Motor Trend's 10 Best Diesel Trucks Ever

These are the kinds of stories that start arguments. Write a story about the ten best of anything and you'll have readers checking it out, then arguing, "What wasn't this on the the list?" It could be the 10 best Beatles songs of all time, the ten best rock groups, the ten best movies of all time... two beers and you've got a fight started. 

Dodge Ram: Kickin' up dirt and spoiling for a fight.

So KJ Jones has dished up a treat for gear heads. The 10 Best Diesel Pickup Trucks of All Time. Who's in and who's out? Let's rumble.

Jones sets a few parameters up front. First, he knows that there are some readers who are so enamored their Rams that they believe "If it doesn't have a Cummins, it can't be on the list." All bias aside, there are other criteria beside sheer muscle. For this reason he writes:

The trucks we've selected range from first-generation Dodge Rams of the late 1980s, to present-day Ford, GM and Ram rigs that tow upwards of 35,000 pounds, while getting almost 30 mpg in fuel economy. So, if you're in the market for a brand-new, or new-to-you, (older) diesel truck, consider the ten rigs that are cited in this rundown.

And indeed, the first truck unveiled is that first generation Dodge Ram: 1989-1993 Ram D-250 and D-350. His moniker for this truck is Timeless Diesel. Each photo is accompanied by a paragraph of text that underscores the features that make this selection significant.

The second photo is what Jones calls the Best Used Diesel Value: 2003-2008 Dodge Ram 2500 and 3500 HD. Third-gen Dodge Heavy Duty diesels are also held in high regard, Jones writes. In part, this is due tothe facelift as well as increased cargo and cockpit space. This is a big man's truck.

Truck #3 he labels the Most Capable Diesel, and yes, it is a Dodge Ram as well, a 2010-2013 Ram 2500 Heavy Duty. This puppy has a 6.7-liter Cummins I-6 diesel engine that produces real horsepower and mountains of torque in what Jones calls "a fairly simple package."

At this point you have to be wondering when the Fords and Chevs will get mentions. The answer, when you turn the pages is "not yet." Truck #4 is the First 1,000 lb-ft Diesel. It, too, is a Ram. Specifically, it's a 202 Ram 3500 Heavy Duty. This was a Motor Trend Truck of the Year when it appeared, and it's got a lot going for it, not the least of which is its 35,100-pound towing capability and 7,680-pound payload.

Rather than spill all the beans here, I'm just going list the rest of the categories Jones pigeon-holed his selections into. Three Ford and three GM offerings get selected. 

Fords were chosen for these categories: Best Budget Diesel and Best Diesel to Modify and Best Diesel for Towing.

GM trucks got gold stars for these categories: Best Pre-Emissions Diesel, Best Hot-Rod Diesel and Best Diesel Drivetrain.

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Go check out the story and tell us what you think.

https://www.motortrend.com/features-collections/best-diesel-pickup-trucks-ever/ 

Two Diesel Stories About Ram Fuel Efficiency and the 2021 EcoDiesels

Last week CNET published a story about a Ram 1500 EcoDiesel HFE that gets 33 miles per gallon on the highway. That is an eye-opening number, especially when compared to the gas guzzlers we used to drive in the 60s and 70s. My '72 Ford only got 12 mpg if I remember correctly. 

The story by Antuan Goodwin, reviews editor for Roadshow, begins by comparing the two ends of the 2021 Ram 1500 spectrum.

At one end of the 2021 Ram trucks lineup is the 1500 TRX, a 702-horsepower beast that guzzles fuel like the apex predator that it is. At the other end of the spectrum, however, is the newly announced Ram 1500 Tradesman HFE EcoDiesel. Returning an estimated 33 highway miles per gallon, it's currently the most fuel-efficient member of the 1500 family, beating even the automaker's eTorque mild-hybrid models.

The target buyer appears to be building contractors.

The Goodwin piece details very specific comparisons between the different Ram offerings, giving high marks to the 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V6 for not only its fuel efficiency but also its 480 pound-feet of torque that enables it to tow more than 6 tons of mass.

After celebrating the features of the Ram HFE EcoDiesel, the author takes a detour to remind us that the Chev 2021 Silverado matches the same 33 mpg as the most fuel efficient Ram, and the Ford F-150 with its PowerStroke isn't far behind.

MEANWHILE, Motor Trend's story on these trucks has a similar take, though less flattering to the Ford in this round of comparisons.

Greg Fink's account of these mid-sized offerings was also published on February 10, as if the automakers wanted a coordinated release for the info these media channels were permitted. The Motor Trend piece is embroidered with the same amount  of detail about engines, fuel economy, power output and the like, but sums up the real difference with this comparison:

While the HFE EcoDiesel may not fit as much junk in its cargo box as the regular HFE, it does offer a more comfortable rear-seating space and can travel further on a gallon of fuel.

Before drawing to a close, Fink suggests that the benefits of the EcoDiesel's fuel economy may not be that noteworthy when compared to the cost of diesel fuel vs. gasoline right now.  

Here are links to the two articles. Both are rich with detail and have insights that will help you make your own decision if you're looking for a 2021 at this time.

2021 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel HFE sips fuel at 33 higway mpg
https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/2021-ram-1500-ecodiesel-hfe-33-higway-mpg/

Special 2021 Ram 1500 Diesel Model Dominates F-150 for Top MPG, Ties Chevy

The 33-mpg Ram and the F-150 aren't even close, but GM's diesels are right there.
https://www.motortrend.com/news/2021-ram-1500-hfe-ecodiesel-price/

Torque + Fuel Efficiency = the 2021 Chev Suburban Diesel SUV

It's that time of year. Mother Nature gave us four seasons: Winter, Spring, Summer and New Car Introductions. When autumn colors appear on the trees, you know that next year's cars will begin appearing in car magazines and other media. 

Every product has a target niche it strives to fill. That includes cars and trucks. The 2021 Chevrolet Suburban Diesel is billing itself as the most fuel-efficient, full-size SUV on the market. Here's what Miguel Cortina said at Motor Trend. 

Cortina begins by stating that efficient full-sized SUVs are rare. Putting a diesel under the hood, though, changes the equation. This vehicle, he says, was, "rated at 20/26/22 mpg city/highway/combined, which makes it the most fuel-efficient four-wheel-drive full-size SUV in the market. Think about that for a sec." 

A diesel Suburban isn't new, he says, but it's not something Chevy has done for a while. The specific model he test drove was the Chev Suburban Diesel High Country, 2021 of course.

First Stop: The Track
The objective at the track is to see how it handles. Cortina clearly enjoyed how it handled, describing it as "buttery smooth and elegantly refined." The Duramaz turbodiesel delivers 277 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque that gets transmitted to the tires via 10-speed automatic transmission. Yes, it is just a tad louder than the gasoline version but unless you're paying attention you don't really notice.

In addition to exploring how fast it can do the quarter-mile, they tested its braking, as well as handling by  executing figure-eights. When all was said and done, they broke down all the data and compared it to the gas-powered 2021 Chev Suburban. They also compared the diesel 4WD version to a rear-powered. (The latter pulls 8,000 pounds whereas the 4WD a measly 7800.) 

Bottom Line
After using spelling out a few details about pricing and availability, they come to the question. Should I buy? The team at Motor Trend seems enamored by this stylish new machine. Here's their conclusion.

"It doesn't matter what your budget is—if you're looking for a Suburban, the Duramax engine is worth looking at. For less than a grand you will be getting more torque and better fuel economy without much sacrifice in performance. And who doesn't like that?"

For all the nitty gritty details, read the full story here at Motor Trend.