9 Best Fuel Economy Trucks in 2023

Not that pickup trucks aren’t fuel-efficient, but it isn’t because they get Prius-equivalent mpg ratings. Instead, the opposite is true.

Current trucks are more fuel-efficient than you might think, especially if you consider the expanding class of smaller, lighter midsize pickups, new compacts, and the fuel-saving diesel engines and hybrid powertrain alternatives rapidly proliferating among full-size, half tonne trucks.

So, are you in the market for a new pickup vehicle that is functional and fuel-efficient? Find your answer here. As measured by the EPA’s predicted 2022 combined fuel economy rating, we’ve compiled a list of the most fuel economy trucks available now.

Using this statistic, it is possible to compare the gas mileage of different automobiles in various driving situations.

Although a few vehicles on this list have impressive highway fuel economy and even a few that deliver remarkable city fuel economy, the overall combined figure ultimately decided the order in which they appeared.

Fortunately, there are plenty of fuel-efficient models in every segment, including compacts, midsize, and even full sizes.

Below is a list of the top 9 best fuel economy trucks.

1. 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz AWD (23 MPG)
2. 2022 Chevrolet Colorado 2WD Diesel (23 MPG)
3. 2022 Ford F-150 2WD Hybrid (25 MPG)
4. 2022 Jeep Gladiator EcoDiesel (24 MPG)
5. 2022 Ford Maverick FWD 2.0L Turbo (26 MPG)
6. 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 2WD Diesel (26 MPG)
7. 2022 Chevrolet Silverado 2WD Diesel (26 MPG)
8. 2022 Ram 1500 2WD EcoDiesel (26 MPG)
9. 2022 Ford Maverick Hybrid (37 MPG)

1. 2022 Hyundai Santa Cruz AWD (23 MPG)

The Santa Cruz is a great truck. It’s EPA-rated at 23 mpg in the city and 24 on the highway for a combined fuel economy of 27.3 mpg. That’s about as much as you get from a Toyota Prius, and it’s got a lot more room for cargo.

The great thing about the new Hyundai Santa Cruz is that it does the job and does it well. It’s a real truck, and it goes places. And it gets you to where you’re going.

The Santa Cruz has no diesel power, but that’s not what makes it a truck; it’s got four-wheel drive, a dependable V-6 engine, and a solid ride. If you want a car that’ll go places, this is your car.

The more important thing about Santa Cruz is that it’s also a car. It’s a better car than most other trucks on the market because its fuel economy is better than those trucks’ at less cost per mile.

It’s got an unassuming exterior—nothing about it says “truck”—but inside, it’s all-new Hyundai stuff, with excellent materials and good fit and finishes.

Even though you can get this car as a sedan or hatchback, I recommend all-wheel drive because there are still places where you’d be better off with four wheels rather than two—this is one of them.

Specifications

Powertrain: 2.5L I-4 (191 hp, 181 lb-ft)
EPA Fuel Economy (city/hwy/combined): 21/27/23 mpg.

2. 2022 Chevrolet Colorado 2WD Diesel (23 MPG)

The GMC Canyon’s 2.8-liter diesel engine is shared by the Chevrolet Colorado, which has an option for that engine. GMC’s diesel is limited to crew cab vehicles, but the off-road ZR2 can have both a diesel and an extended cab body attached to it.

The diesel, like the GMC, will set you back a whopping $37,810 for the most basic model (thousands more than the midrange gas V-6).

However, returning to the topic of fuel economy… You were correct for those who predicted the Colorado diesel would match its Canyon sibling’s mpg estimates.

Specifications

Powertrain: 2.8L turbodiesel I-4 (181 hp, 369 lb-ft)
EPA Fuel Economy (city/hwy/combined): 20/30/23 mpg

3. 2022 Ford F-150 2WD Hybrid (25 MPG)

Diesel-powered Ford F-150s were formerly the best on the highway, but that’s no longer the case in 2022. When it comes to fuel economy, the PowerBoost Hybrid model has the best overall rating of 25mpg.

You can see this by looking at the F-150 Hybrid’s EPA fuel-economy estimates, which show that no matter what type of driving you perform (city, highway, etc.), you’ll get the same mpg from it.

With a dual-turbo 3.5-liter V-6 engine, electric motor, and 1.5-kWh battery, the Hybrid can produce 430 horsepower and 570 pounds-feet of torque; the Ford F-150 2WD is still considered one of the best fuel economy trucks in the market.

It also has many useful features, like a built-in dual-output power supply. One may connect and utilize many large appliances simultaneously with either the 2.4-kW or the 7.2-kW generator.

The 7.2-kW generator, however, adds a 120-volt connection. Are you stumped as to what to do with it? Texan F-150 Hybrid owners used pickups to power their homes during the 2021 winter storm that cut off power for days.

Specifications

Powertrain: 3.5L twin-turbo hybrid V-6 (430 hp, 570 lb-ft)
EPA Fuel Economy (city/hwy/combined): 25/26/25 mpg

4. 2022 Jeep Gladiator EcoDiesel (24 MPG)

If you’re looking for a vehicle with four-wheel drive (along with the Ford F-150 diesel), the Jeep Gladiator EcoDiesel is it. You can’t get a non-four-wheel-drive Gladiator no matter what engine you choose, so you’re stuck with the pricey EcoDiesel V-6 option.

To unlock it, you must first purchase the Willys Sport or higher trim level and then pay an additional $4,010 (plus $2,000) to get the 260-hp, 442(!), and 8-speed automatic transmission requires.

This equates to a down payment of $46,185 for an EcoDiesel Gladiator, with the added benefit of better fuel economy compared to a gas-powered model.

Expect a combined fuel economy of 24 mpg (at least 1 mpg better than the gas version’s best highway number) and a highway fuel economy of up to 28 mpg.

Specifications

Powertrain: 3.0L turbodiesel V-6 (260 hp, 442 lb-ft)
EPA Fuel Economy (city/hwy/combined): 22/28/24 mpg

5. 2022 Ford Maverick FWD 2.0L Turbo (26 MPG)

With its optional, more powerful engine, the new Ford Maverick is featured in the middle of 2022’s best fuel economy trucks.

This should serve as a warning. That’s correct—when mated with front-wheel drive, this step-up 250-hp 2.0-liter turbocharged engine delivers 26 mpg combined (and up to 30 mpg highway).

Even with all-wheel drive, the combined fuel economy is only 25 mpg, which is still impressive. These Mavericks are the worst you can get; the tiny pickup’s conventional hybrid powertrain far outperforms them.

Specifications

Powertrain: 2.0L turbo I-4 (250 hp, 277 lb-ft)
EPA Fuel Economy (city/hwy/combined): (23/30/26)

6. 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 2WD Diesel (26 MPG)

This one’s a slam dunk: The GMC Sierra diesel outperforms the smaller Canyon diesel in fuel efficiency. There are larger and more powerful diesel inline-six in the bigger vehicle than inline-four in the smaller Canyon.

The Sierra diesel is your best bet for improved city mpg (from 23 to 20), the same 30 mpg on the highway, and 26 mpg in the combined cycle.

Only the Sierra double cab (extended cab) and four-door crew cab versions are equipped with the smooth, torquey Duramax diesel engine, which gets the best gas mileage in two-wheel drive configurations.

Specifications

Powertrain: 3.0L turbodiesel I-6 (277 hp, 460 lb-ft)
EPA Fuel Economy (city/hwy/combined): 23/30/26 mpg

7. 2022 Chevrolet Silverado 2WD Diesel (26 MPG)

The full-size, diesel-powered Chevy Silverado 1500 ranks third on our best fuel economy trucks list. The GMC Sierra’s optional 3.0-liter turbodiesel inline-six engine is used in this light-duty truck, resulting in 26 mpg.

EPA estimates 31 mpg on the highway and 23 mpg in the city, which is 1 mpg better than the GMC’s city rating of 23 mpg.

Even Chevy’s turbocharged 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine, the smallest among full-size pickups, can’t compete with the diesel engine and 10-speed transmission.

Therefore, the Chevy Silverado is widely considered one of the best fuel economy trucks.

Specifications

Powertrain: 3.0L turbodiesel I-6 (277 hp, 460 lb-ft)
EPA Fuel Economy (city/hwy/combined): 23/31/26 mpg

8. 2022 Ram 1500 2WD EcoDiesel (26 MPG)

The better highway fuel economy of the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel gives it the advantage over the GMC Sierra and Chevy Silverado diesel in our comparison.

The Ram’s 33-mpg highway rating is the deciding factor in the three full-size vehicles’ combined 26 mpg.

Ram offers two versions of the 1500 EcoDiesel, the HFE being the fuel-saving variant (High Fuel Economy), making it one of the best fuel economy trucks on the list.

Despite its similarity to the gas-powered model that misses this list, the streamlined 1500 is the model whose fuel economy is the focus of this review.

On the highway, the normal two-wheel-drive Ram 1500 EcoDiesel matches its 26 mpg-combined ratings, but on the city and the highway, it falls behind by 1 mpg.

Specifications

Powertrain: 3.0L turbodiesel V-6 (260 hp, 480 lb-ft)
EPA Fuel Economy (city/hwy/combined): 23/33/26 mpg

9. 2022 Ford Maverick Hybrid (37 MPG)

When it comes to basic fuel economy, the new kid on the block has completely outdone the competition in the truck class. The 37-mpg Ford Maverick is on display.

How does it manage to get so close to 40mpg? Size and a hybrid engine. Lightweight unibody construction means no bulky and heavy separate frame on the Maverick.

This is also a little truck; the Ford is about the same size as the previous Ford Ranger, discontinued over a decade ago and effectively killed the compact pickup truck market.

There are two options for front-wheel drive: the Escape SUV’s hybrid powertrain, which uses a 2.5-liter I-4 with an electric motor assist that produces 191 hp combined, or Hyundai’s Santa Cruz’s entry-level non-hybrid 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, which has the same output as the Escape SUV’s hybrid powertrain.

Even yet, the Hyundai only manages a combined fuel economy of 23mpg. Hence, if you search for a fuel economy truck, then look no further than the Ford Maverick Hybrid.

Specifications