These are the 5 most fuel-efficient half-ton trucks of 2020

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Buying a pickup truck is essentially a Canadian rite of passage. Whether they’re deployed for early morning jaunts to the rink; to pick up a new chainsaw at Canadian Tire; or simply drop the little ones off to school in the morning, not owning a truck is arguably unpatriotic . Borderline pinko, even.

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Still, there’s a marked difference being able to afford the purchase price of a pickup and being able to justify its operating costs. Until manufacturers figure out how to skirt the laws of physics (and the mind-bending Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk proves they are getting close ) trucks will burn more fuel than cars.

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These are the 5 most fuel-efficient half-ton trucks of 2020 Back to video

This is why we’ve assembled a list of trucks that can haul the mail without vacuuming your wallet clean. Because we live in Canada, and your author’s home province was just battered with a metre of snow , this list is comprised of 4×4 pickups. Those who select two-wheel-drive models will see slightly better returns at the pump.

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Official fuel economy figures shown here are provided by the science dweebs at NRCan and are respectively listed in city, highway and combined consumption in L/100 km. The given estimated fuel cost per year is only slightly more complicated than advanced trigonometry, calculated as an estimate based on the truck’s combined consumption rating, driving 20,000 kilometres per year, and a Canadian average price for that type of fuel.

With that nerdfest of data out of the way, here are the five best pickups to help keep fuel costs down.

2020 Silverado 4×4 Duramax: 10.4/8.0/9.4; $2,444/yr

With 277 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque produced by a 3.0-litre inline-six engine, this four-wheel-drive diesel half-ton is capable of towing up to 9,300 lbs and bear a maximum payload of 1,870 lbs. To put that in perspective, if one were to tow a 7,000-lb family camper – with a 700-lb tongue weight – there would still be capacity for over 500 lbs of gear plus an average-sized family of four.

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As fans of old BMWs know, the inline-six engine provides an inherently balanced configuration for low noise and vibration characteristics. The 3.0L Duramax turbo-diesel is available on the LT, RST, LTZ and High Country trims. It should be noted that NRCan seems to care not one whit about trim selection, giving the indicated fuel economy estimate across this particular bowtie board.

2020 Ram 1500 4×4 EcoDiesel: 11.1/8.0/9.7; $2,522/yr

Shoppers in the half-ton truck segment know that pickup makers love to one-up each other. This is why Ram loves to point out its rig produces more torque than its competitors. The 2020 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel produces 260 horsepower and 480 lb-ft of torque.

It’s that all important stump-pulling number which permits a sky-high maximum tow rating of 12,560 lbs when kitted out properly. Selecting a truck with 4×4 will drive this number south slightly. Note well: these numbers apply to the new Ram 1500, not the Ram 1500 Classic.

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2020 GMC Sierra 4×4 Duramax: 10.5/9.1/9.9; $2,574/yr

Alert readers will know the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra share much in terms of mechanicals, begging the question why its estimated yearly fuel costs are markedly different than that of its bowtie brother. Company spox are mum, but one could certainly look no further than the in-yer-face grille of the GMC for at least a partial explanation.

Power numbers will be familiar if you read the Chevy section above: 277 horses and 460 lb-ft of twist. This is, it must be noted, as much torque as the brand’s own hand-of-God 6.2L V8 engine. The off-road-focused AT4 trim earns its own fuel economy estimates for some reason, but its numbers are identical to all other trims.

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2020 Ford F-150 4×4 XL/XLT Power Stroke: 11.3/7.9/10.1; $2,600/yr

Another brand, another diesel truck engine with 3.0L of displacement. At the Blue Oval, its effort to stuff Power Stroke clout under the hood of its best-selling F-150 netted 250 horsepower and 440 lb-ft of torque. That latter number compares very well with the other engines in the F-150’s catalog, outstripping even the mighty 5.0L V8 mill.

When fitted with the proper 3.55-rear-end gear and long box, a SuperCrew 4×4 equipped with this 3.0L diesel engine has a maximum conventional towing capability of 11,000 lbs. It is definitely worth noting the boffins at NRCan have bestowed these numbers on XL and XLT trims only, with all other trims rated at 11.9/9.4/10/8 (L/100km, that is, city/hwy/comb; $2,808/yr) presumably because of added weight thanks to extra standard equipment.

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2020 Ram 1500 4×4 3.6L V6 eTorque: 12.2/9.7/11.1; $2,886/yr

The first – and only – gasoline powered pickup on this list is from Ram. Assisted by a mild hybrid system, this 3.6L V6 engine makes 305 horsepower and 269 lb-ft of torque. Make sure to get the lower (numerically higher) rear end gear if you plan to do any hauling. A Crew Cab 4×4 with this engine and 3.55 gears can tow approximately 7,500 lbs.

However, a diesel engine adds many thousands of dollars to the purchase price of any pickup, and these half-tons are no exception. Selecting the Power Stroke in a F-150 XLT is a $8,200 proposition, though the price does lessen as one moves up the trim level food chain (it’s $5,150 on King Ranch and Platinum). At Chevy, it’s a slightly more palatable $4,830 to add it on a Silverado LT or RST; and $3,245 on a LTZ or High Country. That’s still a lot of cheddar, especially when the 3.6L eTorque V6 is standard on the 2020 Ram 1500 ( not the 2020 Ram 1500 Classic).

If saving money is your ultimate goal, this may very well be a case of where the fifth-place truck in indeed the winner.