Choosing the biggest diesel truck you can get your hands on doesn’t mean you’re getting the most value for your money. Even though only a handful of trucks use diesel engines, these are the workhorses that offer the most towing power and best fuel mileage in the truck classes. Let’s dig in and find out which diesel-powered truck in each class offers the most bang for your buck.
Can you find a diesel truck in the midsize class?
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Yes, three trucks use diesel engines in the midsize class. These three are:
- Chevrolet Colorado
- GMC Canyon
- Jeep Gladiator
The Chevrolet and GMC trucks use the same powertrains and offer the same efficiency numbers. The difference between these trucks comes down to the price of a GMC vs. Chevy.
Which midsize diesel truck offers the best value?
To determine value, we’ll consider two factors:
- The lowest price trim with the diesel engine
- Efficiency compared to the price
Jeep Gladiator
Trim: Willys Sport trim, 4WD
Price: $47,480
Powertrain: 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V6, 8-speed automatic
Power: 260 horsepower, 442 lb-ft of torque
Efficiency: 22 city/28 hwy mpg
Max Towing: 6,500 pounds
Chevrolet Colorado
Trim: Crew Cab, Short Box, 2WD, LT
Price: $36,970
Powertrain: 2.8-liter turbocharged Duramax 4-cylinder, 6-speed automatic
Power: 186 horsepower, 369 lb-ft of torque
Efficiency: 20 city/30 hwy mpg
Max Towing: 7,700 pounds
GMC Canyon
Trim: Crew Cab, Short Box, 2WD, Elevation
Price: $41,255
The clear winner is the Chevrolet Colorado. This midsize diesel truck is the most affordable, towing the most, and has the best overall efficiency rating.
What are the diesel truck options in the half-ton truck class?
The market’s most popular truck class only offers us three trucks that use a diesel engine. These trucks are:
- Ram 1500
- Chevrolet Silverado 1500
- GMC Sierra 1500
The same rules apply here to the Chevy and GMC pair as they did for the midsize class.
Which half-ton diesel truck offers the greatest value?
Ram 1500
Trim: Tradesman, Quad Cab, 2WD, 6’4” Box
Price: $40,790
Powertrain: 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V6, 8-speed automatic
Power: 260 horsepower, 480 lb-ft of torque
Efficiency: 22 city/32 hwy mpg
Max Towing: 12,750 pounds
Chevrolet Silverado 1500
Trim: Double Cab, Standard Bed, 2WD, LT
Price: $49,835
Powertrain: 3.0-liter turbocharged Duramax 6-cylinder, 10-speed automatic
Power: 277 horsepower, 460 lb-ft of torque
Efficiency: 23 city/31 hwy mpg
Max Towing: 13,300 pounds
GMC Sierra 1500
Trim: Double Cab, Standard Bed, 2WD, SLE
Price: $52,295
The diesel-powered half-ton truck that offers the greatest value is the Ram 1500. In the trim listed, this truck is nearly $10,000 cheaper than the Chevrolet Silverado 1500. This price difference isn’t offset by 550 pounds of towing, which is the GM pair’s only advantage over the Ram.
The Ram 1500 is more efficient on the highway but slightly less so in the city. The combined efficiency is identical for these three trucks, which puts the Ram ahead because of the lower price.
Moving to the big boys: which heavy-duty diesel truck offers the greatest value?
When comparing the heavy-duty trucks, we no longer need to discuss efficiency numbers. Trucks in this class are not required to have EPA fuel mileage ratings. Instead, we’ll offer numbers for the three-quarter-ton and one-ton trucks based on price and tow ratings.
The trucks that occupy this space in the automotive world are:
- Ram 2500HD/3500HD
- Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD/3500HD
- GMC Sierra 2500HD/3500HD
- Ford F-250 Super Duty/F-350 Super Duty
As before, the GM pair use the same powertrain, which means the rules applied to the smaller trucks also apply here.
Which three-quarter-ton heavy-duty diesel truck offers the greatest value?
Ram 2500HD
Trim: Tradesman, Regular Cab, 2WD, 8-foot Bed
Price: $54,165
Powertrain: 6.7-liter Cummins 6-cylinder, 6-speed automatic
Power: 370 horsepower, 850 lb-ft of torque
Max Towing: 19,990 pounds
Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
Trim: WT, Regular Cab, 2WD, 8-foot Bed
Price: $40,795
Powertrain: 6.6-liter Duramax V8, 10-speed automatic
Power: 445 horsepower, 910 lb-ft of torque
Max Towing: 18,500 pounds
GMC Sierra 2500HD
Trim: SLE, Regular Cab, 2WD, 8-foot Bed
Price: $55,785
Ford F-250 Super Duty
Trim: XL, Regular Cab, 2WD, 8-foot Bed
Price: $50,735
Powertrain: 6.7-liter Power Stroke V8, 10-speed automatic
Power: 450 horsepower, 1,050 lb-ft of torque
Max Towing: 20,000 pounds
The best overall value when using price and towing is the Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD. Next is the Ford F-250 Super Duty, with its incredible towing power and lower price than the GMC or Ram trucks.
Which one-ton heavy-duty truck offers the greatest value at the max tow rating?
To determine the greatest value at the max tow rating, all of these trucks use dual rear wheels (dually) setups equipped with the fifth-wheel/gooseneck hitch.
Ram 3500HD
Trim: Tradesman, Regular Cab, 2WD, 8-foot Bed
Price: $64,050
Powertrain: 6.7-liter Cummins 6-cylinder, 6-speed automatic
Power: 400 horsepower, 1,000 lb-ft of torque
Max Towing: 35,100 pounds
Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD
Trim: WT, Regular Cab, 2WD, 8-foot Bed
Price: $56,725
Powertrain: 6.6-liter Duramax V8, 10-speed automatic
Power: 445 horsepower, 910 lb-ft of torque
Max Towing: 35,500 pounds
GMC Sierra 3500HD
Trim: SLE, Regular Cab, 2WD, 8-foot Bed
Price: $62,080
Ford F-350 Super Duty
Trim: XL, Regular Cab, 2WD, 8-foot Bed
Price: $55,170
Powertrain: 6.7-liter Power Stroke V8, 10-speed automatic
Power: 450 horsepower, 1,050 lb-ft of torque
Max Towing: 37,000 pounds
The clear winner in the one-ton diesel truck class is the Ford F-350 Super Duty. This truck is the most affordable, yet it offers towing of 37,000 pounds. Second place goes to the Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD.
Next, learn more about the interior upgrades to the Chevy Silverado HD, or watch this heavy-duty towing battle in the video below:
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