By the Numbers: Diesel vs. hybrid pickups

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Pickup truck shoppers are increasingly hesitant to pay for capability they don’t need, and that’s leading automakers to create more trucks and powertrains that allow shoppers to maximize the value of every dollar they spend on both their selected machine — and the fuel they feed it. 

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Those shoppers are the force behind a growing number of powertrain choices appearing in the modern pickup. For instance, the diesel engine options available from RAM (EcoDiesel) and GM (Duramax) represent the lowest annual fuel costs in their respective model lineups when comparing four-wheel drive equipped models. Ford’s most fuel-efficient F-150 is a gas-electric hybrid (PowerBoost), though units powered by its recently-discontinued diesel engine option (PowerStroke) remain available to shoppers for 2021, so we’ll include it as well. 

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Below, let’s take a look at some facts and figures to help you determine which pickup truck engine is right for you.

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2021 Ram 1500

Let’s start with the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel.

Under its hood, a 3-litre V6 turbodiesel engine serves up 260 horsepower, and the strongest torque output of any diesel on the page, with 480 lb.-ft.

Drivers get 12,560 lb. of towing capacity when properly equipped.

The RAM 1500 4×4 EcoDiesel uses 11.1 litres of fuel for every 100 kilometres it’s driven in the city, 8 litres of fuel for every 100 kilometres its driven on the highway, and overall, drivers can expect to use about 9.7 litres of fuel per one hundred kilometres as a combined figure.

According to Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), that’s an annual fuel cost of $2,328 — a savings of about $1,120 per year versus a comparable model with the HEMI V8 ($3,450). 

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It’s also cheaper to fuel than the Toyota Highlander AWD ($2,575) and Jeep Wrangler with 2-litre turbo engine ($2,575), as well as the Honda Pilot AWD ($2,750), and Subaru Ascent ($2,600). 

The EcoDiesel engine is a $3,900 option, with fuel savings paying back in 3 to 4 years.

Here, we’ve got a torque-monster pickup that drinks less than many family crossovers, while offering double to triple the towing capacity.

2021 Ford F-150

The F-150, next — with two high-efficiency options.

Find a remaining PowerStroke unit with diesel engine, and it’s 250 horsepower and 440 lb-ft of torque. Towing capacity is rated at up to 12,100 lbs, when properly equipped. With turbodiesel power, the 2021 F-150 PowerStroke is rated for 11.9L/100km in the city, 9.1L/100km on the highway, and 10.7L/100km combined. According to NRCan data, that’s an annual fuel cost of $2,568. 

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The second option from the F-150 lineup is the  PowerBoost model, which runs a gasoline-hybrid turbo engine, with annual fuel costs clocking in slightly below those of the PowerStroke diesel at $2,450. This model shows us an advantage of electrification, since those fuel costs also cover a significant power advantage while using some $825 less fuel per year than a comparable unit with 5-litre gasoline V8. With the F-150 PowerBoost, drivers get the standard Pro Power Onboard system, which utilizes the hybrid electric system to provide loads of power for tools and toys, no generator required. 

Versus 5-litre gasoline V8, expect the PowerBoost to offer a fuel-savings payback period of 3 to 4 years, as well as a mighty power increase. With 430 horsepower and a mighty 570 lb-ft of torque, this truck is the output leader in this list — by a landslide. Towing capacity is rated at 12,700 lbs, slightly higher than the PowerStroke.

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Both of these high-efficiency F-150 models offer lower annual fuel costs than a four-cylinder powered Ranger ($2,725), and roughly tie the Explorer AWD with four-cylinder EcoBoost engine ($2,575). 

Other thirstier vehicles include the Chrysler Pacifica ($2,650), Kia Telluride ($2,825), and Honda Odyssey ($2,650).

Chevrolet Silverado

The Chevrolet Silverado’s available 3-litre straight-six diesel engine wears the Duramax badge, and model-year 2022 revisions see a major towing capacity increase to 13,200 lbs — the highest on the page.

Silverado’s diesel engine serves up 277 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque. On the highway, Silverado Diesel models use 9.2L/100km, with city and combined figures clocking in at 10.2L/100km and 10.0L/100km, respectively.

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With an annual fuel cost of $2,400, the Silverado Diesel has the lowest annual fuel costs of any Chevrolet pickup truck with any powertrain configuration, including 2-wheel drive, four-cylinder powered Colorado variants. 

For comparison, a similarly-equipped Silverado with a 5.3-litre V8 uses $3,525 worth of fuel per year, according to NRCan.  With diesel power, shoppers save $1,125 per year, meaning this $1,995 engine option hits its fuel-savings payback point in under 2 years.

With diesel power, Silverado’s annual fuel costs are roughly on par with a Hyundai Santa Fe AWD or a Volkswagen Tiguan ($2,475), but with more than triple the towing capacity.

It’s always nice to have choices in how you’ll spend your pickup truck dollars, as well as your fuel dollars — and these machines each offer some of the most compelling uses of both.