I've got no dog in the hunt. I just like dyno sheets when comparing apples and oranges.
I recently bought 2 different "Mario-cart" toy work vans. My crystal ball says that gas is going to 6 bucks, and Precision Mechanical buys a lot of gas. Our big vans were worn out, and I decided to go with Ford Transit Connects. I'm worried, but I'm in all the way.
I bought a '22 new with a 2.0L (the only available engine), and an '18 with the 2.5L (by far the most common).
From '14 through '18, you could get one of these trucks with a 2.5L N/A four, or a 1.6L EcoBoost turbo, both with a 6 speed automatic. In '19, the vans underwent a (very) mild redesign, and Ford dropped the 1.6L T and added a 2.0L N/A engine with an 8 sp. transmission. Supposedly, there was a choice between the 2.0L/8 and the 2.5L/6, but I've never seen a 2.5L built after '18. For '23 they just dropped the charade. I ordered 2 trucks in April, but Ford only built one, which they delivered in late October. The only engine choice I had was the 2.0L/8. I would have ordered the EcoBoost if it had still been an option.
I've driven them with all of the available powertrains. All of these engines make within a few horsepower of each other, but they could not be more different in how they drive.
The 2.5L N/A made 169 hp at 6000 and 171 lb/ft of torque at 4500.
The 2.0L N/A makes 162 at 6200 and 144 lb/ft at 4500.
The 1.6L T EcoBoost made 178 hp at 5700 RPM and 184 lb/ft at 2500 RPM.
If all you were looking at was horsepower (and indeed, that's all we're talking about here), you'd think these engines would be pretty much the same. That's certainly how Ford sold it to the public.
The 1.6L with the turbo is a monster in this tiny truck - it's got 40 ft/lbs more torque than the 2.0L, and most importantly - it's making it at just off idle, where the 2.0L is probably making less than 1/3 the power.
The 2.5L drives OK - it's got 27 lb/ft more than the 2.0L at 4500 RPM.
The 2.0L in the new truck, and I'm super-glad Brad is driving it. It's really, really bad - nowhere near enough power until you're bouncing off the rev limiter. It's supposed to be the fuel miser, but I got terrible mileage driving it, because I had to rev it to the moon to get it to move.
I bought an '18 with a 2.5L/6 for myself after taking delivery of the '22. I'd have loved to find a gently used EcoBoost, but the trucks within driving distance had all been beaten with a log-chain. There was a nice, low mileage 1.6L truck south of Houston - but it cost more than a new one, and was a flight and a 18 hr trip home away.
... anyhow, back to the 220 hp Subaru. A dyno sheet would tell me a lot.
I couldn't care less what the peak number is. I wanna' see the torque curve.