EcoBoost is the brand name Ford uses for its turbocharged petrol engines.
These units make more power than non-turbo engines. That means Ford can fit smaller capacity engines to its cars, which return better fuel economy than older cars with bigger engines – despite offering the same or better performance.
What does Ford EcoBoost mean?
EcoBoost is a combo of 'eco', as in 'economical', and 'boost'. The 'boost' refers to the fact these engines are turbocharged, with exhaust gases spinning the turbo to force more air into the engine. More air means stronger combustion in the engine's cylinders, generating more power without increasing the physical size of the engine.
As the 'eco' implies, however, it's not really about making more power – it's about making roughly the same amount of power but from a smaller engine. For example, a Ford Focus might once have used a 1.6-litre non-turbo engine, but now it uses a 1.0-litre turbo EcoBoost engine that makes similar power but uses less fuel. More recent EcoBoost models include mild-hybrid tech to further improve economy.
When did Ford introduce the EcoBoost engine?
EcoBoost branding first appeared in 2009, with 1.6 and 2.0-litre EcoBoost engines appearing across Ford's European and American ranges through 2010. The 1.0-litre EcoBoost, which is one of the most common Ford engines in Europe and the UK, first arrived in 2012.
Which cars come with EcoBoost engines?
You'll find EcoBoost engines in the following Ford models:
- Ford Fiesta
- Ford Focus
- Ford EcoSport
- Ford Puma
- Ford Kuga
- Ford Mondeo
- Ford B-Max
- Ford C-Max
- Ford S-Max
- Ford Galaxy
- Ford Mustang
- Ford Tourneo Courier
- Ford Tourneo Connect
Are Ford EcoBoost engines good?
Broadly speaking, yes. Ford's EcoBoost engines are generally easy to drive, with lots of turbocharged torque to help them feel fairly relaxed on the road.
If you drive carefully and resist the temptation to lean into the turbo's extra power, you should be able to achieve impressive fuel economy figures with an EcoBoost engine. Alternatively, you'll find EcoBoost cars like the Fiesta ST and Puma ST, which are addictively entertaining when you press the go pedal.
Are Ford EcoBoost engines reliable?
A well-maintained Ford EcoBoost engine should prove to be reliable. Some EcoBoost engines – in particular, older 1.0-litre versions – have been known to suffer problems with their 'wet belt'. This is the rubber belt that runs through a bath of oil linking the engine's crank and camshafts together, and is critical for proper engine timing.
As certain EcoBoost engines aged, their wet belts would begin to break down, sending small bits of rubber into the oil system. This would clog the oil pickup and starve the system of oil, often leading to complete engine failure.
It's important to note that a proportion of these reported EcoBoost failures will be caused by external influences – perhaps the owner missed a few services, or the garage that worked on the car didn't use the correct grade of oil. Despite this, Ford's newer 1.0-litre EcoBoost engines started swapping the wet belt for a timing chain from around 2020 onwards to reduce the chances of a failure. All 1.0-litre mild-hybrid versions of this engine are chain-driven – so a Ford Puma should be a reliable buy.
In practice, owners of wet-belt EcoBoost cars should be able to keep them running just as long as a normal engine, but they might want to replace the wet timing belt more regularly than Ford recommends. The suggested interval is every 150,000 miles or 10 years – whichever happens first – but we've seen specialist garages recommend replacements at around eight years or 80,000 miles. Cambelt replacement is annoying and a little pricey, but it is still a normal wear and tear item, and you'd also eventually have to replace it on a non-wet-belt engine.
What is the difference between EcoBoost and a normal engine?
The defining trait of Ford's EcoBoost engines is that they're turbocharged to make more power. That means Ford can fit a smaller engine in place of a larger, non-turbo unit. For example, outfitting big cars like the Ford Focus and Ford Mondeo with comparatively tiny 1.0-litre engines, giving better fuel economy with no sacrifice to performance.
If you're not used to modern turbo engines, you'll find EcoBoost units very easy to drive. Thanks to their fairly small, low-pressure turbos, they generate lots of low-down torque, which means you don't need to stir the gearbox or thrash the engine to accelerate reasonably quickly. This makes them feel a little more relaxed than non-turbo engines.
Pros and cons of Ford EcoBoost engines
Pros
- Better fuel economy
- Extra low-down torque
- Lightweight for better ride and handling
Cons
- Economy suffers if you work the engine hard
- Not really designed for driving enthusiasts
- Wet-belt units may need more regular belt replacements than stated
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