If you’re looking for the best diesel truck, 2017 has a wide selection to choose from.
A couple midsize trucks have made waves with efficient diesel engines, and the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel continues to sell like hotcakes. What is it about diesel trucks that makes them so desirable? Is it the brash torque and brutish looks? Is it the constant reliability diesel engines are known for?
In terms of power, you’ll find the best diesel truck for whatever your needs may be below.
Not long ago, the Colorado and Canyon were the bane of the midsize truck segment. The one thing you could count on before the body rotted away was the interior plastic cracking to bits. It was noisy and bland and desperately needed a refresh. When the new body style arrived with its modern interior and sharp looks, it was just icing on the cake when they slapped a small diesel under the hood.
The 2017 Colorado and Canyon siblings are a great option for someone who occasionally tows, hauls a dirtbike on the weekend, or hits the dirt roads once in a while. The 2.8-liter Duramax engine has 181 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque, making it mildly capable. The best part of the Canyon/Colorado duo is the fuel mileage – up to 28 miles per gallon on the highway. They are both two of the most fuel-efficient trucks.
Touted as the industry’s only half-ton pickup with an available diesel engine, the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel is already setting itself apart. Aside from being a great diesel truck, it’s one of the all around best pickup trucks out there. It’s a great performer. Add to that the classic Ram looks, tons of chrome accents and one of the most comfortable suspensions out there and the EcoDiesel is a real winner.
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The 2017 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel has a 3.0-liter V6 under the hood that puts out 240 horsepower and 420 lb-ft of torque. Those numbers are pretty good on their own for a 3.0-liter engine, but that torque is more than just a number. The EcoDiesel can tow up to 9,200 lbs. It’s also rated to achieve 21 mpg in the city and 29 mpg on the highway, beating even the midsize Canyon in fuel economy numbers. Is it the best diesel truck? No, but people love this pickup. And rightly so.
Thought to be the most attractive truck on the market by automotive experts (ahem, me), the 2017 Nissan Titan XD is the ultimate combination on the road today. It has luxury inside, especially in the Platinum Reserve edition. Around View Monitor, trailer light check with the key fob, in-bed gooseneck hitch – this truck has everything a truck lover could want. And it’s so damn rugged, you feel like a cowboy behind the wheel. Your only concern should be that nobody hacks your key fob.
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Then there’s the engine. The Titan XD Diesel has a 5.0-liter Cummins V8 Turbo Diesel under the massive hood. 310 horsepower and 555 lb-ft of torque make the Titan XD diesel a finely dressed powerhouse, like a weightlifter in a tuxedo. You can pull up to 12,300 lbs. with this truck or carry 2,500 lbs. in the box. Your choice.
The Cummins name is legendary, and it’s synonymous with the Ram Heavy Duty pickups. If you want to feel like you’re on top of the world in a very big truck, the Ram Heavy Duty will do it for you. A versatile lineup offers a Cummins engine in the basic 2500 pickup right through to the Laramie Longhorn and Limited trims.
That legendary 6.7-liter Cummins Turbo Diesel engine is still an inline-6 that’s still just as bulletproof as ever. It has 900 lb-ft of torque and 385 horsepower, both slightly less than the Ford Super Duty. However, with a towing capacity at 31,210 lbs., it’s not too far behind the Super Duty’s capabilities. That difference really is negligible…except when you’re rating the most powerful trucks. Oh yeah, its payload is up to 6,750 lbs. too. I guess that’s all right.
The race is on, but it’s about power and not speed. The 2017 Chevrolet Silverado HD pickup trucks in the 2500 ¾-ton or 3500 1-ton are contending for the best diesel truck in terms of power. With their modern looks and advanced features, the truck is almost as much about the occupants as it is the cargo…almost.
The GM HD pickups utilize a 6.6-liter Duramax V8 Turbo Diesel and its renowned Allison transmission mate. Together, they put down 445 horsepower and 910 lb-ft of torque. Maximum payload is slightly higher in the 1-ton trucks at 7,153 lbs. but the towing capacity is markedly lower at 23,300 lbs. More torque yet less ability – what gives?
You know it, you love it. Ford pickup trucks have been the bestselling trucks for over 25 years. It just makes sense that a diesel option is one of those, specifically the ones found in the Super Duty F250 and F350 models. These Super Duty trucks used to be strictly utilitarian with little attention afforded to details inside, but that’s changed. Expect comfort and luxury in the Lariat, King Ranch and Platinum trims.
But what we care about is the engine and its power. The 2017 Super Duty uses the 6.7-liter Power Stroke V8 Turbo Diesel that’s still built for hard work. Horsepower is rated at 440 horsepower. Torque is a mind-blowing 925 lb-ft. This mammoth can haul up to 32,000 lbs – no, that’s not a typo. If you’re serious about hauling, this truck is for you.
All in all, based on horsepower alone, the 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD is the most powerful diesel truck for 2017. But the Ford Super Duty is close behind and can tow more. With higher torque ratings and more towing capacity, we’d rank the 2017 Ford Super Duty as the best diesel truck to be had.
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