Finding the right pickup can be a pain, even more so when you are trying your best to keep the gas mileage into account! There are tons of different trucks on the market, but also different engine options that can vastly change what kind of mileage each truck is able to get. Because of that, to help you make the right choice, we compiled all of the data we could find on each truck, and got you the best answers possible.
We spent hours scouring the web to find the best pickups that get over 30mpg, 25mpg, 20mpg as well as found the electric trucks with the best range and more.
Without more to do, here are all of the trucks ranked by their gas mileage! And of course our favorites from each category.
- What pickup trucks get over 30 miles per gallon?
- What pickups get over 25 miles per gallon?
- What pickups get over 20 miles per gallon?
- What heavy duty trucks get the best gas mileage?
- Which pickups get the worst gas mileage?
- What electric trucks get the best range?
- Why do pickups get such bad gas mileage?
- Why do smaller trucks not get better gas mileage?
- Conclusion
Please Note: All data in this article was gathered in many ways, we do our best to be accurate, and keep the article up to date. However, if you notice anything incorrect, let us know in the comments!
What pickup trucks get over 30 miles per gallon?
There are only four pickup trucks that are able to get over 30mpg, and they are only able to achieve this at highway speeds (read more about why that is in this article). The Ram 1500, Ford Maverick, GMC Canyon and GMC Sierra 1500 are the only pickups that are rated by the EPA to reach over 30 miles per gallon.
Here is a quick table that shows these pickups, what engine you should choose and their gas mileage!
| Vehicle | Engine | City | Hwy | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ram 1500 | 3.0L Diesel | 23 | 33 | 26 |
| Ford Maverick | 2.0L EcoBoost | 23 | 30 | 26 |
| GMC Canyon | 2.8L Duramax | 20 | 30 | 23 |
| GMC Sierra 1500 | 3.0L Duramax | 23 | 30 | Unknown |
Our Choice: Ford Maverick with 2.0L Ecoboost
Alright, hear me out here. The Ram 1500 obviously has the best gas mileage of any pickup on this list with around 33mpg on the highway. However a lot more goes into your decision to buy a pickup than just that! Ever since the Ford Maverick was announced, I knew that it would be a fantastic vehicle. Finally we have a small pickup truck with all of the crossover, and car benefits, but with a bed.
Match that with a creative interior, high quality build (I like Ford products personally), and a great EcoBoost engine, and you have a recipe for a unique, fun to modify vehicle.
The Maverick stands out as one of my favorite new pickups on the market! If you haven’t had a chance to take a closer look at one, you probably should, as it might sway you over to one yourself.
Pros
- Compact design
- High quality build
- Great for city driving
Cons
- Can’t tow very much
- Bed is not very big
What pickups get over 25 miles per gallon?
Now, 30 miles per gallon is a great gas mileage for a pickup truck, but 25 and up is still highly respectable! In this category you will find a wider range of trucks, including staples in the industry like the Silverado, Ford Ranger, Ram 1500 and more. However, you will also find new entrants like the Hyundai Santa Cruz, which is a direct competitor to our favorite choice from the section above.
| Vehicle | Engine | City | Hwy | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chevrolet Silverado 1500 | 3.0L Turbo-Diesel | 23 | 29 | 27 |
| Chevrolet Colorado | 2.8L Duramax | 19 | 28 | 22 |
| Hyundai Santa Cruz | 2.5L Turbo | 21 | 27 | 23 |
| Ford Ranger | 2.3L EcoBoost | 21 | 26 | 23 |
| Chevrolet Colorado | 3.6L V6 | 19 | 25 | 22 |
| GMC Canyon | 3.6L V6 | 19 | 25 | 22 |
| Ram 1500 | 3.6L Pentastar | 20 | 25 | Unknown |
Our Choice: Ram 1500 with 3.6L Pentastar
You might be surprised to find our favorite pickup that gets between 25 and 30 miles per gallon is the 3.6L Ram 1500, however it is! Sure you can opt for a diesel Silverado or even the new Santa Cruze, however if you aren’t trying to achieve the best gas mileage like with some thing we talked about above (Ford Maverick), I would get something that is a bit bigger.
The Ram 1500 has a fantastic interior, a well designed exterior, and the 3.6L engine is an awesome power plant. I have had the chance to own a vehicle (Dodge Durango) with this engine, and was incredibly impressed with its power, reliability, and calmness of the drive.
Ram is doing some awesome things with their pickup trucks right now, so if you are looking for a good mid-range gas mileage truck, the 3.6L Ram 1500 is an awesome option for an all around great pickup.
Pros
- Full-size pickup with good gas mileage
- Amazing interior for a pickup
- Great exterior styling
- Engine is reliable and powerful
Cons
- Is a full-size pickup, not great for city driving
- Long term reliability may be questionable
What pickups get over 20 miles per gallon?
Now, most pickups on the market today actually get between 20 and 24 miles to the gallon. This is where you mainly see V6 engines, V8 engines and the larger pickups on the market.
| Vehicle | Engine | City | Hwy | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ford F-150 | 2.7L Turbo V6 | 19 | 24 | 21 |
| Honda Ridgeline | 3.5L V6 | 18 | 24 | Unknown |
| Nissan Frontier | 3.8L V6 | 18 | 24 | Unknown |
| Toyota Tacoma | 3.5L V6 | 19 | 24 | Unknown |
| Ford F-150 | 3.5L PowerBoost Hybrid | 23 | 23 | 23 |
| Ford F-150 | 3.5L EcoBoost | 18 | 23 | 20 |
| Ford F-150 | 5.0L V8 | 18 | 23 | 20 |
| Ram 1500 | 5.7L Hemi eTorque | 17 | 23 | Unknown |
| Toyota Tundra | 3.5L Twin-Turbo V6 | 18 | 23 | Unknown |
| Chevrolet Silverado 1500 | 2.7L Turbo | 19 | 22 | 20 |
| Ford F-150 | 3.3L V6 | 19 | 22 | 20 |
| GMC Sierra 1500 | 2.7L Turbo | 19 | 22 | 20 |
| Chevrolet Silverado 1500 | 5.3L V8 | 15 | 22 | Unknown |
| Jeep Gladiator | 3.6L Pentastar | 17 | 22 | Unknown |
| Ram 1500 | 5.7L Hemi V8 | 15 | 22 | Unknown |
| Nissan Titan | 5.6L V8 | 16 | 21 | 18 |
| GMC Sierra 1500 | 5.3L V8 | 15 | 21 | 17 |
| Chevrolet Silverado 1500 | 6.2L V8 | 15 | 20 | Unknown |
| GMC Sierra 1500 | 6.2L V8 | 15 | 20 | Unknown |
Our Choice: Ford F-150 PowerBoost
Have you ever wanted a pickup truck that can also power your house? No? Well, Ford has something for that anyways! The F-150 Powerboost is a hybrid pickup with a heart of a the standard 3.5L, but it is supplemented with an electric drivetrain. It unfortunately doesn’t do a ton for the gas mileage, but it makes for an incredibly useful pickup truck.
You are able to get 23 miles per gallon with this truck, whether it is highway or city, as the hybrid drivetrain helps out when you are stomping on the pedal.
While I do wish it would help with the mileage, having a great pickup like the F-150 and what is essentially a portable generator on hand at all times, is a fantastic step in the right direction.
Pros
- Essentially is a portable generator
- High quality pickup truck
- Great reliability
Cons
- Wish it had better gas mileage for being a hybrid
What heavy duty trucks get the best gas mileage?
This was a difficult list to put together! The EPA does not require these larger pickups to have mileage disclosed, so manufacturers… well, don’t! So I had to scour the web even more to find great sources to put together this table for you.
| Vehicle | Engine | Combined |
|---|---|---|
| Ford F-250 | 6.7L V8 Turbo-Diesel | 15.8 |
| Ram 2500 | 6.4L V8 Hemi | 15.4 |
| Ram 2500 | 6.7L Turbo-Diesel | 15 |
| GMC Sierra 2500 | 6.6L V8 | 14.2 |
| GMC Sierra 3500 | 6.6L Turbo-Diesel V8 | 13.6 |
| Ram 3500 | 6.7L Turbo-Diesel | 13 |
| Chevrolet Silverado 3500 | 6.6L Turbo-Diesel V8 | 12.8 |
| Ford F-350 | 6.7L Turbo-Diesel V8 | 12.8 |
| Chevrolet Silverado 2500 | 6.6L Turbo-Diesel V8 | 12.5 |
| Ford F-250 | 7.3L V8 | 12.5 |
| Ford F-350 | 7.3L V8 | 12 |
| Ford F-250 | 6.2L V8 | 11.8 |
Our Choice: Ford F-250 with the 6.7L V8 Turbo-Diesel
While I personally am not a huge fan of larger trucks (personal preference), the F-250 with the 6.7L diesel would be my personal choice from this list of awesome trucks. Ford makes a fantastic product, and this engine is by far one of my favorites out there. It is a larger truck though, and these do tend to drive rougher than a 1500 series truck, so make sure you are going to be okay with that before making your purchase.
Pros
- Great reliability
- Very comfortable vehicle
Cons
- Rides rougher than the F-150
- Not very good gas mileage
Which pickups get the worst gas mileage?
Not every pickup truck gets the best gas mileage in the world, they are massive, not super aerodynamic, and have a lot of weight to pull. However, thankfully, newer trucks have gotten better as you have seen earlier in this article. However, there are certain trucks where that just isn’t the case. Keep in mind, I left the heavy duty trucks out of this, as that just isn’ fair.
The standard trucks that get the worst gas mileage would be the F-150 Raptor and the Ram TRX. To be fair though, they both are performance trucks, with massive amounts of power.
| Vehicle | Engine | City MPG | Hwy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ford F-150 Raptor | 3.5L HO Ecoboost | 15 | 18 |
| Ram TRX | 6.2L Supercharged V8 | 10 | 14 |
Our Choice: Ford F-150 Raptor
Yes, I know, the TRX has more horsepower, is insanely fast, etc. etc. However, I personally am a huge fan of the Raptor! It was the beginning of the higher performance off-road segment, and it continues to be a solid truck, through all of the generations. I have no doubt though, when the EPA releases figures for the Raptor R, that I will be updating it to that truck.
What electric trucks get the best range?
Electric trucks are quickly taking the market by storm, with new trucks being released regularly! At the moment, there are three pickups officially on the market, and here are their ranges!
| Vehicle | Motor Count | Range |
|---|---|---|
| GMC Hummer EV | 3 Electric Motor | 329 |
| Ford F-150 Lightning | 2 Electric Motors | 320 |
| Rivian R1T | 4 Electric Motors | 314 |
Our Choice: Rivian R1T
It is my personal belief at the moment, that electric pickup trucks aren’t quite ready for heavy workloads, and trailer towing. So if you can’t do that, you might as well get one of the most versatile, and capable lifestyle trucks out there, and that would be the Rivian R1T. While it may have the lowest range of the trucks above, it is more compact, and has plenty of awesome technology built in.
My personal favorite feature is the gear tunnel that sits in front of the rear wheels, and in back of the rear doors. You can easily store tons of items, and utilize it as a form of trunk.
Why do pickups get such bad gas mileage?
Part of the problem is their size and weight. A larger engine is needed to move a heavier vehicle, and that means more fuel consumption. Additionally, trucks are designed for hauling heavy loads, which puts even more strain on the engine.
Then there’s the matter of aerodynamics. Trucks are boxy and blunt, which makes them very inefficient when it comes to cutting through the air.
All of these factors come together to give pickups some of the worst fuel economy ratings on the road. But for many drivers, the trade-off is worth it for the increased power and capability that a truck provides.
Why do smaller trucks not get better gas mileage?
The size of a pickup is not the only factor that comes into play with gas mileage. You also have to consider the weight ratio, to the power output of the vehicle. For example, the Hyundai Santa Cruz (which is a compact truck) gets around the same gas mileage as the Chevrolet Colorado.
This is because the Santa Cruz may have a more compact design, but that also is the same for the engine, and power output. The ratio of power to weight is very similar in both pickups, meaning a similar gas mileage.
Conclusion
There you have it! The pickups with the best and worst gas mileage. While there are some clear winners and losers, remember that these numbers will vary depending on a number of factors, including how you drive and what you use your pickup for. So, if you’re in the market for a new pickup, make sure to do your research before making a decision. And, as always, happy hunting!
