Yes, it is a 4 cylinder. Short trips has me debating my oil change habits. Was considering going with Quaker State Ultimate Duty and doing changes every six months ($24 oil and filter). I am only putting about 400 miles per month on the vehicle at this point. That may change come summer, but this is my primary driving habit.
I've been hearing that Motorcraft oil is 60% synthetic. I can buy the bulk where I work for about $2.25 per quart. This means I can do a Motorcraft change for about $13, oil and filter. With the addition of an oil pan heater, the oil should hold up well. This is the plan I will probably go with.