2020 Ford F-150 Owner Review: After 97,000 Miles, Would He Buy Another EcoBoost?

There is no shortage of videos telling you modern trucks are unreliable. Spend five minutes scrolling social media and you’ll hear about blown turbochargers, expensive repairs, and electronics failures.

But every once in a while, I come across an owner who has actually lived with one of these trucks for years. Instead of speculation, they have nearly 100,000 miles of real-world experience, and one in-depth Ford F-150 owner review.

That’s exactly what happened with fellow Nebraskan Big Ben’s Outdoors. He recently shared a 2020 Ford F-150 owner review after putting 97,000 miles on the truck with the often criticized 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6. His experience paints a much different picture than what you typically read online.

Nearly 100,000 Miles With Very Few Repairs – 2020 Ford F-150 Owner Review

Ben purchased his 2020 Ford F-150 XLT new in July 2020 with just 53 miles on it. It was his first brand-new truck. Equipped with the SuperCrew cab, 5.5-foot bed, Max Tow Package, and 302A equipment group, the truck has spent the last six years doing a lot more than commuting.

He says he routinely takes the truck into remote areas where most owners would hesitate to drive. Along the way, it has accumulated more than 97,000 miles.

Surprisingly, the maintenance list has been incredibly short.

Outside of routine oil changes, filters, and fluid services, the only major upgrade has been replacing the factory tires with LT-rated BF Goodrich All-Terrain KO2s at roughly 45,000 miles.

Mechanically, the truck has needed just one warranty repair. Around 50,000 miles, the dealer noticed the rear differential seal beginning to seep and replaced it under warranty.

Otherwise, the original battery remains in place. The factory brake pads are still installed. The engine shows no signs of leaks and the original turbochargers continue operating without issue.

His only annoyance is the truck “goes through taillights.” The incandescent taillights simply don’t last that long for him.

Two things did break. The heated seat on the driver’s side doesn’t work and he says it is a “known thing” that he just has to take it in to have fixed with his extended warranty. The other item is the outside keypad on the driver’s side door that he said got caught in a car wash and he taped it back on.

For a truck approaching 100,000 miles, that’s an impressive ownership record.

Why He Still Loves His EcoBoost F-150

What stood out most to him wasn’t just the reliability. It was how much he still enjoys driving the truck.

He says the 3.5-liter EcoBoost has never left him wishing for more power in this 2020 Ford F-150 owner review. Whether merging onto short interstate on-ramps, hauling gear or towing his roughly 3,500 to 4,000-pound fishing boat, the truck simply gets the job done without drama.

Fuel economy has also exceeded his expectations.

He regularly sees fuel economy in the mid-20 MPG range on the highway while traveling below 70 mph. His best recorded highway fuel economy reached roughly 27 MPG cruising around 60 mph.

Even his worst highway mileage came under challenging conditions. Driving 85 mph across South Dakota into strong headwinds with three adults and fishing gear onboard still returned about 16.5 mpg.

He also credits the optional 36-gallon fuel tank for making long road trips far less stressful. Combined with the truck’s quiet cabin, he says the F-150 remains comfortable even during 15- and 16-hour driving days.

The Biggest Problem Isn’t The Truck

Interestingly, Ben’s biggest complaint isn’t about reliability in this 2020 Ford F-150 owner review.

It’s the price of replacing it.

His truck carried a sticker price of about $54,000 in 2020 and he bought it with 0% interest during COVID. Back then, you could get a lot of great deals on trucks and he found one.

Interestingly, people also point to COVID trucks as being especially known for being unreliable. Guess that didn’t work out that way either.

Today, he estimates an equivalent F-150 XLT with the same equipment would sticker somewhere between the mid-$60,000 range and nearly $70,000.

That’s where he says Ford has lost him.

Not because the truck hasn’t been reliable.

Not because he dislikes the EcoBoost.

Simply because he believes comparable Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra models now offer more equipment for similar money.

That’s an opinion I hear more frequently from truck buyers today. Pricing has become just as important as capability.

Would He Buy Another Ford F-150?

If Ben could go back to July 2020 knowing everything he knows today, he says he’d buy the exact same truck again without hesitation.

However, if he were shopping today, the answer changes.

Once his Ford Protect extended warranty expires, he’s leaning toward purchasing a one- or two-year-old Chevy Silverado or GMC Sierra, likely equipped with either the 5.3-liter V8 or my personal favorite, 3.0-liter Duramax diesel.

Still, he admits there is another option.

The truck currently needs little more than rear brake pads, spark plugs, and eventually a new set of shocks. Considering how reliable it has been, he may simply keep driving it for several more years.

Frankly, I understand that thinking. A truck that’s nearly 100,000 miles old with only one warranty repair is difficult to replace, especially when new truck prices continue climbing. He also thinks the Chevy or GMC is a much better value than Ford right now. Time will tell if that changes and what he does.