what truck gets the best gas mileage
The truck that currently gets the best gas mileage (among mainstream pickups) is the Ford Maverick Hybrid , with an EPA estimate around 42 mpg city and 33 mpg highway (about 37–39 mpg combined), which is far better than any other gas pickup on the market right now.
Quick Scoop: What truck gets the best gas mileage?
If you’re asking “what truck gets the best gas mileage” , you’re essentially looking at three overlapping worlds: compact hybrids, efficient gas/diesel trucks, and upcoming plug‑in hybrids and EVs.
1. Current MPG king: Ford Maverick Hybrid
- The Ford Maverick Hybrid is widely cited as the most fuel‑efficient truck sold in North America right now.
- EPA estimates are roughly 42 mpg city / 33 mpg highway , with a combined rating in the high‑30s mpg—numbers that look more like a compact car than a pickup.
- It’s a compact, unibody truck, so you trade some towing and payload for a very car‑like ride and top‑tier fuel economy.
In real‑world owner forums, people often report mid‑30s mpg even when driving mixed city/highway, which matches the official numbers pretty well.
2. Other very efficient gas/diesel trucks
If you don’t want a hybrid, there are still trucks with strong fuel economy.
High‑MPG non‑hybrid gas/diesel models
Here are some of the standouts that consistently show up in “best gas mileage truck” lists for recent model years.
| Truck | Type | Approx. Best EPA MPG | What it’s best at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ford Maverick (non‑hybrid) | Compact gas | ~23 city / 30 highway | [7]Good mileage with more power than the hybrid. |
| Hyundai Santa Cruz | Compact gas | High‑20s highway, low‑20s combined depending on trim | [1][7]Car‑like ride, lifestyle hauling, decent efficiency. |
| Chevy Silverado 1500 Diesel | Full‑size diesel | Up to ~23 city / 33 highway | [7]Great highway mpg for a real full‑size work truck. |
| GMC Sierra 1500 Diesel | Full‑size diesel | Up to ~23 city / 29 highway | [7]Similar to Silverado, more upscale feel. |
| Ram 1500 EcoDiesel (used) | Full‑size diesel | Up to ~22 city / 32 highway in earlier years | [10][7]Good used‑market option with strong mpg. |
| Chevy Colorado Diesel (used) | Midsize diesel | Up to ~20 city / 30 highway | [10][7]Smaller footprint, long‑distance efficiency. |
| Ford Ranger (recent gen) | Midsize gas | Up to ~21 city / 26 highway | [7]Balanced towing and mpg in midsize segment. |
3. Hybrid, plug‑in, and future “best mpg” trucks
The hybrid wave is already here, and plug‑in trucks are on the way, which complicates the “what truck gets the best gas mileage” question.
- Other hybrids :
- Toyota Tacoma Hybrid (newer model years) targets low‑ to mid‑20s mpg combined, which is excellent for an off‑road‑capable midsize truck.
* **Ford F‑150 Hybrid** lands around low‑20s mpg combined, but in a full‑size platform with serious towing capacity.
- Plug‑in hybrids and EV‑leaning options :
- International and upcoming models like a plug‑in Ford Ranger , BYD Shark , and other PHEV trucks mix electric‑only range with a gas engine, giving extremely high “mpg‑equivalent” for short daily drives.
* These often get discussed in “best gas mileage” videos and news, even though their efficiency is measured partly in electric range rather than simple mpg.
For now, if you strictly mean EPA gasoline mpg , the Maverick Hybrid still wears the crown; if you include electric or plug‑in metrics, upcoming PHEV trucks can beat it in short‑trip efficiency by driving mostly on battery.
4. What “best gas mileage truck” means for you
Different forums and car sites answer this question differently because “best” depends on use case.
Ask yourself:
- Do you really need full‑size?
- Mostly commuting, light Home Depot runs, or bikes/kayaks → Ford Maverick Hybrid or Hyundai Santa Cruz are usually the smartest answers.
* Regular heavy towing or long‑bed payload → efficient **full‑size diesels** (Silverado/Sierra 1500 diesel, Ram EcoDiesel used) make more sense even with worse mpg on paper.
- City vs highway driving?
- Stop‑and‑go city: hybrids shine; that’s where the Maverick’s 40+ city mpg really matters.
* Long highway hauls: the best **diesel half‑tons** often return high‑20s to low‑30s mpg at steady speed.
- New vs used and budget?
- New and budget‑friendly: Maverick Hybrid is frequently highlighted as the cheapest new truck to buy and run thanks to both purchase price and fuel savings.
* Used: Ram 1500 EcoDiesel, Colorado Diesel, and older Ranger models are popular in “which used truck gets the best mpg” lists.
5. Forum and “latest news” angle
Recently, truck forums and YouTube channels have been buzzing about:
- How the Ford Maverick Hybrid basically reset expectations for truck mpg, forcing other brands to play catch‑up.
- The rise of plug‑in‑hybrid pickups (like future Ranger PHEV and international models) as the “next big thing,” with early reviews hyping crazy low fuel usage for people who charge at home.
- Debates over whether compact trucks like Maverick and Santa Cruz “count” as real trucks or are just “lifestyle vehicles,” even though many owners say they do everything they need while using half the fuel.
You’ll often see people post lifetime fuel logs showing 35–40 mpg in a Maverick Hybrid used as a daily driver, which is why it keeps winning “most fuel‑efficient truck” titles across auto sites.
Bottom line (TL;DR)
- Absolute best gas mileage truck today: Ford Maverick Hybrid , roughly 42 mpg city / 33 mpg highway, high‑30s combined.
- Best efficient full‑size trucks: Diesel half‑tons like Chevy Silverado 1500 Diesel , GMC Sierra 1500 Diesel , and used Ram 1500 EcoDiesel , often reaching high‑20s to low‑30s mpg on the highway.
- Best for the future: Upcoming PHEV trucks can deliver even better day‑to‑day efficiency if you keep them charged and drive mostly on electric power, but they’re still rolling out between now and the next couple of model years.
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Wondering what truck gets the best gas mileage? Learn why the Ford Maverick
Hybrid leads today’s rankings, how diesels compare, and what upcoming hybrid
and plug‑in trucks mean for fuel‑efficient pickups.
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.