NEVER see a race track or drag strip....

Yes, I quite agree.

Who cares what C&D says....I couldn't be happier with my EB Premium.....and most important meets our needs....300+ HP is enuff for what we need....

Exactly. How often will I be flooring the car? Just a few times on the weekends, probably , but 90% of the time I will be behind someone going slow on my way to or from work :doh:.

 

[DeepImpactBlue2015EB]

I never take these magazine seriously.. most of them are reviewed by desk jockeys that have do idea how to drive.. Look at drivers like the guys that really drive them at the track and actually know what there doing they'll get much better stock times out of the car. What did the guy for bama tuning get from his stock test run 13.6 for the Ecoboost the 1/4 i believe?? These guys that do these reviews on cars if they already have a bias opinion going into a review and there a v8 fan or a different brand fan there not going to write a shinning review.. also when i buy a car i look at the car future potential and how much power it could make with the least amount of money put into it and none of these reviews ever take that into consideration which it should be.. especially like in this review how he says maybe Ford will give it a better tune from the factory..Lol who cares when you can tune it yourself its not like there going to change the engine..

13.6 but with drag radials right? or street tires?

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