Fuel for thought
Looking for a frugal ride? These trucks can get a tough job done without being a pain at the pump
Owning a pickup truck is much like owning a big house — the heating and cooling costs climb by the square foot. The higher cost of owning choice real estate, though, is something many people will tolerate for the pleasures of living in a princely place.
Owning a half-ton truck is much the same: the fuel costs are high because trucks are big, heavy, utilitarian beasts as aerodynamic as an outdoor sauna.
But even in this corner of the world, some trucks are genuinely better than others at going further on a litre of fuel.
Sure, all trucks generally fall within a specific — not great — range, but some trucks are definitely better than others. So, if fuel economy is more important than trailering ability in your full-sized rig (and you still require or prefer a full-sized truck over a mediumsized one, such as the Toyota Tacoma or GMC Canyon), these are the pickups that will minimize your financial payload at the pump.
Figures below are for 4x4 models, based on 20,000 km of travelling per year with 55 per cent city driving. No. 1 — 2015 Ram EcoDiesel Ram might have an advantage because it’s the only half-ton with a diesel engine at present, but the diesel strategy has paid off, putting the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel at the front of the fuel-economy class. Sure, the diesel engine is a $4,500 option, so the upfront cost is higher ( but resale values are also better).
With a Natural Resources Canada highway fuel economy of 8.8 litres per 100 km and 12.1 city, the average total fuel bill should amount to $2,374. Although the price of diesel is higher than gaso- line, the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel is the clear winner for best fuel economy in a 4x4 pickup.
No. 2 — 2015 Ford F-150 2.7-litre EcoBoost V6
Ford has not released official fuel economy figures on its new, aluminum-bodied F-150, a truck 320 kilograms lighter than its replacement, making for a 20 per cent improvement in fuel consumption.
Speculation is rampant over whether the new F-150 and its new 2.7-litre twin turbo V6 with 325 horsepower (and a start-stop system) can match Ram’s EcoDiesel.
Our prediction? It won’t — but the margin will be extremely close. Our first drive of a 2015 F-150 4x4 Crewcab with the 2.7-L EcoBoost returned an average of 11.5 L/100 km on mostly highway; but based on the observed economy of others, our forecast is this engine in the lighter 2015 F-150 will be able to attain close to 9.5 L/100 km highway. That’s impressive for a gasoline engine in a truck, and should cost close to $2,400 per year in fuel.
No. 3 — 2015 Ford F-150 3.5-L EcoBoost V6
Ford’s bigger EcoBoost engine, the 3.5-litre V6 with 420 poundfeet of torque, already boasts decent fuel economy in the heavier 2014 model. But the switch to an all-aluminum body, shedding the
Ram might have an advantage because it’s the only half-ton with a diesel engine at present, but the diesel strategy has paid off.
equivalent of four adult passengers, gives a 20 per cent improvement in the truck’s economy, Ford says. Current NRC figures say the existing 3.5 with the auto-select six-speed transmission will return 11 L/100 km highway and 15.4 city. No doubt those numbers will fall in the new lighter F-150, but a 20 per cent improvement to the previous annual cost of fuel of $3,068 should mean an improved bill of $2,455.
No. 4 — 2015 Ram 1500, 3.6-L Pentastar V6
While offering a 2WD HFE model with good fuel economy, Ram also occupies the fourth spot on our 4x4 list with its regular 1500 equipped with the popular and ultrasmooth Pentastar VVT V6. Matched to an eight-speed transmission to make the most of its 269 lb-ft of torque, the 3.6-L engine should, according to NRC’s new five-cycle testing, return a respectable 10.1 L/100 km highway and 14.6 city for a yearly fuel bill of $2,860.
No. 5 — 2015 Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra, 5.3-L V8
Not far behind the Ram is the Chevrolet and GMC cousins, the Silverado and Sierra. While its competitors have opted for diesel or turbocharging, GM has adopted neither, putting its money on a trifecta of direct injection, variable valve timing and cylinder deactivation that GM calls EcoTec3. Cylinder deactivation shuts down four cylinders when all eight are not required. The engine has 355 horsepower and 383 lb-ft of torque.
Our real-life test of the Sierra and its 5.3-L V8 saw a return of 14 L/100 km average, and a highway best of 9.6, though the official ratings are 10.6 L/100 km highway and 14.9 city. At that rate, count on an annual fuel cost of $2,964.
The upside to the GM trucks is they are the only half-tons returning V6-like fuel economy with a V8.