When it comes to pickup trucks, many people expect power and performance, but fuel efficiency often gets overlooked. Some of the most popular models on the market come with unexpectedly high fuel costs that can catch you by surprise. In this article, we’re taking a closer look at 25 pickup trucks that deliver plenty of muscle but at the expense of your gas budget.
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Ford F-150 Raptor
The Ford F-150 Raptor is built for off-road performance with its 3.5L twin-turbo EcoBoost V6 engine, delivering 450 horsepower. While it offers incredible power and handling, its fuel economy suffers with an estimated 15 MPG city and 18 MPG highway, making it one of the least fuel-efficient trucks in its class.
Ram 1500 TRX
Equipped with a 6.2L supercharged HEMI V8 engine, the Ram 1500 TRX churns out 702 horsepower, making it a powerhouse on the road. However, this extreme performance comes at the cost of fuel efficiency, averaging only 10 MPG in the city and 14 MPG on the highway, leading to hefty fuel bills.
Chevrolet Silverado 1500 6.2L V8
The 6.2L V8 engine in the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 delivers 420 horsepower, but it’s a notorious gas-guzzler. With fuel economy ratings of around 15 MPG city and 20 MPG highway, this truck can quickly rack up high fuel costs, especially for daily drivers.
Toyota Tundra 5.7L V8
Known for its reliability and toughness, the Toyota Tundra’s 5.7L V8 engine provides strong towing capacity. However, its outdated powertrain contributes to poor fuel efficiency, with only 13 MPG city and 17 MPG highway, making it expensive to run.
GMC Sierra 1500 Denali 6.2L V8
The GMC Sierra 1500 Denali offers luxury with its powerful 6.2L V8 engine. Despite its smooth ride and upscale features, the Denali struggles with fuel economy, offering just 15 MPG in the city and 20 MPG on the highway, adding up quickly at the pump.
Nissan Titan XD
The Nissan Titan XD is designed for heavy-duty tasks, powered by a 5.6L V8 engine that delivers 400 horsepower. While it’s great for towing, its fuel economy, averaging around 15 MPG combined, can be a burden for those seeking long-term savings.
Ram 2500 Power Wagon
The Ram 2500 Power Wagon is a rugged off-road beast with a 6.4L HEMI V8 engine, ideal for extreme conditions. However, its hefty build and massive engine result in poor fuel efficiency, with estimates around 14 MPG combined, making it a costly option for daily use.
Ford F-250 Super Duty 7.3L V8
Built for heavy-duty performance, the Ford F-250 Super Duty’s 7.3L V8 engine provides excellent towing capacity but sacrifices fuel economy. Averaging only 12-15 MPG combined, this truck racks up high fuel costs, especially under load.
Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD 6.6L V8
The Silverado 2500HD with its 6.6L V8 engine is built for heavy hauling, but with fuel economy hovering around 14 MPG combined, it’s one of the less efficient trucks in the market, making long trips or daily commutes costly.
GMC Sierra 2500HD 6.6L V8
Like its Chevrolet counterpart, the GMC Sierra 2500HD offers strong towing capacity thanks to its 6.6L V8 engine. However, it comes at the cost of fuel economy, averaging around 14 MPG combined, which can add up, particularly for frequent drivers.
Ram 3500 Heavy Duty 6.4L V8
The Ram 3500 Heavy Duty is a workhorse, powered by a 6.4L HEMI V8 engine. Despite its impressive towing capacity, the truck suffers from low fuel efficiency, with just around 12-14 MPG combined, making it a gas-guzzler in most conditions.
Ford F-350 Super Duty
The Ford F-350 Super Duty is known for its incredible towing and payload capacity, but its massive size and heavy engine options result in poor fuel economy. Depending on the configuration, it can average around 12-15 MPG, making it one of the more expensive trucks to fuel.
Nissan Frontier Pro-4X
The Nissan Frontier Pro-4X offers decent off-road capability with its 3.8L V6 engine, but its fuel efficiency falls short, averaging only 17 MPG city and 23 MPG highway. For a midsize truck, these numbers are unimpressive, making it an unexpectedly high-cost option at the pump.
Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro
Despite its reputation as an off-road powerhouse, the Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro with a 3.5L V6 engine delivers only 18 MPG city and 22 MPG highway. Its fuel efficiency isn’t competitive, leading to higher-than-expected fuel costs for its size.
Jeep Gladiator Rubicon
With a 3.6L V6 engine, the Jeep Gladiator Rubicon offers off-road prowess but at a cost to fuel economy, delivering just 16 MPG city and 23 MPG highway. It may handle rugged terrain well, but its efficiency leaves something to be desired.
Chevrolet Colorado ZR2
The Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 is an off-road variant with a 3.6L V6 engine. While it performs well in rugged environments, its fuel economy, with around 16 MPG city and 18 MPG highway, is surprisingly low for a midsize truck.
GMC Canyon AT4
The GMC Canyon AT4 is a solid midsize truck with off-road capabilities, but its 3.6L V6 engine delivers poor fuel efficiency for its size, averaging around 17 MPG city and 24 MPG highway, making it more expensive to fuel than expected.
Ford Ranger Lariat
The Ford Ranger Lariat features a 2.3L turbocharged four-cylinder engine, delivering decent power but subpar fuel economy for a midsize truck. It averages around 20 MPG city and 24 MPG highway, which might seem efficient but falls short for those seeking real savings.
Ram 1500 Rebel
The Ram 1500 Rebel is equipped with a 5.7L HEMI V8 engine, making it great for performance but disappointing in fuel efficiency. It averages around 15 MPG city and 21 MPG highway, leading to higher fuel costs, especially in urban driving.
Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Trail Boss
The Trail Boss version of the Silverado 1500 comes with either a 5.3L or 6.2L V8 engine. While it excels off-road, its fuel economy ratings of 14-16 MPG in the city and 18-20 MPG highway make it an expensive truck to keep filled up.
Toyota Tundra TRD Pro
The Toyota Tundra TRD Pro is built for rugged terrain, but its 5.7L V8 engine delivers poor fuel efficiency at just 13 MPG city and 17 MPG highway. Even with its off-road capabilities, it ends up being costly to operate on a daily basis.
Ford F-150 Limited 3.5L EcoBoost V6
The Ford F-150 Limited offers a luxurious ride with a powerful 3.5L EcoBoost V6 engine, but its fuel economy doesn’t impress, averaging around 17 MPG city and 23 MPG highway. For a model with an eco-friendly name, its efficiency is surprisingly underwhelming.
GMC Sierra 1500 AT4
The GMC Sierra 1500 AT4 with its 5.3L or 6.2L V8 engine provides off-road capabilities, but fuel efficiency takes a hit. With MPG ratings of 15 city and 19 highway, the truck’s performance comes with a higher fuel cost than expected.
Ford Maverick 2.0L AWD
While the Ford Maverick’s hybrid version is fuel-efficient, the AWD 2.0L turbo model averages just 22 MPG city and 29 MPG highway. For such a small truck, this version’s fuel economy is unexpectedly high, making it pricier to drive than anticipated.
Honda Ridgeline AWD
The Honda Ridgeline is a versatile truck, but its 3.5L V6 engine doesn’t deliver great fuel efficiency, averaging only 18 MPG city and 24 MPG highway. For a midsize truck, this fuel economy is disappointing and can lead to surprisingly high fuel costs over time.
This article originally appeared in MyCarMakesNoise.
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