Ford’s Lion diesel engine in the F-150 was an underrated engine that deserved better – Jalopnik

The 3.0-liter Power Stroke V6 that Ford installed in the F-150 (which was a successor to the F-100) was not just a standard European diesel. Its origins can be traced back to an architecture that Ford first developed together with Peugeot-Citroën. But before it arrived at the F-150, this so-called Lion engine family was further refined over the years in Jaguars and Land Rovers, and later built from the ground up with heavy-duty components to suit the needs of most truck enthusiasts. Ford gave it a stronger forged crankshaft, compressed graphite iron block, upgraded bearings, a 29,000 psi high-pressure injection system and a water-cooled variable turbo.

And despite how notorious diesel engines are for their noise, the Lion barely let out more than a polite murmur. Testers had to stand directly in front of the grille to make sure it wasn’t blocking the spark plugs somewhere. Once warm, it was as quiet, idling like a mild-mannered gas V6.

Skeptics may have been unsure when Ford claimed the Lion-powered F-150 would get 30 mpg on the highway, but they couldn’t have been more wrong. The SuperCrew 4×4, popular for opening the floodgates to four-door trucks in 2001, came close, landing on highways 25 and 22 combined. Other pickup models achieved competitive results, but it was the rear-drive SuperCab that achieved the magic 30 mpg. Numbers above 30 were also common in controlled hypermiling loops.

Thanks to the enormous torque at low speeds, the Lion did not have to downshift every time the wind changed direction. The 10-speed transmission simply slid through its ratios without drama. But despite meeting efficiency requirements, the diesel F-150 found itself in a strange no man’s land. Most half-ton buyers only towed a few weekends a year, making the diesel’s advantage feel theoretical. Add in a $3,000 to $4,000 premium and Ford’s incoming hybrid and EV push, and the Power Stroke was pushed from all sides.

From 2018 to 2021, the diesel F-150 didn’t change much mechanically – because it didn’t need to. It came out of the gate polished; quiet, smooth, confident under load and capable of towing 11,400 pounds or carrying more than 2,000. The 3.5-liter EcoBoost might have beaten it on brute force, but its composed nature was something else entirely. Whether tackling muddy off-road courses or towing extra heavy trailers, the Lion diesel was more than up to the task.

But the market never showed up. Ford expected diesel consumption of about five percent, and that’s exactly where the country ended up. Meanwhile, emissions regulations became stricter, the hybrid PowerBoost was introduced and the fully electric F-150 Lightning emerged. The Lightning in particular proved to be very successful, recently beating the Tesla Cybertruck in electric pickup sales. Today, the 3.0-liter Power Stroke is the odd one out in the F-150 engine lineup. It was built for long distance, but never got one.