Looking to buy a new F150.
I don’t drive hard and don’t tow anything over 2000 pounds.
I know the 5.0 is bullet proof but I like the fact that I can get lower mileage with the 3.5 hybrid and have an onboard generator for camping etc.
my question is does the hybrid lesson the load/wear and make the engine last as long as the 5.0.
If you do get an F-150, get the V8, that will be your best option.
That 3.5L is a Ecoboost, if I'm not mistaken, so, definitely not worth it at all.
The hybrid part of cars usually works under light acceleration/low speeds, that's why you do not see too much difference in highway mpg between hybrid and non-hybrid. The other thing is that when you tow, even with low speed, if the engine needs more power than can be provided by electric motor, the gasoline engine kicks in, so you can not only run on hybrid. keep in mind that it is not recommended to buy hybrids if you plan to keep the car as long as possible. If this is not what you want, go right ahead and buy a hybrid.
With all due respect, the fact that you aren't certain that the 3.5 engine is an EcoBoost tells me how much you (don't) know about it.
The reason for the hybrid (which is optional) on the 3.5 Eco motor is to recapture energy lost in start and stop driving, which enables the F150 with that setup to get 24 mpg city as well as highway. That is amazing fuel economy for a 4800 lb 4WD crew cab truck! The hybrid option makes no difference on the highway and is not intended to do much with towing. Even if it is possible with the F150 to just drive it on the electric motor, as you can with say a hybrid Camry, it is not intended to be an electric truck driven solely off a battery. If someone wants that, they can wait for Ford's all-electric F150 next year (which will be a disappointment for things such as towing, since battery range drops like a rock when towing).
Ford has been offering the 3.5 Ecoboost engine for over a dozen years and they remain at the top of the sales charts. The current 3.5 Eco motor is a 2nd gen and addresses issues from the first gen (adds port injection to keep the intake valves clean, for one thing). It was designed from the ground up as a turbocharged engine, with appropriate bearings sizes, cooling and lubrication. It's not just a smaller engine being overtaxed by hanging a turbo off it. If the Ecoboost engines were unreliable or short-lived Ford would be in 3rd place long ago. I've got the 3.5 in my 2019 and love it. Yes the turbo with fuel injection is a complicated beast and not cheap to repair, but what is cheap anymore? It also costs more to replace an engine computer than a pair of points but who wants to go back to using a points ignition system and carburetor? Not me. The tech gets more reliable as it goes along and does a better job than the old methods. Just my .02. And if someone is going to do regular long distance or heavy towing, they're better off to get a bigger engine and (much as I hate them) preferably a diesel. The Eco motors and even the smaller V8's really aren't intended for full time towing duty and won't get good mileage doing it. Finally, even Ford's V8 engine has had issues of its own, so switching from the 3.5 Eco (or the 2.7 Eco) to the V8 isn't going to provide relief from engine repairs. The biggest problem with the Eco motors seems to be driving them too cautiously and never 'getting on' the turbo, which can cause the turbo waste gate to get sticky.
Good for you that knows a lot about the Ecoboost engines. With all the engine combonations and all other things, I prefer to be cautious when I talk about things. With that being said, I'm sure that you will realize (if not already) that the Ecoboost engines can not last like plain old V8s (not even close) and the repair cost for those engines are much higher than V8s. Hopefully, your loved Ford with Ecoboost engine lasts at least 100k miles so you won't be disappointed.