%%date%% %%sep%% %%sitename%%
All light-duty trucks and cars are subject to certification and compliance from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Part of this compliance includes giving the EPA an estimated fuel economy.
You’ll find a vehicle’s estimated mpg on the window sticker at a car dealership or as part of online reviews. These estimates are mandatory for all trucks with a gross vehicle weight rating under 8,500 pounds –anything over is considered a heavy-duty (HD) truck.
Because fuel estimates are readily available for light-duty cars and trucks, it’s easy to determine which light-duty vehicle has the best mpg. Historically, light-duty pickups with smaller iterations of the Cummins, Powerstroke, and Duramax diesel engines had the best fuel economy.
Diesel engine options have disappeared from most light-duty trucks. Since HD trucks aren’t required to report mileage estimates, it becomes more challenging to determine which HD truck has the best mileage.
What Contributes To Fuel Economy?
When judging a truck’s fuel economy, all of the following factors come into play:
Weight of the vehicle
Condition
Age
Stock vs. modifications
How and where the vehicle is driven
You can upgrade a stock truck’s fuel economy with aftermarket diesel parts. These parts can improve airflow and move fuel flow more efficiently. Other factors, like how well you maintain your truck or how you drive it, impact fuel economy as well.
If a diesel truck isn’t towing or hauling, it might achieve at least 20 mpg on the highway.
Heavy-Duty Diesel Trucks vs. Gas HD Trucks
Although HD truck manufacturers aren’t required to report their fuel economy, publications like Consumer Reports or Car and Driver gather independent data via real-world testing. Due to their heavier weight, HD trucks sometimes have 1-2 less mpg than similarly-sized gas trucks.
Heavy-Duty Diesel Truck MPG Ratings
#5) Chevy Silverado 2500 HD – 14.3 MPG
The diesel Chevy Silverado 2500 HD (like the very similar GMC Sierra 2500 HD) uses a 6.6-liter V8 Duramax and 10-speed automatic transmission. According to the most recent fuel economy testing from Car and Driver, the diesel Silverado 2500HD gets 18 mpg in the city and 21 mpg on the highway.
According to Fuelly, the real-world average for a 2024 Chevy Silverado 2500 HD with a 6.6L V8 Duramax diesel is currently at 14.3 mpg.
#4) RAM 2500 – 15.9 MPG
The Ram 2500 uses a souped-up turbocharged 6.7-liter Cummins that generates a massive amount of torque. The current model gets 19 mpg city driving and 24 mpg on the highway.
The RAM 2500 with a 6.7 Cummins diesel engine ties the Ford F-250 for best mpg for a diesel truck with a Fuelly average of 15.9 mpg for the 2023 model.
#3) Ford F-250 Super Duty – 16.1 MPG
The F-250 uses a turbocharged 6.7-liter Powerstroke V8, making it an excellent workhorse with tons of horsepower and torque. Car and Driver reports 20 mpg on the highway and 15 mpg overall.
The most recent data from Fuelly are the stats from the 2023 Ford F-250 Powerstroke 6.7L diesel. Its average is 16.1 mpg.
Light-Duty Diesel Truck MPG Ratings
The big three truck manufacturers used to produce smaller versions of their diesel engines for their light-duty pickups. However, diesel engines in light-duty trucks are no longer available. GM used the smaller Duramax I4 engine in their GMC Canyon but discontinued this engine type in 2022.
Ford has also discontinued the Powerstroke diesel option for their Ford F-150. The largest engine you can get for the F150 is the 5.2L Supercharged V8 gasoline engine in the F-150 Raptor R. However, at 720 hp and 640 lb-ft of torque, it’s quite capable of delivering the power you are used to from a Powerstroke.
#2) Ram 1500 EcoDiesel – 22.1 MPG
Ram used to include EcoDiesel engines in their 1500 but dropped this engine model as of January 2024. The last diesel option for the Ram 1500 was the EcoDiesel 3.0-liter V-6, found in the 2023 model.
According to fueleconomy.gov, the diesel-powered Rams have an estimated 21 mpg city and 29 mpg highway, but all-wheel drive will lower those numbers slightly. Newer models of the 1500 no longer include diesel engines.
On Fuelly, the 2023 Ram 1500 with the 3.0 EcoDiesel is one of the best as far as mpg from a diesel goes with an average of 22.1 mpg.
However, where it’s great in the gas mileage category, it lacks the power you would get from the larger diesel engines.
The Ram 3.0 EcoDiesel produces 260 hp and 480 lb-ft of torque. For comparison, the Ford Powerstroke 6.7L has 500 hp and 1,200 lb-ft of torque.
#1) Chevy Silverado / GMC Sierra 1500 3.0L Duramax – 23.2 MPG
Known as the “Baby Duramax,” the 3.0L LZ0 turbodiesel engine is an option available since the 2023 model year in the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 1500.
It boasts impressive fuel economy, winning the “Which Diesel Truck Gets the Best MPG” competition with an EPA-estimated 23 mpg in the city and 33 mpg on the highway. Real-world results on Fuelly show that the Chevy Silverado 1500 with a 3.0L LZ0 averages 23.2 mpg, and the GMC Sierra does slightly better at 23.7 mpg (as of this writing).
Despite its great gas mileage, it also packs a punch. While not as powerful as larger diesel engines, it surpasses the Ram EcoDiesel with 305 horsepower and 495 lb-ft of torque.
These figures are an upgrade from the previous “Baby Duramax,” the 3.0L LM2, which offered 277 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque. You’ll find the LM2 in 2019-2022 models. The average fuel economy for those years with the Duramax LM2 on Fuelly is 22.5 mpg.
Calculating Fuel Economy In Your Older Diesel Truck
Older trucks degrade over time and unless they’ve been modified with aftermarket diesel truck parts they can’t match their original EPA ratings.
You can find accurate fuel mileage estimates yourself by following these steps:
Fill the gas tank completely
Record the number of gallons it took to fill the tank
Set your trip odometer to zero
Take an extended drive
At the end of the trip write down the mileage indicated on the trip odometer
Divide the total miles driven by the gallon amount it took to fill the tank.
This equation gives you the mpg of your truck. For example, say it took 12 gallons to fill your tank, and you drove it 250 miles until empty. 250 miles divided by 12 gallons is roughly 20.8 mpg.
Note that mpg varies considerably depending on where you drive your truck or how it’s being used. A truck used for towing or hauling will have reduced fuel economy. Run this test multiple times to see if you get different results. Multiple tests give you a more accurate mpg estimate.
Are you looking to improve your truck’s mileage and performance? Shop ProSource Diesel’s selection of dependable and hard-to-find parts.
We have a huge selection of diesel truck parts for Powerstroke, Cummins and Duramax diesel engines. ProSource is where diesel repair shops shop for reliable and hard-to-find diesel parts and kits.
Shop Now:
Powerstroke parts
Duramax parts
Cummins parts
%%excerpt%%
The post Which Diesel Truck Gets The Best MPG? (updated) appeared first on Prosource Diesel.
%%category%%
%%tag%%
