I don't think this thing is going to be carrying heavy HD size loads so a turbocharged 2.3L will do fine in that small of vehicle. In fact it would probably make it better off road due to the better low end power of many small displacement V8's. There is truth to displacement and turbocharged engines actually displace more air than many larger V8s at low rpms creating a lot more power.
In regards to holding up. My old F150 Ecoboost that I mention above lasted to 150k before my company traded it in. We got rid of the 5.0L trucks sooner because they used more fuel and were dogs when towing. It might have been different with 3.73 gears because that 5.0L would downshift and scream at high rpms with the 3.55's they had in them. The 3.5L EB trucks were able to do the same work at much lower rpms and a lot less stress even with 3.15 gears. Also, my company now trades them in at 200k(instead of 150K) because the Ecoboost are holding up so well.
