What is EcoBoost?
EcoBoost is Ford's brand name for its family of turbocharged, direct-injection engines designed to deliver V6 or V8-like power from smaller displacement.
EcoBoost is Ford's marketing name for a family of turbocharged, direct-injection gasoline engines that the company began rolling out in the late 2000s. The core idea behind EcoBoost is downsizing: pairing a smaller-displacement engine with turbocharging and direct fuel injection to approach the power output of a larger naturally aspirated engine while aiming for better fuel efficiency under normal driving conditions.
The EcoBoost lineup spans a wide range of displacements and applications, from a 1.0-liter three-cylinder used in the Fiesta and Focus to a twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 used in the F-150 and Raptor trucks. This range let Ford apply the same underlying technology approach across economy cars, family sedans, SUVs, and full-size trucks rather than confining turbocharging to performance models alone.
EcoBoost engines have also found their way into performance applications, including the Ford Focus RS and Mustang EcoBoost, showing that the same turbocharged, direct-injection architecture can be tuned for either efficiency or power depending on the application. The name has become one of the more recognizable engine sub-brands in the mainstream automotive market.
Related terms
Frequently asked questions
EcoBoost on the blog
A locker ties the two wheels on an axle together so both turn at the same speed. Here is how that differs from open and limited-slip differentials, how air, electric, and automatic lockers work, which trucks have them, and why you unlock on pavement.
The 2027 Ford F-150 makes the 5.0-liter V8 available from the base XL to the top Platinum again, and the King Ranch and Platinum get it back for the first time since 2023. A new 325 hp 3.0-liter EcoBoost becomes the base engine, and a new Raptor 800A trim starts $4,010 cheaper at $74,995.
Ford built the Mk3 Focus RS for just three model years, and people still argue about it. It had 350 horsepower, a trick all-wheel-drive system that could shuffle torque across the rear axle, and a Drift Mode that actually worked. It also had a head gasket problem worth knowing about.