It’s quite a while since Bob Dylan’s nasal drawl first proclaimed “..for the times they are a changin’… ”.
Those words now seem to sum up nicely Ford’s move to a four-cylinder engine option in Falcon after more than 50 years of six and eight cylinder models.
And the Ecoboost four-pot Ford has the potential to be a real game-changer in the large car segment - it’s really that good. It delivers buyers all the practical virtues, roominess and excellent ride quality of the 4.0-litre I6 powered Falcons, but with lower fuel consumption and emissions.
Compared to the ‘six’, the Spanish-built ‘four’ is down 16 kW of power and 45 Nm of torque. But the car is also some 60-odd kilograms lighter too. It’s ‘on the road’ rather than ‘on paper’ that counts though.
Our numbers show performance from the 2.0-litre turbo engine is within the narrowest whisker of the ‘six’. There’s plentiful torque from low down in the revs and the standard six-speed auto is an excellent match up. Drivers used to the ‘six’ won’t feel cheated at all, though the ‘four’ does have a different seat-of-the-pants feel.
The Ecoboost’s suspension, steering and tyre revisions, plus its lighter weight, give it a slightly sharper turn-in to corners too. We managed 7.2 litres/100km on a highway run, but lower should be possible.