My 2021 Ranger has this feature and, while somewhat annoying, it does appear to improve mileage with a lot of start/stop driving.
The question in my mind is if the engine is really built for it. I expect not, and like most things these days, it is just what “sounds like a good idea” to some bean counter or millennial engineer wanabe. It’s a lot of engine starts, which seems like a lot of wear on the engine, starter and battery.
Remember, this is the same group of people that came up with the “teletouch” transmissions and the treadle vac brakes. Both of which were engineering boondoggles which cost the company millions in warranty repairs.
CC
I can't speak for Ford, but I can speak for Subaru. My friend is a Certified Master Technician who is currently working for Subaru. He tells me that the starters on the start/stop models are hefty and are designed to last as long as the regular models even though they may get used many many more times.
Ford, who knows, they probably grabbed some leftover Escort starters and slapped them in there, good to go.
Several studies on auto stop/start have shown that in heavy traffic driving for extended periods of time there is a slight improvement in mileage (<2% or so). Obviously this pertains to city driving situations. If one lives in the suburbs or small town America, the option is worthless.
My 2021 Chevy Colorado does not have this ‘feature’ - Yayyyy