Extremely Disappointed! Our 2019 Ford Expedition Platinum has a HUGE downside!

[@JohnSmith-lw2bm]

Welcome to ford ecoboost. You get economy or boost. Not both. Thanks for playing!

[@chadsteele1]

Many people dont know or think about it, why I'll never buy one.

[@cavebexartx]

Correct, every FoMoCo piece of literature I have read regarding MPG with the 3.5EB is exactly that. Designed for fuel economy when not under a tow load and “you get what you get” based on your (towing/trailer) configuration. (10-ply tires, PSI, into the wind vs with the wind, airflow across the tow vehicle then, airflow across the trailer. It could create a parachute effect. (I had a 2011 2WD, XLT S-Crew, max tow package, w/80k 33”x11.5x18” BF Goodrich 10ply KO2’s, pulled a 5x10 enclosed U-haul trailer from San Antonio to Jacksonville, Florida summer of 2016 got 16mpg. I don’t recall the weight of the trailer and cargo but, we were loaded. 300lbs of people. Two dogs = 80lbs together and a few small bags.) Outstanding tow experience. Zero issues. Last August, I traded in for a 2014 Platinum 4x4, S-Crew max tow 3.5EB. 35x12.5x20 BF’s and 3” RC suspension lift. I haven’t towed anything yet but looking forward to a 30’+ Airstream with proper WD hitch (weigh safe and the HD Roadmaster Active Suspension kit.)

[@czwarlord9243]

Couldn’t have said it better myself

[@JeepCherokeeful]

Physics are physics, surprising?!

[@JeepCherokeeful]

Know facts for centuries

[@RobertJohnVenable]

8-10 mpg is what I expected. On the HWY it’s not the weight thats killing your MPG, it’s the speed and drag of the box you’re dragging.

[@richfarfugnuven6308]

I was expecting 9 at those speeds...

[@benjaminsmithson1236]

thats also true you've got a lot of drag but mainly your stressing a small displacement engine and it has to work a lot harder as a result.

[@RobertJohnVenable]

@@benjaminsmithson1236 - Regardless of engine size, pulling an enclosed trailer murders MPG. I can personally verify this even with my 6.2L NA V8 pulling from Louisiana to North Carolina and back with a very similarly sized 6x12’ enclosed V-Neck single axle trailer.

[@johni1354]

When you are talking about highway MPG with a trailer, it is all about wind resistance. A small tail wind or headwind can make a big difference too. It's a simple fact that enclosed trailers on the highway will kill your mileage. I have a 16 foot V-nose tandem axle trailer. I literally get 7-8 mpg on the highway whether it's completely empty or has 3500 pounds of cargo. Around town is different, but who cares about mpg around town with a trailer? Long trips are what sucks up the gas.

[@boson285]

I pulled an empty box trailer with my V8 expedition, and I could feel the increased resistance as speed went up. I am a bit shy to invest in a turbo boost gas engine as I feel they require more maintenance and don't last as long as their larger non turbo counterparts. Fuel economy is impressive as it is about the same as my wife's '16 4WD Explorer.

[@dynac8012]

You might want to include data on the winds you were driving in. But, I think your main culprit is speed. The mpg delta between towing at 72 vs. 62 (my preferred speed) could be as much as 3 to 4 mpg.

[@MrYaxalot]

I use a 2005 2500 suburban 4x4 ext with a 8.1l v8 i tow a 20ft 200lb car hauler with my 2021 rzr turbo s and i get 10 mpg going to my camper spot. That mpg is ridiculous.

[@richfarfugnuven6308]

​@@MrYaxalot yes, but you have the beast motor...I'm jelly.

[@davidhann7803]

I have the 3.5 17 Expedition with a 4100 lb travel trailer and get 10mpg At Steady 60 mpg.. I call the towed unit an air brake, so faster you go you will pay big at the pumps..cheers..

[@adamharriger5193]

We have 2 3.5 Ecoboosts- a 21 Expedition with the hd towing package, and a 21 F150 Tremor. It doesnt matter if you are pulling 2000 lbs or 7000lbs the fuel economy drops to the 8-9mpg range. Just an ecoboost thing- as soon as you spool up the turbos it’s game over for economy. We have a 26ft Passport SL 221BH travel trailer that is around 6500lbs fully loaded. Have towed it on 2 different trips of around 2000 miles each- once with each vehicle. Economy was nearly identical at 8.8 mpg. We now primarily tow with the Tremor specifically due to it’s 36 gallon tank! That being said we absolutely love this powertrain, Ive owned many 1/2 ton trucks and the towing experience of the ecoboost is so much better than a hemi etc… And unloaded my wife averages 21 mpg daily driving her expedition which is phenomenal for a vehicle it’s size in our opinion.

[@filterfreephotography]

With my Expedition and R-Pod, I get around 12-14 mpg towing in the relatively flat Mid-Atlantic Region. I also never go higher than 65 when towing. My 2019 had a lift and larger tires, too. My new Timberline is getting around the same but only has bigger tires and no lift (yet). I think it was the speed that impacted the mpg that you saw.

[@chadfleenor2275]

I have a 2010 Expedition 4x4 with the 5.4. Just towed a 5000 car hauler trailer with a tractor in the hills of eastern Kentucky and got around 12.5 - 13 mpg. Speed was running 55-60 most of the time. It is about a 90 mile round trip, no trailer to and loaded coming back, average was 14.8. I reset the trip meter and loaded going back, mostly up, was 13.2. I didn’t need to to add fuel, because mine has a 33 gallon tank, plus total mileage on the trips was only 180 miles. Still sitting between 1/2 and 3/4 tank.

[@97minitaco]

You do have to consider that the 10 speed transmission keeps the rpm’s low and uses the turbos to get the power. While towing it gets pretty terrible fuel economy partially for that reason. We have the exact same one as you and in a similar setup we get similar results. However, unloaded on the hwy we regularly see 22-23 mpg. Empty around town we see 18.6-19. I think you have to pick your poison on this one. The thing that makes it so great as a commuter is also the detriment when towing.

[@donniecothern9842]

I get that with my 05 dodge durango 5.7 hemi 20- 24 hiway!!!!

[@peternm4883]

Recently purchased a 2014 F350 crew cab with the 6.7 diesel which will see casual as well as towing use (35' fiver). General driving yields a7-18 mpg, but towing is 9-10. It had a 26 gallon tank also. The first thing did was install a 50 gallon Titan tank that fits perfectly in place of the old tank. Wow! Now I can make it to the edge of my 10 acres!

[@sheputthelimeinthecoconut629]

We had an ecoboost F150. It was VERY strong in the MPG department when unloaded. 4x2 2.7L. Regularly saw 25. While towing, it was VERY sensitive to wind profile. And not in the stability way. A low trailer full of gravel/pavers? It could still pull 16mpg. Empty utility trailer like yours? 8. At best. Small camper we had at the time? (Single axle) 8. At best.

[@gcslade7487]

I had a couple of Expeditions over the years was always very disappointed in fuel mileage, but liked the vehicle overall. When going on lake or fishing vacations, my wife would tow our 21' boat (4800 Lbs) with Expedition and followed me pulling our 5th wheel travel trailer. My 3500 HD diesel truck pulling a 35' Montana 5th wheel was getting better mileage than the Expedition towing the boat. We constantly had to stop for fuel for the thirsty Expedition. We switched to a GM Tahoe. WOW.... a HUGE difference in fuel mileage and overall and stress reduction when towing. I highly recommend the GM Tahoe or Yukon with 3.0 diesel engine for a daily driver and when towing.

[@rsteel13]

Oh, we also sold our Expedition and went with a 2016 Suburban, depending on the wind i get 9 to 11 mpg. Way better than any Ecoboost, and plenty of power. I just hate the cylinder deactivation.

[@topofthemountainaction]

Something doesn’t seem right. I average 10-13 with an ‘18 f150 ecoboost. Travel trailer is 30’ and around 6500lbs. That’s towing in Colorado as well.

[@rhalloff]

First, I have to tell you that I have learned so much from you about towing. I really appreciate your content. I currently tow a 6500 lb travel trailer in AZ with a 2019 f150 FX4 with the 5.0 Coyote. It’s not quite as snappy as the 3.5, but very useable. Climbing hills with the trailer I get 8.5 to 9. On the flats with no wind I’ve seen 12.5. Add in a bunch of wind, I’m back down to 8.5. Before that I had both ecoboosts in 2015 and 2016 F150s. I chose to bypass the eco boost due to issues I’ve seen with ecoboosts towing especially in heat. Horrible fuel economy AND overheating. When it overheats it goes into limp mode essentially shutting down the turbos. Ford doesn’t seem to have an answer why. Most recently my friend got rid of his 2018 F150 with the 3.5 ecoboost just for that reason. He picked up an F250 with the 7.3 V8. No overheating and better fuel economy. Turbos create a ton of heat on their own, then add a tow load with poor wind resistance and hot towing environments, you may be asking for trouble. My opinion, for what it’s worth. Thanks again for all you do.

[@carltuckerson7718]

Makes a ton of sense. The V6 twin turbo just flat out has to rev higher to stay in power band.

[@Fsone174]

@@carltuckerson7718 That's literally the opposite of reality. The 5.0 spins faster than the 3.5 EcoBoost to generate an equivalent amount of power. It's just always under boost which is where the heat comes from.

[@Stxsteel]

General consensus from owners/tuners is the factory intercooler is undersized. Leading to heat soak and a drop in air density at same cylinder pressures.

[@paulleck]

Got my wife this exact vehicle (2019 Max Platinum - Max Tow 9,000lbs) except we have the 4x4 and 35” tires. Yeah. I was getting 8-11mpg in Utah towing a 8,700 travel trailer. I’ve also considered upgrading the sway bars to the hellwig. Great family vehicle as you said. Tons of power.

[@pavlo345]

How many total passengers do you have in the expedition max when towing your 8.7k trailer? I’m looking to buy expedition max to accommodate family of 7 and tow 7.5k travel trailer….but I’m getting 50/50 mix response about being over weight limit.

[@paulleck]

@@pavlo345 we are a crew of 6 and no issues

[@ryhun6781]

I tow a 26’ trailer that is about 7k with my 21 platinum and I get 9-11 over hills and such. One time going into a head wind I got 8. Not sure why yours is so low. Not my experience with my coachman freedom express. I love the towing experience with such luxury.

[@jamesr208]

Just got back from a 6,800 mile trip towing a 4k trailer w/ a 2020 expedition limited 4x4. If I’m to trust the onboard computer, we got a little under 10mpg. I found the engine and tranny to be happiest in 9th gear at 70mph which was just under 2k rpm. Tow/haul mode doesn’t lock out any gears, but I learned how to use the +\- buttons in standard drive mode (not manual mode) to lock out gears starting from the top down. This was very helpful on the interstates to lock out 10th, but also great in the mountains where I could lock out 8th through 10th which prevented some of the “hunting” the 10 speed otherwise likes to do.

[@TheSteelerider]

8 Mins of talk to find out you get 8 mpg.

[@mudranger9794]

Theoretically 10 speed should always be in the right gear. However the way its programmed is to keep the rpm as low as possible which puts you in boost more often. Keep it out of 9th and 10th gear and you'll get better mpg. Get something to monitor boost/vacuum (the factory half dial doesn't show what's actually going on). My ranger at 70 mpg in the flatlands of Florida stays at a constant 3.5 psi boost in 10th, .8psi in 9th and just barely in vacuum in 8th. 10th gear it averages 19mpg and 8th gear it averages 23mpg

[@williamrgrant]

This is very interesting. Probably deserves a video to showcase the differences!

[@highheatmikey]

When driving an ecoboost, if you are trying to get good MPG, you drive with the boost gauge up on the dash. If you see the gauge move, you get bad fuel mileage. Fords have run rich for a very long time, turbo fords run super rich in boost. You’ll also notice that if you baby it for long periods of time, then throw some weight behind it, and beat on it a bit, it will “roll coal”, because it’s blowing all of the carbon out of the exhaust that has built up from the east driving. If you aren’t worried about mpg, they are awesome. They have max torque like right off idle and go to the moon, so they pull heavy weight pretty well. I think the most I’ve had behind one was about 12k, on a flatbed, and got an average of 12mpg

[@jcorona0791]

I towed my 2020 passport 2600 bh with my 2015 Audi Q7 V6 Super Charge from San Diego To Houston Tx and I was getting 10 to 12 mpg . And I was impressed.

[@csmiley4273]

I tow both a 4500# travel trailer and a 7500# travel trailer with our 2021 Expy and get about 9.5 on the smaller, 8.5 on the larger. It all depends on speed, RPMs and wind for me. I usually keep it at 65MPH and do not let it go into 10th gear. Seems to help. You were driving up from Corpus, right? Sometimes those headwinds have killed my efficiency.

[@rhalloff]

I agree with your comment about speed. I seem to lose 1-2 mph jumping from 65 to 70. 2019 f150 with 5.0 towing 6500 lb TT.

[@jacmccauley7581]

I guessed about 7 mpg. Because I remember when the expeditions 1st came out that their fuel economy was so bad and it’s obvious that it hasn’t really improved much.

[@bparkinson1234]

Haha. I remember my 96 v8 grand Cherokee. I pulled a small 19 foot camper years ago. Normal 18 mph. Towing was 6.5 mph. I stopped at every gas station on the way from Denver to Iowa. Great video.

[@SinisterMD]

For what it's worth I would get 7-8MPG in my 2019 RAM 1500 Laramie (5.7L Hemi with the eTorque) towing a Grey Wolf 26DBH up through the Badlands and near Mt. Rushmore. I know Ford is pushing their smaller turbo engines but I feel they have to work really hard when you need to tow. Nowhere near as economical IMO. Also, I've been pulling trailers for a long time and finally had a pretty significant issue with a tire this weekend on my boat. I could feel something was off and looked to see it flinging bits of tread off. They're not all that old but really does make me reconsider the tires I have on there. If not for the safety factor the fact that I had to put the spare on in 100 degree heat. Not what I was planning.

[@rdjack21]

This is why I bought a GMC Canyon with the 2.8L Diesel engine. Getting on average about 26mpg around town and 30 or so on the highway (Texas roads). Towing a UHaul 6x12 dual axle trailer going from Austin to Fort Wort (loaded 4-5k total weight) I was getting 19-20MPG. Blew my mind that I was getting that high while towing. I just love this little 4 banger Diesel perfect for my needs. Don't ever tow anything supper heavy so didn't need a bigger truck. I'm looking to get a boat that will be in that 4-5k weight range and I'm sure it will handle that just as easily. My guess before you said anything was >10MPG so not surprised when you said just under 8. That is a gas engine for you and to top it off a Eco boost. Towing keeps that turbo spun up which kills MPG.

[@DragonPilot]

By comparison, I did a 1400 mile trip towing a 3500 lb trailer over a wide variety of Interstates, US highways, country roads, and mountainous terrain in my 2014 Expedition 5.4L LTD with HD tow package and averaged 11.8 mpg. This is actual mileage dividing gallons used by miles, not the onboard fuel calculator. Over the 7+ years I've towed with the vehicle I've averaged 10-12 mpg.

[@davidpatty2258]

You have to get the rev's up a bit. Lock out 8, 9 and 10th gear. When the boost gauge comes up, it's time to gear down a little. It will result in better mileage, but only expect about 10 or 11 at those interstate speeds. Reduced speed is your friend. Those turbo's effectively turn that into a 7 liter motor, you have to get the boost down to hope for any mileage while loaded.

[@thomasnew8606]

I was going to say the same. Lock out the top gear or 2. Lots of complaints here without trying different ways to make it work. The motor is more than capable. Learn how to use it.

[@russellmyers9802]

My son’s 2005 Volvo XC90 broke down while caravaning with my wife’s 2WD 2010 Toyota Sequioa with the 5.7 L and 244,000 miles. The Sequoia then loaded that 6,000 Volvo and a Uhaul car hauler and 4 people plus all of his worldly possessions (yes, we were over the weight limit on the Sequoia) and it returned 14 mpg from Riverside to Chandler AZ.

[@dirtpharm]

My wife and I just used her 2020 Expedition Max Limited 4x4 to tow a U-haul car hauler trailer with a 2002 Mustang GT from Florida to Michigan last month, approximately 5700pounds. We averaged almost 12mpg until we got into the hills and mountains of N. Georgia and Tennessee where it dropped just below 10mpg.

[@GRJannyDempsey]

We have a 2015 Expedition 4 wheel drive with 28 gallon tank and Max Tow Package. The Max Tow Package has a gear ratio of 3.70 vs 3.11 of the regular Expedition. We tow an Airstream, weighing 7,600# at 62 mph. Depending on winds, we get 10 to 11.5 mpg. We have towed over 50,000 miles and manually figured every tankful of fuel. When we get to 0 miles to go, we have 4 gallons left in the tank. We love our Ecoboost. I believe that your love of speed is the problem.

[@Guspech750]

I have a 2017 XLT EL with the heavy duty tow package and it has a 33.5 gallon fuel tank 6 speed automatic trans. When I towed our 7,700lb+ travel trailer to Wyoming from Chicago. I averaged 7.5 to 8 MPG driving 70-80mph. When I set the cruise control with our travel trailer. It will average 10-11MPG. I am not surprised with my results and I’m not disappointed either. The Ecoboost pulls our 7,700lb travel trailer like a freight train.

[@BigfootDadExploresMontana]

Strange, yet not strange. I can't relate to the Ecoboost since I've never had one, but I can relate in another way. 2007 Tahoe with 5.3L towing 5,200 LB GVWR travel trailer was getting between 6-7 MPG. The vehicle would even downshift going down hills. I had to stop at almost every gas station, it seemed. Same trailer with my Ram 6.4L (still gas) 11-13 MPG all day. Heck, even with our newer travel trailer which weighs 2 tons more and 15 ft longer, I still get 8-10 MPG. The smaller engine was endless frustration - the thing would absolutely protest towing anything. Again, apples to oranges, but this brought up some strong memories.

[@vomm66]

Just got back from moving daughter to St. Luis from Houston. Pulling 2 axial large uhaul. 4 people in my 2018 2.7 ecoboost, f150. 14 up with trailer and 20 down without. Don’t think it’s to bad. Trailer was packed full of furniture and books.

[@nealcoppola9963]

Consider the Aero Drag which far exceeds trailer weight concerns , and anytime that 3.5 goes into boost - fuel mileage goes into the toilet. To help lower combustion chamber temps I'd bet the ranch ; the fuel curve fattens up the mixture so you don't burn a piston. Like everyone says it's either eco or boost not both.

[@JB_WhoWork]

I was going to guess at least 10.5 MPG but wow that’s pretty bad… I wonder if premium fuel would make a difference?

[@clintmills1959]

I tow professionally and have for over 20 years. Just something to consider when toweling….. anytime you tow with cruise control on in any vehicle you will always get worse fuel economy. The best way is still to actually drive the vehicle manually. Feel the road, the grade, the wind, etc and adjust accordingly with your foot and the pedal. So many people have to keep up with Jones or in this case the other cars. Get in the right lane, and slow down. It’s ok to drop a little speed going up hill if the truck is telling your that it needs to. There’s a lot more to driving a vehicle than holding the steering wheel and setting the auto adjusting cruise control. Just my experience and two cents. Anyone here remember when truck pulling trailers used to get 3-4mpg? Now days everybody wants to tow 4 to 5 tons and get 17 mpg at the same time but the days of the old B series Cummins in the 90’s have be long since passed. lol.

[@slideboy07]

We have a 2018 expedition. A must for the third row seating for teenagers. Towing a 25’ camper fuel economy is about the same. Also the rear needs load leveling air suspension. Very difficult to get level even with WDH. I noticed our last camping trip fuel economy was a little better if I kept in 8th gear. Less shifting. Going to try that a little more.

[@six2fourU]

Have the F-150 Powerstroke diesel with the same 10-speed transmission. While towing my toy hauler, I always lock out 9th and 10th to prevent going into these overdrive gears. Keeps the engine from lugging and I achieve better mpg’s.

[@patmason7276]

Power takes gas. How much weight in the vehicle. They need to put a diesel engine in it.

[@jamesperkins5468]

My 2017 ford explorer with the smaller 2.3L ecoboost engine and 3k lb towing capacity pulled an 8' U-haul utility trailer loaded with around 2000 lbs of stuff got just over 18 mpg on average going from VA to CO last summer. I stuck the cruise at around 80 mph and didn't have an issue.

[@bearkatljl]

Based on my wife's 3.5 ecoboost in her 2018 Expedition, my guess is 11mpg especially if you were running 75 ish and in "tow/haul" mode. So I put my guess in before I watched all the video. However, this is why I wanted a V8 and not the turbo charged V6. I've heard of several people who had the 3.5l in an F-150 who complained that the fuel economy was good until you pulled something and it went to crap. The V8 (at least on paper) is only 1 mpg less than the ecoboost without towing but twice as good when towing. We bought my wife's for a "grocery getter" and it acutalyl got 25.9 mpg empty and with only her in the vehicle. For me if I was going to use the Expedition for towing very often at all I would probably have to look at the Tahoe or something else with a V8.

[@buelltonman]

I share your concerns. I have a 2019 limited expedition non max with the heavy tow package. I tow a 22’ Lund Baron boat which is probably less than 5000 lb between boat and trailer. It tows it well but horrible fuel mileage. I don’t tow super often so the economy isn’t too bad for me but the rig needs a massive fuel tank especially if it’s the max tow package but they don’t offer.

[@chasemixon6327]

So, I have the 2020 Expedition Limited, so it is not the same package when I'm not towing, I get 24-26 MPG. I just took a trip about 350 miles away on it, and went all the way there and back on the same tank. when I'm towing my 8000 lbs camper, I get about 12 mpg. I will say when I'm driving, I drive a lot slower than most, and when on the interstate I'll pull in behind an 18-wheeler and set my cruise so it just follows the truck to maximize the MPG getting a little draft off the truck. when I'm towing, I'm running about 55-60 MPH. I also use Premium Gas to help with the MPG.

[@CfRlCajunfishRiplips]

I get that same mpg pulling 9.5k trailer with my 2017 F250 6.2l lol. I would of never guessed that kind of mpg on a trailer that size behind that expedition.

[@SiliconvalleyVC]

2019 Ford F-350 SRW 4x4 crew cab with long bed 6.7 PSD. I was getting 21-22 mpg going 65 mph on I5 in California. Did use the ford motor craft cetane booster. no hills, mostly straight and not windy. no payload, no trailer and no passengers. 6.7 powerstroke for the win !

[@bosshogkcmo]

No replacement for displacement. Perfect example. Keep up the great videos.

[@snowbaordguru]

8.2 mpg pulling an off road micro minnie 1800bh gvwr 5000lb with a 2012 f150 ecoboost max tow. It had zero issues with hills. Tow/haul on and 6th gear locked out.

[@herb7877]

I had great success with my F150 3.5l ECO. Ave. 17mpg empty running around town, 22-24mpg's empty on the Frwy. I tow a 7400# tt and averaged ~10.3 mpg's over 30k miles over a 4+ year timeframe. Mostly going up & down a lot of hills & mountains here in the Pacific N.W. + a couple trips to AZ. Even got 13 a couple of times on very flat road. Plenty of power going up the largest of mountain roads at 60+ mph with 7400#'s tt behind me. I much preferred it over the 2020 F150 5.0 L I used for a couple of trips. Your mpg's are awful !. I have a new F350 7.3L and get 10 mpg's towing my 7400# trailer.

[@jonathanzellner906]

425 miles each way, but a total of 500 some miles round trip??? I’m not nit picking, I love your content and I learned a lot! Keep up the great work!

[@Wayne55125]

This is a lot of rambling for little information. This video should be no more than 3 minutes long.

[@therealjamescobb]

I totally understand your disappointment, but I have a VERY similar limited 2020 expedition with a 6000lb travel tralier that is 29 foot. 23gal tank on the non XL/MAX. I STILL get the same 7-9MPG as you did. It hurts but im not paying diesel prices and it fits in the garage with the use of all 7 seats as adults. I live just north of you and understand the TX heat / issues. Wish we could get more range / bigger tank.

[@saskrvcamper]

I have an 08 Expedition with a tuned 5.4L and a 15 Expedition Max Platinum with the 3.5L Ecoboost. The 08 is running 3:31 if I remember correctly (maybe 3:55), 15 is running 3:73. The '15 is also 600LBS heavier. While towing my 7,200LBS trailer I get slightly better fuel milage with my '15. I sit around 10mpg on the flats with the '15 and 9mpg with the 08.

[@engineeringVirtue]

My 2020 expedition gets 9-12mpg towing a 30ft 7,200lb grand design trailer. Increase tire pressure a little and make sure weight is balanced nicely. The hitch limit of 930lbs and payload are big limiters. Only issue is downhill braking on steep mountain passes, expedition relies on transmission and trailer brakes... transmission temp heats up faster than you think even with auxiliary fan.

[@tobybeast123]

I had a 2016 F150 with the 2.7 Ecoboost that got 11.5 mpg with a very similar sized and weighted trailer. That seems to be the thing with the Ecoboost engines. You either get boost or eco not both at the same time.

[@VetBodGaming]

We have a similar loss in MPG when towing with out traverse (3.6L). With everyone and the RV fully loaded we're getting close to GCVWR and we get around 7mpg, by myself I only get 8-9mpg. A lot feels like the gearing, even in tow haul mode it doesn't up and down shift as often as I'd like. Once we get our RAM 2500 though our RV is going to look tiny behind it

[@falconaz]

2018, Platinum w/Tow pkg... about 55k miles. Check engine light on and off, on and off. Service recall for timing related issue in the motor. Dealer did something wrong. Huge oil leak. Another trip back to dealer. Was towing 17RP Wolf Pup. Seemed to tow it well at 65mph, was getting around 11mpg. After almost getting stranded (had to drop the trailer about 100 miles from home) decided I'd rather stay in a hotel. Just sold the 17RP. Selling this the '18 Expedition w/57k miles. Had my fill of RVing.

[@MichaelOlsen]

2021 F150, 3.5L Ecoboost, towing 8000lbs and a 33ft travel trailer. 65mph on highway. I average 8.5 mph over all roads, highway and street roads.

[@bjblahnik5358]

We own 2019 Ford expedition limited max with max tow package 4X4. Pole camper and other various trailers with it often. Our payload capacity is 1626 pounds. When towing the 30 foot camper we average 12 miles to the gallon at 60 mph but 8 miles to the gallon at anything over 70 mph. No trailer we average 19 miles per gallon overall

[@balbi7590]

I averaged 9 mpg on my 2016 Navigator L towing a 6,300 lb Jayco 24BH. This on a trip from Michigan to Yellowstone with a ton of mountains. I usually average 13 mpg with the same trailer on flat land. The sweet spot on this Ecoboost is 65mph. Your driving style will affect these numbers. I don't use the cruise in the mountains, that will rob you quite a bit.

[@DKrage01]

Not surprised. My Ram 3500 Cummins gets nearly the same mileage towing a 27’ V-nosed cargo trailer empty as my 40’ Cedar Creek fifth wheel. It’s the air drag as much as the weight behind my turbo diesel. Same effect on your turbo gasser.

[@andiamo66]

The ecoboost is very sensitive to ambient temperatures, wind and fuel grade when towing. It should do better using premium fuel, but I'm sure the intercooler was maxed out at those temperatures.

[@raycalandra1887]

I feel your pain. I was towing our 26' 6300lb Rockwood Mini Lite with our 2019 Expedition Limited. It has the Max Tow package and the max cargo package and has AWD. Same 9300lbs towing capacity, and it has 1530lbs Payload capacity. They told me it would out tow my 2010 Eddie Bauer Expedition which had the 5.4 Triton V8. Well, it does in terms of power and control. However, the 5.4 V8 averaged around 9 to 10mpg while towing and had a 28.5 gallon tank. My 2019 Limited with the 3.5 Ecoboost gets around 8mpg towing, and with the 26 gallon tank I was not happy with the loss of range. I'm surprised that your 2 wheel drive Platinum has slightly less payload capacity and doesn't do better on gas mileage with the smaller lighter trailer. I now tow my Travel Trailer with a 2020 Ram Ecodiesel. It gets around 14MPG towing and with my auxiliary tank I am carrying a total of 46 gallons of fuel.

[@jasonbenegasi4238]

3.73 gear ratio comes with the max tow package. That negatively impacts your mileage. Also, you have a tow drive mode that changes the transmission to shift more efficiently. You didn’t mention either of those and they can impact MPG. At the end of the day though, I’d expect 10-12mpg. I have the same vehicle but 4x4 and that’s what I get when I tow.

[@johnmclucas7588]

I agree mostly-all depends on how much your towing and how far. My 2012 Eco F150, I towed 7-8K and got about 12 towing to TN…no way he’s getting 8 towing that little of weight….my wife’s 08 Expy, we got 10-12 towing our Boreas.

[@cavebexartx]

Correct, every FoMoCo piece of literature I have read regarding MPG with the 3.5EB is exactly that. Designed for fuel economy when not under a tow load and “you get what you get” based on your (towing/trailer) configuration. (10-ply tires, PSI, into the wind vs with the wind, airflow across the tow vehicle then, airflow across the trailer. It could create a parachute effect. (I had a 2011 2WD, XLT S-Crew, max tow package, w/80k 33”x11.5x18” BF Goodrich 10ply KO2’s, pulled a 5x10 enclosed U-haul trailer from San Antonio to Jacksonville, Florida summer of 2016 got 16mpg. I don’t recall the weight of the trailer and cargo but, we were loaded. 300lbs of people. Two dogs = 80lbs together and a few small bags.) Outstanding tow experience. Zero issues. Last August, I traded in for a 2014 Platinum 4x4, S-Crew max tow 3.5EB. 35x12.5x20 BF’s and 3” RC suspension lift. I haven’t towed anything yet but looking forward to a 30’+ Airstream with proper WD hitch (weigh safe and the HD Roadmaster Active Suspension kit.)

[@joshuaenyart5570]

It's not about the weight it's not about the motor, it's aerodynamics! I moved my sister from Kansas City to California both ways same trailer. on the way back with the empty trailer I hit a wind storm head-on I could make it about an hour between fill ups going about 45 mph with a V8 Cadillac SRX all wheel drive.

[@CaseyGpdx]

We just put our 7500 lb 33 ft travel trailer behind our 2021 expedition max limited. we got 7 mpg and sway above 55. Only if our F250 never got stolen

[@evergreen_sparky]

Great content. Great subject, just made a trip across Washington state 250 miles away from start and return. Chose to fill up at beginning and halfway both ways. Spent a around $400 on fuel. Towed a 6500 lb bumper pull with a 2006 Chevy 3/4 ton gas. Averaged about 8.5 mpg. Defiantly was mind full of fuel capacity. Wanting to upgrade later on.

[@cwtex59]

I get 15-16 non towing city/hwy and around 8.5-9.5 pulling my almost 24k 5thwheel with my 2020 F450 . Had a 2016 f150 with 3.5 Ecoboost and I got about the same mileage pulling a small trailer. Loved the truck but it wasn’t that fuel efficient. It has a 36 gallon tank which helped.

[@allencarr8222]

I had a 2018 Ram `1500 with the 5.7 Hemi. I made a trip to Terrell, TX to pick up a horse and had a terrible experience with fuel economy. Let me add that the truck had a 4" lift and bigger tires. The trailer was a CM 3 horse slant, but this particular trip I only hauled one horse. Between Dallas and home in Hempstead I had to fill up three times and got slightly under 8 MPG. Sense then I got rid of it and got an F250 6.7 and I can haul much more and get about 12-13 MPG.

[@NancyFehner]

Wow! This is the vehicle we were considering for towing a 7,300-lb. Airstream. Guess we’ll have to re-think what vehicle we’ll buy. We currently use an F-350 dually to tow a 35-ft. 5th wheel and get 9 mpg.

[@wellthatdidntwork]

Before reconsidering id do some more research on the towing mpg. Yes...Btbrv is a reputable channel but not the end all do all and im sure he would also want you to research it further before making a final decision.

[@rhalloff]

I’d stick with a truck for that size of trailer. Payload is going to be an issue AND the weight of your rig vs the weight of the tow vehicle too. If the tow vehicle is a lot lighter than the trailer, it’s going to have its way with the tow rig. I tow a similar size trailer with an f150 with the tow package. There are still times I wish I had a bigger, heavier truck. Good luck.

[@adamharriger5193]

We pull a 26ft 7k travel trailer with an Expedition XLT 4x4 with the hd towing package. Ours has 1692 lbs of payload capacity- which is phenomenal for it’s class and bests many 1/2 ton trucks. Pulls like a dream, but our towing mpg matches the 8-9 number. Unloaded it gets 21mpg average as my wife’s daily driver. The fuel stops on a long trip are excessive, but that is the absolute only complaint we have. If only Ford would stuff the 36 gallon tank from an F150 under the Expedition it would be perfect!

[@GRJannyDempsey]

Nancy, we love our Expedition with Max Tow Package, towing our 31’ Airstream with the Hensley Arrow hitch. As I said earlier, we get 10-11 mpg at 62 mph. Speed will kill mileage in any tow vehicle.

[@Double_deuce22]

We had a 2019 Nissan Armada Platinum 4wd. We towed a Outdoors RV 23BKS. Yes we pushed it on the max limits. Yes, the mpg was abysmal. We would average 6-8 mpg. We bought a 2020 Titan Crew Cab 4wd. We towed the same TT and averaged 9-10 mpg. It is rather interesting as they had the same drivetrain. In the end we sold everything and bought a 2020 Silverado CC 4WD with the 3.0 Duramax. We love it. The mpg in the Silverado is unreal in a positive way even when towing our heavy boat. We also have a 2020 Genesis Supreme 28CR and tow it with a 2018 Ram 3500 SRW CC 4WD with the cummins. We average between 9-13 mpg in the Ram depending on how much we have in the trailer; how fast I am driving; and the wind. For those that swear their cummins gets 16-20 while towing 15k lbs God Bless ya as we do not get it.

[@landocal07]

I have the exact same 2019 Expedition Platinum. I get about 13-15 mpg towing a 19 foot Airstream weighing about 4,500-5,000 lbs.

[@Alex.AL_26]

If I am towing my 6X8 utility trailer long distances that weights about 2500 pounds including the cargo I usually get about 12-13 MPG on the highway at 70-75 MPH in my 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee with a 3.7L V6. When towing my 16 foot enclosed trailer that has a total weight of about 7000 pounds with my work truck which is a 2015 F-250 with the 6.2L V8 I get about 6-7 MPG, but most of the driving is around town and there is also a lot of idle time since I am working out of my truck for 10-12 hours per day.

[@andyd5492]

I got just under 18MPG towing a U Haul 5x8 across CT, NY and PA. Very hilly and mostly at slowly increasing elevation. 20 Explorer with 2.3 ,10 speed, 20 inch wheels, regular gas and used tow/haul mode. Put cruise on 65 mph. U Haul trailers have a flat front but rounded corners. Did same trip with a smaller 4x8 and averaged over 20 MPG. A few years ago did same trip in F150 FX4 3.5 ecoboost and got 14.5 mpg. Again driving around 65 mph.

[@noviceadventurers]

This makes me feel good about my v10 Ford Excursion with a 44 gallon tank

[@choochooman]

I watched the video, and I've read the comments. What I didn't read or hear from anybody was the quality of fuel used ? Did you use the cheapest, mid-grade, or premium gas, or even club gas? I added club gas because Sam's club and Costco's sell gas, but when I used Sam's gas, my mileage dropped way down even when I was empty. To the point I used a quarter of a tank to drive one way to another town 40 miles away. I now use premium in my suv and it seems to be doing better.

[@bquino9888]

I had same vehicle/trailer setup, i put a drop hitch on so the trailer would pull level and it helped mpg noticeably. Notice your hitch is high and trailer is tilted up, that catches the wind drag somewhat fierce over and under the unlevel trailer and mpg is worse like that. Try out a drop hitch to lower that trailer front and notice much better mpg. Trying to keep my expedition since I just dropped $ maintaining necessary parts went out at 100,000, hope to get another 50,000 miles, the platinum are expensive not to try to get all the miles you can

[@scscooter4]

What were the engine RPM's running at 70 mph with the trailer compared to no trailer?

[@thesnottynosekid9985]

My 2005 F-250 diesel gets about 19mpg on the highway empty, 11-12 mpg while towing my Grand Design 31mb fithwheel, and 9-10 mpg while towing my 16 foot enclosed cargo trailer. The cargo trailer is flat in the front. I think the amount of wind your fighting on the highway makes the biggest difference.

[@brianscudder2170]

I tow with a 2018 Sequoia Platinum 4WD, and a similar (but slightly larger, heavier) cargo trailer. 11.2 MPG. Your experience is quite surprising.

[@donhaas8547]

The wind resistance is the thing cutting your fuel mileage. I have a 2012 F -150 twin turbo 2WD. I have the tow package below the max tow package. I tow 28 foot travel trailer that weighs 6,300 empty. I get 7 to 9 staying at 65 mph. Trying to go faster cuts the fuel mileage considerably. I want a F -350 but used truck prices are still stupid high in Ohio. So I deal with what I have for now. My son has a 2017 10,000 lb gvwr gas f250 and gets 10 mpg pulling my trailer.

[@MaxBrandenberger]

I guessed it on the nose. I tow a 6500 lb travel trailer with a 2013 Nissan Armada and I usually get 8 mpg going 70 mph in Texas. I have heard that the Ecoboost is thirsty when towing.

[@mikewolffe9706]

I have an older (2013) f150 with the 3.5 ecoboost. I get about 16.5 mpg in mixed driving, and less when I tow/haul. I have the 35gal fuel tank, so range in not an issue for me. But the saying goes "you can have Eco, or you can have Boost, but you can't have both"

[@markreams3192]

I would be disappointed too. I guessed 12. I just drove from Jamul California to Menifee California up and down hills all the way with a Toyota Tacoma towing a 5400# travel trailer. I got 12.8 mpg which is roughly half of what I get when not towing on interstate highways. My guess is that that’s not normal and there may be an issue with your SUV. The first thing I would do is replace the stock air filter with a K&N. The other thing you might consider is an aftermarket cat back exhaust. Borla is probably the best because it’s 304 stainless steel and it doesn’t drone like a rat racer! The other thing is speed. Fuel economy on a small displacement turbocharged engine will drastically reduce when going from 60 or 65mph to 70 or 75mph. It just doesn’t react like a diesel to increased speed. On that engine you’ll get either eco or boost and boost is not very eco! The other thing I see here is that trailer is not sitting level. The nose is tipped up which may cause a significant increase in drag.

[@csrajuse]

Towed 5000 lbs (trailer + cargo) with a BMW x5 diesel cross country (California to Florida, cannot get any longer than that). I got around 13-16. Without towing I get 25-27 mpg. Love the diesel power. I am considering getting an Expedition max, but probably won't use it for towing.

[@theantiqueactionfigure]

I got 14 mpg in my cummins 2500 Ram towing a tandem axle 14 foot version of that cargo trailer with 5,500 gross. Running 70 mph from Texas to So Cal.

[@j.l.thomas3912]

I am not surprised. My brother has a Ford F150 with Eco Boost. He said first time he towed his Bass Boat the fuel economy "fell off a cliff". Ford should b3 more transparent with their customers concerning their fuel economy claims.

[@shiftfocus1]

I admit to being surprised, but like others I suspect speed and aero drag are the key factors. For reference, I tow a 4700 lb TT with a 2012 Expedition, with the (dreaded) 5.4L 3-valve & 6-speed. I tow at 62 mph (100 km/h) and average 9.1 mpg towing. At steady state speeds towing a boxy trailer on flat roads, the engine won’t matter as much. The power delivered must meet the power demand, so a big V8 or small turbo V6 should burn about the same fuel. The turbo engine might be more efficient under light loads, but that’s not towing.

[@laquetatomlinson]

Sorry, we have a 2013 F150 3.6 eco boost and we hauled a full 5x8 cargo trailer with about 1,000 lbs from California to Idaho and we averaged 12 miles to the gallon. We normally average around 17 mpg anyway. It does have the supposed 13,000lb towing rate. We only have two wheel drive also.

[@brianrhodes7131]

I have a 2200# empty (7k) 7x14 tandem axle cargo trailer. Between the two families that use the trailer, we have a 2015 F150 2.7L 2wd (CCSB), 2022 RAM classic 3.5L 4x4 (QC), and a 2018 RAM 2500 diesel 4x4 (CCLB). The distance between our homes is approximately 135 miles with speeds ranging from 70, 60, and 55 mph sections and fluctuates between sea level and 500’ elevation a few times along the route. All empty trailer mileage towing on the route: Ford 2.7 - 8.6mpg, RAM 3.5 - 10mpg, 2018 RAM diesel - 13mpg. I thought the 2.7 ecoboost would do a little better than it did, but it really brought back the notation that it is a glorified car. 99% of the time the ford never has a trailer behind it, but it was necessary once… haven’t done it since.

[@damoncademartori7224]

I towed with a 2017 same set up EL 2wd 9k lbs I would get 8.5 to 9 in the hills of Northern AZ all of the time. Sway was my big problem.

[@Sman67]

I have a 2017 F150 with the 3.5 ecoboost max tow package. I also have tge 6.5' bed and a cap. Towing a 18 v nose enclosed trailer, i'm gett8ng 10.1 mpg on mixed roads.

[@ryanhessler8966]

My 2019 F-150 gets about 8 mpg with my 8k TT gross combined scaled out at almost exactly 14k, at 65mph. We've been to South Dakota twice in two years. We go from about Fort Collins Colorado to Rapid City and only stop In Torrington for fuel as a half way split. The first trip I fueled in Cheyenne and made it to Custer in one 36 gallon tank but it had me easy on the throttle climbing hills haha pushed it a bit far for comfort. The key is not doing 75mph. You can't expect any type of fuel economy towing a wall at that speed.

[@theadventurecrew5719]

A tow package doesn't mean better MPG, you listed the options and that is what it is. I'm surprised that you would be surprised by the bad mileage. Doesn't matter what you drive, towing greatly reducess your mileage. My 1-ton ram towing our toy hauler full or empty gets pretty much the same mileage. I definitely thought it would be better empty, but it wasn't. Should have taken the truck to do your towing :)

[@samdavis2735]

Just took a 400 mile round trip in our '19 limited yesterday. Did 75mph average one way, then 65mph average back. No trailer, just 4 people, and we got 4 mpg better just by dropping down 10 mpg. So yea, you're hauling anything with a V6, the mpg isn't great, but I'd say speed had way more to do with the economy here than anything.

[@brianw4877]

2019 Ford Expedition Max Platnium. Bought used at 45k miles, rear AC broke in shop 20 days, 1st to 2nd gear jerk in shop for 7 days. 10 speed tranny overheated towing nothing in shop for 24 days, and this is the 2nd replacement tranny. One Seat belt sensor defective air bag light on - this causes the air bag system to NOT DEPLOY, in shop for 7 days. Keyless entry not working after any rain. Drove 11k miles over 20 months, in ford shop 58 days. I would say this suv was rushed into production.

[@caseypries7559]

Wow JD, I'd be pissed. In fact, I just bought a 2019 Ram 3500 Limited Megacab dually HO Cummins w/4.10s and was disappointed I only got 15.5 mpg driving it home. I've since found the air filter was very dirty. Took a 90 mile drive in Traverse City, MI and got 18.7 mpg. Towing our 12k 5th wheel back to Indiana we got 9.6 mpg. Haven't had a chance to check highway miles while unloaded with the new air filter yet.

[@boson285]

I drive an '07 EL base model. Your fuel economy rant makes me feel better about my 5.7 v8. My EL has a 31 gallon fuel tank. I know the standard length for the same year model has a smaller tank. I think my tow capacity is 9700 pounds. I have the 4x4 model. But when I tow a small box trailer, I can feel the drag on power and economy. Once you tow with a diesel, you're done with gas engines.

[@jpag8764]

My 2018 Ram 1500 (5.7L) gets 10 - 11mpg towing my 7X16 cargo trailer whether it’s empty (2000) or loaded (7000 or maybe a smidge over). Made multiple 2400 mile trips over the last year and it was pretty consistent. Truck has rated towing capacity of 10,434 (per VIN) but I wouldn’t want to get close to that cross country

[@danabrown2950]

I have a 2020 Expedition (V6, 10 speed but with the lower power spec) and tow a significantly larger and heavier tandem axle trailer. I routinely get 14-15 mpg towing.

[@dgoatranch]

I hate traveling I35 from Austin to Dallas. Made that trip hundreds of times. Really hate it when it's above 100 degrees where I run the tires 5 to 15lb down from their cold rating depending on the rating (C to H) when under a heavy load. 16ply load range H tires go from 110psi to 129psi in that heat under a moderate load.