The 10 Most Fuel Efficient Pickup Trucks
Pickup trucks are meant for tough jobs such as going off-roading, towing, or hauling cargo. From this description, trucks are not necessarily meant to help their owners with saving money on fuel. However, buyers looking for fuel-efficient pickup trucks will be glad to learn that few options in the market won’t cost a fortune to refuel. With the advancements in engine developments, you can easily find diesel and turbocharged choices that make pickup trucks more fuel efficient. Such trucks are known to have massive towing capacity too. In this post, we list some of the most fuel-efficient pickup trucks according to their MPG (Miles per Gallon) rating. If you are searching for a fuel-efficient pickup truck, look at the options listed below.
10. Hyundai Santa Cruz: 19 mpg city/27 mpg highway
This compact truck from Hyundai has received so much blame for its small size. It is understandable, given that Hyundai is new in manufacturing pickup trucks. What makes the Santa Cruz better than other models is that it has a good fuel economy compared to other trucks. It is fuel-efficient with AWD as opposed to 2WD. Precisely, with the AWD, it offers a good 19 mpg in the city and 27 mpg on the highway. If this is not good fuel economy, we do not know what can best describe it.
When testing the truck in the real world, the testers indicated that they got to 30 mpg in this truck. According to Click Mount Airy, this is another truck with an mpg rating above 30. Additionally, the 2.5L turbocharged engine delivers 281 horsepower and good torque at 311 lb-ft. You should also not forget its 8-speed automatic. Regarding the towing capacity, this truck offers up to 5000 lbs. of towing power. This is good as it is similar to that of the Honda Ridgeline. Just like Tucson, the Santa Cruz offers drivers so many standard features. They enjoy an upscale cabin and a balanced ride as well.
9. Toyota Tundra Hybrid: 20 mpg city/24 mpg highway
Toyota looks forward to having hybrids in all its models within the next few years. They have already fitted the Toyota Tundra with a 3.5L double-turbo hybrid V6 engine to prove that. This is responsible for the 437 horsepower and the 583 lb-ft torque. Its new iForce Max Engine is the reason why the Tundra is more fuel-efficient while maintaining top performance at the same time.
Of any Tundra manufactured to date, the Toyota Tundra sets the pace as the vehicle with the best gas mileage. It gives off 20 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the highway. However, the 12000 lbs. towing capacity does not necessarily set the Tundra apart from its American counterparts. Compared to brands such as Ram and Ford, the hybrid doesn’t really make good gas mileage numbers.
8. Chevrolet Colorado Duramax: 20 mpg city/30 mpg highway
Chevrolet is a known brand producing some of the most compelling trucks you will find in the market. The Chevrolet Colorado, in particular, helps to save gas better compared to most sedans. It does so through an RWD platform with the Duramax diesel engine. In terms of fuel economy, it gives off 20 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway. In the Chevrolet lineage, the Duramax truck is among the trucks that have a fuel economy of less than 30 mpg. The Chevrolet Colorado is not good in offering an impressive interior or having the best safety features. However, it is always ahead with its towing capacity.
According to Motor Trend, the seats in this truck are also good in terms of comfort. This means that drivers will enjoy stable handling and a comfortable ride. You will love that the Duramax diesel engine gives off insane power, keeping in mind that this is a 4-cylinder engine. It can deliver 181 horsepower and a good torque of 369lb-ft. Regarding the towing capacity, the Chevrolet Colorado Duramax gives off up to 7700lbs. Other than its good gas mileage, this truck is among the most potent pickups you will get on the market.
7. Ford Ranger: 21 mpg city/26 mpg highway
Ford prides itself on its ability to cover all sizes of pickups possible. It also makes sure that all the trucks are as fuel-efficient as possible. In this case, the Ford Ranger runs on a 2.3L 4-cylinder engine. From this, it is able to achieve a gas mileage of 21 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway. Even though Ford Ranger has lower gas mileage compared to Maverick and Santa Cruz, it still stands out to be among the cars with the best mileage in 2022.
With its natural 4-cylinder engine, you can expect the truck to give off 270 horsepower with 310 lb-ft torque. You will also appreciate its good towing capacity at 3500 lbs. This is quite low compared to the Santa Cruz and the Maverick. All the same, the Ford Ranger surpasses the Tacoma, and this is all that the Ranger is focused on.
6. Toyota Tacoma: 21 mpg combined
Against its latest competitors, the Toyota Tacoma has really fought hard to be a worthy competitor. People love the truck for its user-friendly features and excellent off-roading capabilities. It, however, loses ground to its rivals with its rough ride, tight interior, and lackluster standard engine. Even though the 3.5L V6 engine is a good upgrade, the 2.7L 4-cylinder engine proves to be the most fuel economical in the lineup. On the rear-wheel drive, this truck can get up to 20 mpg in the city and 23 mpg on the highway.
The unfortunate thing is that its 4-cylinder motor only produces 159 horsepower. This is a relatively smaller amount for a pickup of its size. According to Cars US News, the base engine also requires utmost patience since it really struggles to go to a considerable speed. It also accelerates lackadaisically.
5. Chevrolet Silverado 1500 – 2WD Diesel: 23 mpg city/ 33 mpg highway
Almost similar to the GMC Sierra, this Chevrolet is another truck that will save you money on fuel. Like its competitors, the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 arrives in many different trims. It operates on a 3.0L Duramax diesel engine which is responsible for the great gas mileage. You can expect it to give off 23 mpg in the city and 33 mpg on the highway. Just like the Sierra, this Chevrolet Silverado prides itself on 277 horsepower and good torque at 460 lb-ft.
With such enormous power, the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 has a towing capacity of 9300lbs. without ignoring the fact that the 2WD is a fuel-efficient truck, the 4×4 version gives off a good gas mileage with its 30 mpg on the highway. The 2022 Silverado 1500 arrives with a freshly designed cabin, a 13.4-inch touchscreen, and a 12.3-inch digital instrument.
4. Jeep Gladiator EcoDiesel: 24 mpg city/28 mpg highway
If you are a fan of the Wrangler, rejoice, this Gladiator truck will surely offer you great gas mileage. Much closer to Colorado, this Gladiator truck reaps big from its diesel engine, a 3.0L V6 EcoDiesel, to be precise. The truck prides itself on good fuel economy, giving off 24 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway. For a truck, the Jeep Gladiator offers the best gas mileage. Apart from that, the Jeep Gladiator is far ahead in terms of torque compared to the Pentastar engine, which is gasoline-powered.
The Gladiator delivers 442 lb-ft torque. It also has good horsepower at 280hp. People also love this truck for its great towing capacity of 6000 lbs. This is not bad for a mid-sized truck. Lastly, the truck is always ready for off-roading with its removable roofs and doors. It also prides itself on its world-class suspension and heavy-duty skid plates. This truck is definitely a good fuel-efficient and a better alternative to the Wrangler.
3. GMC Sierra 1500 Diesel: 24 mpg city/ 30 mpg highway
The GMC Sierra truck uses the same Duramax engine as Colorado found in the Sierra 1500. What sets them apart is the fact that 1500 operates on a 3.0L engine as opposed to the smaller 4-cylinder. All things kept constant, the 2WD models running on Duramax engines have the best gas mileage. The GMC Sierra 1500 truck gives off 24 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway. This is yet another truck that offers fuel economy at 30 mpg.
The Sierra 1500 has 277hp along with 460 lb-ft torque. All these make the Sierra 1500 one of the most fuel-efficient trucks, not forgetting about the 10-speed automatic. The truck is ideal for towing at most 900lbs, with the engine having been tested in Northern Canada and Death Valley. GMC has updated the exterior design of the Sierra in their 2022 model. They have touched up this truck’s cabin with unique styling and quality materials. It also sees crucial tech upgrades, including the 13.4-inch touchscreen, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, and its GMC Super Cruise System.
2. Ford F-150 PowerBoost Full Hybrid: 25 mpg city/26 mpg highway
You must have experienced pain at the pump with the high gas prices, right? Even though trucks don’t have great gas mileage, the Ford F-150 defies the odds by attempting to be a truck that will save on gas. Ford F-150 has had a positive reputation for its ability to offer good lineup engines and rims. True to the word, it does an amazing job with its twin-turbo 3.5L V6 engine. It is, however, not the best, with 25 MPG and 26 MPG in the city and on the highway, respectively. Drivers enjoy its intuitive technologies and a quality cabin only available in the Ram 1500.
For some time, most people believed that diesel was the sole way to great mileage and get towing. However, the F-150 truck comes in with a towing capacity of up to 12,000lbs. According to KBB, this level of towing should be a hard nut to crack for autos operating on hybrid engines. Ford is, however, different from the rest.
1. Ford Maverick Hybrid: 42 mpg City/ 33 mpg highway
Being among the smallest trucks you will find in the market today, and the Ford Maverick pickup truck has been equipped with a standard hybrid engine. The truck also prides itself on being very economical in fuel usage. Truth be told, the Maverick Hybrid takes the day for the best truck with the best gas mileage in 2022. This truck prides itself on the market-leading 42 mpg and 33 mpg ratings in the city and highway, respectively. The Ford Maverick is on par with most compact cars.
Ford Maverick has created this truck with excellent fuel economy. This can only be attributed to the 2.5L 4-cylinder CVT hybrid engine with 191 HP. The Ford Maverick is a truck whose MPG rating is above 30, even among the non-hybrid models. Even with the increased power, Ford Maverick Hybrid still tows 2000lbs. and has an affordable starting price of $20000. Another good thing about this truck is that the tax rebates further reduce the cost of this beast. It rides on a similar platform as the Escape compact and Bronco Sport SUVs. This results in a smooth ride and superb gas mileage.
Conclusion
Full-size pickup trucks are among the most popular vehicles recently. However, the recent gas price hike means that driving these vehicles will be very expensive. Unfortunately, some buyers are left with the full-size truck as the only option. This is meant to either meet their job needs or hover around during the weekend. We have offered to help readers to make an informed decision. Above is a list of the most fuel-efficient pickup trucks in 2022. According to the city and highway estimates, we ranked these trucks as the most frugal. If you are therefore looking to get yourself a fuel-efficient pickup truck, we hope that the piece above has helped you in one way or another.
