I currently drive a 2012 F-150 with the ecoboost. Before this truck, I drove a 2003 GMC with the 5.3. Both with the 3.73 gears. I drive over the same road fairly often, my wife and I and no load in the truck, and not pulling anything. There is a long gradual hill at one point of the road which is a divided freeway. At 65 mph. and in cruise control, the GMC would downshift about 3/4 of the way up the hill. The Ford does not. Everything being equal. I don't know anything about all the technical things that some of you are arguing about, all I know is my real life experience. If the GMC always downshifted and the Ford never does, then something is different. I like both trucks equally, some things were better in the GMC and some things are better in the Ford. This is the fact of of my experience with both trucks on the same road, exactly the same conditions.