As part of the latest shakeup for the 2026 Ford F-150, the automaker has decided to drop the 5.0 Coyote V8 as an engine option for the King Ranch and Platinum trim levels, leaving buyers with a choice of the 3.5-liter EcoBoost or PowerBoost Hybrid. This is probably not a big deal for the majority of F-150 buyers, but for someone who considers the smooth power delivery of a 400-horsepower Coyote as part and parcel to the very concept of a luxury truck, it’s at least mildly frustrating.
To be clear, Ford isn’t dropping the Coyote. But buyers have to settle for a mid-tier trim if you insist on a V8. Ford is pretty much telling longtime buyers that we can either buy a turbo or forget owning a King Ranch.
Some Are Blaming CAFE-Compliance For Ford’s Turbocharger Push
Ford Coyote 5.0L V8 EngineFord
We’ve read a few theories about why Ford decided to push turbocharged engines, even though the Coyote accounted for something like one in four sales in 2023. One hypothesis points to CAFE standards, which incentivize automakers to lower emissions across the board, meaning that, if Ford sells more turbocharged V6s, the brand can continue to sell V8s without issue.
Profit margins have been cited as a factor, with some arguing that Ford earns more money on every EcoBoost or PowerBoost sold. This may seem counterintuitive, since turbocharged and hybrid engines are actually more complex and more costly to produce, but they also allow Ford to charge a premium by boasting superior power output or improved fuel economy.
The reason is probably a mix of both factors, and Ford is hoping to get ahead of future emissions regulations. In any event, the automaker is clearly sending a message that the future of the F-150 is in turbos and hybrids rather than naturally aspirated V8s.
The V6 Dominates The Base Engine List
2026 Ford F-150 STX 3/4 frontFord Motor Company
Ford lists seven trims on the build tool, with three base engines offered.
Trim
MSRP
Base Engine
Power
XL
$39,330
5.0-Liter NA Coyote 8-Cylinder
400 hp
STX
$41,855
XLT
$44,695
2.7-Liter EcoBoost 6-Cylinder
325 hp
Lariat
$59,560
3.5-Liter EcoBoost 6-Cylinder
400 hp
King Ranch
$65,825
Platinum
$68,800
Tremor
$64,915
Raptor
$79,005
3.5-Liter EcoBoost High-Output 6-Cylinder
450 hp
The 5.0 Coyote is listed as an engine option for the XL, STX, XLT, Lariat, and Tremor trims. You can also get a Raptor R with a 5.2-liter supercharged V8 with 720 hp and 640 lb-ft.
How To Build Your Coyote F-150
2025 Ford F-150 Lobo frontJared Rosenholtz/CarBuzz/Valnet
The most luxurious trim level we can buy with an available 5.0-liter V8 is the Lariat, starting at $59,560. Adding a Coyote to the deal is, thankfully, a fairly cheap option, at just $120 for the swap. Here’s how that tallies up before we add any more options.
Base MSRP
$59,560
Engine Option
$120
Destination Charge
$2,795
Acquisition Fee
$695
Estimated Net Price
$63,170
This is before registration, taxes, and all the other costs that come with buying a new car, truck, or SUV. We’re also leaving out any potential incentives that may be available. $63,170 is just the sticker price based on these options.
Here’s What You Get In A Lariat
2025 Ford F-150 side profile in red while parkedFord
The Lariat is considered a mid-range trim, while the King Ranch and Platinum models are the luxury trims. The Tremor is available with a 5.0, but that’s an off-road performance trim, while the Lariat is designed for comfortable everyday driving.
Here’s what you’re getting in the Lariat that you’re not getting in the XLT, and which qualifies it as a luxury-lite model.
- Chrome bumpers
- Cargo lamp
- Chrome grille
- LED projector headlights with dynamic bending
- LED mirror-mounted spotlights
- Remote tailgate release
- 400w outlet
- Premium-wrapped steering wheel
- Dual-zone automatic climate control
- Adaptive cruise control
- Pro trailer backup assist
- Rain-sensing wipers
- Heated steering wheel
- Bang & Olufsen sound system
- Leather-trimmed bucket seats with center flow-through console
- Heated front seats
What Does A More Luxurious Lariat Look Like?
2025 Ford F-150 rear 3/4 view in red while parkedFord
If we want to build the most luxurious Lariat possible, that is, focusing more on creature comforts and style upgrades than performance enhancers, we can add the following options.
- Lariat High package – $4,880 (includes $2,000 discount)
- Twin panel moonroof – $1,495
- Head-up display $845
- In-vehicle safe by Console Vault – $430
- Floor liner – $200
- Exterior area lighting and speaker by Overland – $549
- Ford Perimeter Plus vehicle security system – $255
Including our engine and delivery costs, this will have us spending $73,624 before incentives, taxes, and so on.
The Lariat High package includes a six-inch extended angular step bar, second-row heated seats, a 14-speaker sound system upgrade, and ice blue ambient lighting. None of this is necessary, obviously, but all of it makes for a more luxurious ride.
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The King Ranch and Platinum grade pickups are available with power-deployable running boards, if you’re driving a SuperCrew. The Lariat is not available with genuine wood interior trim accents, which are standard in the King Ranch and optional in the Platinum. The 14-speaker sound system comes standard on the higher trims, and both feature multicontour leather seats up front, which are not available on the Lariat.
By and large, you’re not missing out on all that much. The biggest difference between the Lariat and the higher luxury trims is that, in a Lariat, you’ll have to pick and choose your preferred luxury upgrades. The Lariat High Package alone bumps the total price over the entry-level MSRP for a King Ranch or Platinum.
If you insist on driving a fully-loaded model, though, we’d argue that that’s simply the price you pay for your engine of choice. If you’re satisfied with a mid-range model without major luxury upgrades, you’re only spending an extra $120 for the Coyote.
Now Is The Right Time To Buy A Coyote-Powered F-150
2025 Ford F-150 Lobo interiorFord
We haven’t heard any credible rumors of the Coyote V8 being phased out entirely, but, in an era of increased turbocharging and hybridization, tomorrow’s never promised for our favorite eight-cylinder engines, so you might want to grab one while you can.
The cool thing about buying a Coyote right now is that you’re buying the best version of the engine. The Gen 3 Coyote had the infamous “Coyote tick,” a typewriter-like sound that may point to low oil pressure and blocked oil flow passages. Drivers of 2018-2020 Coyotes have reported the problem persisting after countless hours of work under the hood.
The Gen 4 engines have far fewer issues with oil distribution, thanks in part to a belt-driven variable oil pump, which is better able to withstand wear and tear.
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You can get an idea of how iterative improvements to the Coyote engine have benefited Ford buyers by taking a look at Ford F-150 engine complaints by year, according to CarComplaints, tracking the last three years of the Gen 3 Coyote, and the first three years of the Gen 4 Coyote.
Coyote Generation
Engine Complaints
2018
Gen 3
41
2019
33
2020
9
2021
Gen 4
3
2022
3
2023
0
The fall-off is sharp, going from nine complaints for 2020 to just three for 2021, the first model year to pack a Gen 4 Coyote. These engine complaints don’t stem entirely from the Coyote 5.0 powerplant, but they certainly contribute their share, with problems like excessive oil consumption being, if not incredibly common, at least not unheard of in earlier Coyotes.
We’d almost always advise buying a later version of whatever engine it is that you’re buying. Early adopters almost always wind up serving as unpaid guinea pigs, turning up all those maintenance issues that you can’t discover without millions of miles of highway time on the clock.
Now that Ford has most of the Coyote 5.0’s maintenance issues sorted, the V8 has never been more attractive. So, of course, this is when Ford decides to make it harder to get one.
Sources: Ford, CarComplaints.
