The decoder: EcoBoost engines

Ford's family of fuel-efficient engines explained

The Ford F-150 Raptor. Vidhyaa for The National

As with most carmakers these days, Ford is making a concerted push to slash the fuel consumption and emissions levels of its models, and currently its silver bullet for achieving this is the EcoBoost family of engines. Nice name, but what does it mean? Put simply, it’s a generic moniker for a line-up of powerplants ranging from a 1.0-litre three-cylinder unit to a 3.5L V6s that use turbocharging and direct injection (squirting fuel into the combustion chamber at high pressure) to maximise power and torque without resorting to thirsty, large-capacity engines.

Ford claims its EcoBoost recipe (actually, the technology was designed by Mazda) is a cheaper and more-flexible solution than resorting to diesel or hybrid power trains as a means of reducing consumption and emissions. Currently, the models available here with EcoBoost engines are the Focus ST, Escape Titanium, Edge (Titanium and Sport), Explorer Sport, Expedition, the four-cylinder Mustang, Taurus SHO and, as reviewed here, the F-150 Raptor. Expect more EcoBoost offerings in the coming years.