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Pickup Trucks aren’t known for their fuel efficiency and eco-friendliness . If you want to drive a pickup truck and are also concerned about the environment and your personal emissions footprint, this list can give you the best of both worlds. Of course, the electric hybrids will be the most fuel-efficient, but there are some exclusively gas-run trucks on our list as well. Either way, this list will help you spend much less money at the gas station, and much more time on the road.
The fuel efficiency data originally comes from the EPA’s official rating list, besides the Hummer, which came directly from GMC. Each truck on our list is four-wheel-drive and ranges from diesel, gas, hybrid, and exclusively electric. The starting prices listed exclude destination and handling charges.
Why Are We Talking About This?
The size of American trucks is getting out of control.
Gas prices are high, car prices are high , and the size and cost of trucks in America are astronomical and worthy of all mockery. Those whose job or career requires the use of a 4x4 might be feeling desperate to find an option that still fits their budget (and garage). We took the time to find some of the most fuel-efficient 4x4s that are currently available.
#10 Ford Ranger 4X4
The 2024 Ford Ranger.
- City MPG: 20
- Highway MPG: 24
- Total MPG: 22
- Horsepower: 450
- Starting Price: $32,270
Featuring five-person seating, two different engine options, exterior updates, an optional mud coat, and customizable aesthetic options, the Ford ( NYSE:F ) Ranger 4x4 is a classic, more eco-friendly ride. Perfect for off-roading and towing up to 7,500 pounds and carrying up to 1,805 pounds of payload. The 2.3L turbocharged four-cylinder connected to a 10-speed automatic transmission makes 310 pound-feet of torque.
Engine options come in 2.7L EcoBoost® V6 Engine, and 3.0L EcoBoost® V6 Engine. The 2.7L EcoBoost® V6 Engine is available on XLT and LARIAT®. The 3.0L EcoBoost features a Baja mode, which allows for sand dune terrain performance. It also offers an optional FX4® Off-Road Package which features exposed steel bash plates, off-road-tuned shocks, an electronic-locking rear differential, and multiple drive modes.
#9 Ford F-150 PowerBoost Hybrid 4x4
A typical Ford F-150 vehicle.
- Combined MPG: 23
- Horsepower : 430
- Starting Price : $42,005
With 570 pound-feet of torque and 430 horsepower, the hybrid 2023 V6 engine is the perfect addition to the classic Ford F-150. The unique hybrid powertrain helps it tow up to 12,700 pounds and carry up to a 2,120-pound payload. It boasts a 3.5L PowerBoost™ which lends it impressive power ratings.
#8 Hyundai Santa Cruz AWD
A rear view of the Hyundai Santa Cruz at an auto show.
- City MPG : 21
- Highway MPG: 25
- Combined MPG : 23
- Horsepower: 191-281
- Starting Price: $40,945
This unique-looking truck is based on the Hyundai Tucson crossover. It is a compact pickup with a unibody design and comes in two different engine options. The turbocharged engine offers 281 horsepower and 311 pound-feet of torque. The other option, NA Engine (Naturally Aspirated) offers 191 horsepower and up to 181 pound-feet of torque. Both engines give identical fuel economy. The most stark difference between the two is the towing capabilities. The turbo has a 5,000-pound tow and 1,690-pound payload while the NA offers a 3,500-pound tow and 1,753-pound payload.
#7 Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra 1500 Duramax Diesel 4x4
A view of an earlier, still oversized, Chevrolet Silverado in a parking lot.
- City MPG: 22
- Highway MPG : 27
- Combined MPG: 24
- Horsepower: 305
- Starting Price : $67,000
The Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra 1500 Duramax Diesel offers a 3.0L I6 turbodiesel engine, 495 pound-feet of torque, 1,500 rpm, and can tow up to 13,000 pounds and a 2,210-max payload.
#6 Toyota Tacoma i-Force Max
A 2023 Toyota Tacoma. The line between clown car and American truck is beginning to blur.
- City MPG: 23
- Highway MPG: 24
- Combined MPG: 24
- Horsepower : 326
- Starting Price: $46,300
The newest version of the Toyota ( NYSE:TM ) Tacoma comes with a new chassis, new drivetrains, a 2.4L turbocharged four-cylinder engine, a hybrid system, and an eight-speed automatic. All of these features offer the i-Force Max 326 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque, can tow up to 6,000 pounds, and a max payload of 1,610 pounds.
#5 Ford Maverick 2.0T AWD
The outrageous size of the Ford Maverick.
- City MPG: 22
- Highway MPG : 29
- Combined MPG : 25
- Horsepower: 250
- Starting Price: $25,515
With 250 horsepower, 277 pound-feet of torque, and a 4,000-pound tow capacity, the Ford Maverick is the most fuel-efficient gas-powered truck of 2024. This AWD small truck features a turbocharged 1.0L four-cylinder engine and an eight-speed automatic transmission.
#4 GMC Hummer EV
A view of the GMC Hummer EV. You're so high up you can't hear others laugh at you.
- MPGe: 53
- Range: 314 Miles
- Horsepower: 1,000
- Starting Price: $79,995
The GMC Hummer EV weighs more than 8,500 pounds and isn’t required to list its economy figures by the EPA. GMC has provided its own numbers with MPGe of 53, and a range of 314 miles. The Hummer EV can compete with any midsize truck can tow 7,500 pounds and has a payload of 1,300 pounds.
The GMC Hummer EV weighs more than 3,500 pounds, making it weigh more than twice the amount of the average American car. Vehicles of this ridiculous size (including most American trucks) are far more likely to kill pedestrians and passengers of other vehicles on the road. In Europe, for example, a heavy good vehicle license might be required to purchase and drive this vehicle since it is so large and heavy, whereas in America any 16-year-old with a learner's permit can hop in a Hummer and drive. In fact, vehicle tests have shown that an M1 Abrams tank has better visibility and is safer to drive on the road than the typical American truck, while having about the same storage space.
#3 Chevrolet Silverado EV
A view of the Chevrolet Silverado with its ridiculously limited front visibility.
- MPGe : 68
- Range : 450 Miles
- Horsepower: 754
- Starting Price: $74,800
With a range of 450 miles from a standard battery pack, the Chevrolet Silverado EV has more standard range than any other electric pickup on the market. It also has 754 horsepower, 785 pound-feet of torque, can tow 10,000 pounds, can hit 60 mph in only 4.5 seconds, and features a mid-gate.
This electric truck was introduced in 2022 and is the first full-production electric truck produced by Chevrolet.
#2 Ford F-150 Lightning 4WD Extended Range
The Ford F-150 Lightning, just because it's electric doesn't make it look any less silly.
- MPGe : 70
- Range: 230 Miles
- Horsepower : 452
- Starting Price: $54,995
Featuring twin motors, all-wheel drive, 452 horsepower, 580 horsepower, 775 pound-feet of torque, and a towing capacity of 7,700 pounds. This comes with 2 engine options, the XLT and Lightning XLT. It also comes with an optional Tow Technology package or a Max Trailer Tow package for an additional price.
The F-150 Lightning is the 14th-generation F-150 truck and began production in 2022. It won the 2023 North American Truck of the Year Award, the Truck of the Year Award from MotorTrend, the Best Buy for electric trucks by Kelly Blue Book, and it was the top-rated electric truck by Edmunds in 2023 and 2024.
#1 Rivian R1T Dual Max
A photo of the Rivian R1T.
- MPGe : 84
- Range : 410 Miles
- Horsepower : 1,025
- Starting Price: $83,000
The most fuel-efficient truck on our list is the first all-electric pickup to go on sale in the US. It features a max towing power of 11,000 pounds, can haul 1,760 pounds of cargo, delivers 1,025 horsepower, 1,198 pound-feet of torque, AWD, a 270-mile battery pack, and lends an impressive 410-mile range.
The original Rivian R1T production began in only 2021, and is a functional, fuel-efficient, and useful alternative to the more famous Cybertruck that is making all the headlines these days, at a much cheaper price.
The Rivian R1T won the Truck of the Year award for 2022 by Motor Trend.
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