Diesel is a smart choice for a pickup truck. Not only do diesel engines provide the right torque and towing specs, but they also traditionally offer solid fuel economy numbers to boot. While gas engines have also shown impressive fuel economy gains as of late, the oil burners are still the better choice when it comes to max returns, as evidenced by the class-leading MPG and horsepower numbers posted by the 2020 Silverado diesel. But how do the numbers compare to rival products from Ram and Ford? To find out, we laid out a comparison between all three models.
Let’s start with a quick overview of the engines in this segment, starting with the 2020 Silverado diesel. Under the hood, we find the 3.0L inline six-cylinder LM2 turbo-diesel Duramax, which mates to the GM 10L80 10-speed automatic transmission. Output is rated at 277 horsepower at 3,750 RPM and 460 pound-feet of torque at 1,500 RPM, with fuel economy pegged at 33 MPG on the highway, 23 MPG in the city, and 27 MPG combined for models equipped with two-wheel drive.
3.0L LM2 Duramax inline six-cylinder Engine
The 2020 Silverado diesel is offered as GM’s first-ever full-size light-duty pickup with an optional inline six-cylinder turbo-diesel engine. Buyers can option the diesel powerplant in LT, RST, LTZ and High Country trim levels.
2020 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel
Up next, we have the 2020 Ram 1500, which is equipped with the 3.0L EcoDiesel V6. The EcoDiesel was recently upgraded for the 2020 model year, and mates to a ZF eight-speed automatic tuned to handle the extra torque of the updated engine.
Output for the Ram diesel is rated at 260 horsepower at 3,600 RPM, a 17-horsepower deficit compared to the Silverado’s 3.0L Duramax. Meanwhile, peak twist slots in at 480 pound-feet of torque at 1,600 RPM, beating the Silverado by 20 pound-feet. However, the Ram’s peak torque still arrives 100 RPM later than the Silverado.
As for fuel returns, the 2020 Ram 1500 diesel posts 32 MPG on the highway, 22 MPG in the city, and 26 MPG combined, falling short of the 2020 Silverado diesel’s numbers by a single MPG in each of the three measurements.
Ford F-150 Diesel
Finally, we have the 2020 Ford F-150, which comes with an optional 3.0L Power Stroke Diesel “Lion” V6. The Blue Oval brand‘s ‘six mates to a 10-speed automatic, the same transmission co-developed with GM.
Output for the Ford is rated at 250 horsepower at 3,250 RPM and 440 pound-feet of torque at 1,750 RPM, placing the F-150 at the back of the pack in that regard. The Ford is also in last place in terms of fuel mileage, posting 30 MPG on the highway, 22 MPG in the city, and 25 MPG combined for two-wheel-drive models. That’s 2 MPG less on the highway, 1 MPG less in the city, and 2 MPG less combined when compared to the 2020 Silverado diesel.
| Vehicle | Engine | Displacement | Configuration | Horsepower @ RPM | Torque @ RPM | MPG (hwy/city/combined) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 | Duramax Diesel LM2 | 3.0L | DOHC | 277 @ 3750 | 460 @ 1500 | 33/23/27 |
| 2020 Ram 1500 | EcoDiesel | 3.0L | DOHC | 260 @ 3600 | 480 @ 1600 | 32/22/26 |
| 2020 Ford F-150 | Power Stroke Diesel Lion | 3.0L | DOHC | 250 @ 3250 | 440 @ 1750 | 30/22/25 |
The 2020 Silverado diesel stands out in the segment by offering the highest peak horsepower and the highest fuel mileage estimates, while also grabbing the second-highest torque rating.
However, it also bears mentioning that the 2020 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel severely undercuts the 2020 Silverado diesel in terms of pricing. That said, the discrepancy comes down to trim level availability for the diesel powerplant, and would most likely vanish assuming equal trim levels.
Indeed, diesel power is a smart choice for a pickup, especially the 2020 Chevrolet Silverado.
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Comments
When you compare these trucks overall omg it’s no surprise that ram is coming out on top I cant believe the engineers an designer at gm can sleep at night
Completely agree!
Explain your claim
Did a little programming boom! 20lbs ft of more torque. Wow, that’s so exciting. I forgot, oh yea that’s an easy fix. Ford did that with the 2010 Super Duty when GM released their power numbers on their engine. Numbers aren’t everything anymore. I mean yes I like to have the best and I think it is probably the best engine of the three. All in all real world performance matters most.
I can’t believe Ram’s quality control people can sleep at night. The 2019 Ram 1500’s quality is barely better than the Fiat 500.
Completely disagree. The ram still uses the hemi, an outdated engine that has no power or torque advantage over the 5.3 untill you reach 4000rpm, which I reach only 4-5 times a year. That doesn’t even include the powertrai. Deficit the ram has to the 6.2. ram is less efficient, tows less and with less refinement. It is cheaper built in every trim but the limited. (Laramie is more equal price wise with the high country) it rides slightly better than the Silverado when equipped with the air suspension, but is still busier than the denali with active shocks. Ram needs it next update fast!
If you seriously drive that slow, you really should be shopping your local Power Wheels dealer!
Really though, with an 8 or 10 speed and 3.42 rear end you can be cruising 70mph well under 2000rpm
And accelerating you can get moving at a good rate and not break 4000 rpm with the broad torque curve and continuous power band on the 5.3 and 6.2 engines and again thanks to more cogs on modern transmissions. Stomping on it every chance you get and ringing it out to 5700 is just being an asshole more akin to a 2001 Civic with a fart can exhaust.
Have you driven the 5.3? It’s not a torque monster and does rev quite high for everyday driving.
The power is fine, don’t get me wrong, but it’s a little lazy. My 2018 has 3.42 gears too.
The 5.3 has boatloads of low end torque and plenty of grunt to boot. …… But gm has mapped their transmission to maximize mpg and added a soft torque converter making it lethargic unless you shove the gas a bit. I’m used to the 5.3 and 6 speed which demands a solid punch to engage it’s potential, then the power climbs steadily from there. Hopefully the 2020 5.3 with the 10 speed adds life to it.
That is also true (re: transmission). A handheld tuner with preloaded 87 octane tune for $250 fixes it all.
But I still stand that if you are 50% throttle from a stop you will have upshifts come before 4000rpm and still accelerate at a swift pace
Have you even driven a 2019 Silverado or Sierra? The 5.3 is way better than it was in a k2 truck. Easily accelerates as fast as a Ram with the 5.7 Hemi.
I hope they put the excellent new I-6 diesel in the Tahoe, Suburban, Yukon, and Escalade.
The Escalade better get the blackwing V8 gasser too.
I’ve always wondered about GM’s scheme of only offering the diesel option in higher trim levels. If I am considering a diesel, I may be doing so in consideration of life cycle costs, and buying a lot of gizmos I don’t need doesn’t help in that area.
Knowing GM’s MPG ratings are usually conservative, this engine should easily get 30 mpg in the real world. I drove a suburban from Detroit to Gatlinburg fully loaded with 7 people, and it averaged 26 Highway with a V8. I saw it go up to 31 on downhill sections.
Ram on the other hand failed to meet their MPG ratings. The 2019 Ram V6 with an eTorque only gave me 17 city with just 2 people and an empty bed, but it’s supposed to give me 20.
It shocks me when a V8 Truck gets better MPG than the V6. What is GM doing under the hood. Do they have a secret hybrid system ?
My good friend has a 2019 Ram 1500 Laramie and he said it gets 18 mpg on a good day. Both my 2015 F-150 and my 2019 Silverado LTZ got better than EPA estimated fuel economy. The new DFM 5.3 is a great engine. Smooth and efficient.
All the Ram cheerleaders here trying to sell GM guys their defective Dodges. The 1500 is a 2002 Ram with new sheets , a big screen and old motors. I’m surprised the 318 and 2.2 turbo didn’t make a comeback to be offered yet .
Ugly Chevy’s sell plenty of Rams!
Yeah I don’t get it. Why would I want a Ram with bottom of the barrel FCA reliability and payload ratings so weak that a Tacoma’s payload capacity puts it to shame. Its bad enough that all Ram gives you for engine choices are an old gutless V6, the ancient slow 5.7 Hemi gas guzzler, and an Italian V6 diesel famous for blowing up in the last gen Rams. The interior is nice, but I suppose that’s important if you’re sitting on the side of the road waiting for the tow truck.
The interior isn’t bad on the new Silverado. I am just disappointed in a lack of color options. I want a custom with a desert tan dashboard and black accents, ie: knobs, switches and those plastic inserts surrounding the vents. Do the doors the same and I would take that interior look over the ram limited (though not the longhorn, I love the cowboy theme) anyday.
Isuzu who actually makes the engine must be proud…..lol
The only diesel half ton that makes sense is the quad cab, Tradesman, 2WD, 32 mpg highway Ram Ecodiesel for about $38K. What sense is there in a $47K starting price luxury truck that was purchased in attempt to impress others to show how much one can afford in a truck and in the same statement show that one is saving money in fuel and have less than 300 horsepower in one’s over sized, over weighted, under worked luxury car with a small bed on the back.