Thriftiest Version of New Ford F-150 Is 16% More Fuel Efficient

The most fuel-efficient powertrain option for Ford Motor Co.'s new aluminum-intensive F-150 pickup truck is 16% thriftier in combined city/highway driving than the current model's most miserly option.

The new truck, which is being shipped to dealers now, is about 700 lbs lighter than the outgoing F-150, according to Ford.

The best fuel economy option for the re-engineered 2015 model is a 2.7-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder EcoBoost engine that makes 325 hp and 375 lb-ft of torque. It has an Environmental Protection Agency rating of 19 mpg in the city, 26 mpg on the highway and 22 mpg combined.

The most efficient F-150 engine in 2014 was a 3.7-liter V-6 flex-fuel engine, which has an EPA rating of 17/23/19 mpg. A 3.5-liter V-6 without flex-fuel rating was rated at 16/22/18 mpg.

The most powerful engine option for the aluminum F-150 is a 3.5-liter turbocharged V-6 (365 hp and 420 lb-ft), which is rated at 20 mpg in combined driving. That compares with 17 mpg for the 2014 model with a 5.0-liter V-8, and 16 mpg with a 6.2-liter V-8.

The most fuel-efficient pickup in the America market is a diesel-powered 2015 Chrysler Ram, which has a combined rating of 23 mpg. Ford says its 22-mpg engine is cheaper to operate in the U.S. because gasoline costs less than diesel fuel.