Everyone wants a truck. Nobody wants the gas bill. For decades, the phrase truck with highest mpg was basically an oxymoron, a joke shared between mechanics while they wiped grease off their hands. You bought a pickup for utility, not for efficiency. If you cared about miles per gallon, you bought a Prius and lived with the fact that you couldn't haul a sheet of plywood. But things changed. Fast.
Today, the landscape is weird. You have tiny unibody trucks getting better mileage than some sedans, and massive heavy-duty rigs that still drink diesel like it’s going out of style. The "best" fuel economy isn't a single number anymore because a Ford Maverick hybrid and a Chevrolet Silverado Duramax are playing two entirely different games.
Honestly, most people looking for the truck with highest mpg are looking for the Maverick. It’s the elephant in the room. Or rather, the small, efficient mouse in a room full of elephants. With an EPA-estimated 42 mpg in the city, the 2025 Ford Maverick Hybrid is currently the king of the mountain. It’s not even close. If you’re driving in stop-and-go traffic in a city like Austin or Seattle, this is the only truck that won't make your wallet bleed every Tuesday.
Why the Ford Maverick Owns the Top Spot
It’s about physics. The Maverick is small. It’s built on the C2 platform, which is the same skeleton used for the Ford Escape and the Bronco Sport. Because it doesn't have a massive heavy frame, it doesn't need a massive thirsty engine to move it.
The 2.5L hybrid powertrain is the secret sauce. While it only offers 191 horsepower, it’s enough for most people who just need to hit the hardware store or haul a couple of mountain bikes. You've probably seen them everywhere. They're popular because they're practical. But there is a catch. If you want the AWD version of the hybrid, which Ford finally introduced recently, your mileage takes a slight hit compared to the FWD-only models of previous years. You’re looking at around 40 mpg combined for the FWD and slightly less for the AWD. Still, in the world of pickups, those are legendary numbers.
The Real-World Gap
EPA numbers are one thing. Real life is another. On the highway, the Maverick's advantage shrinks. Hybrids love the city. They love regenerative braking. When you're cruising at 75 mph on the interstate, that electric motor isn't doing much heavy lifting. This is where the mid-size and full-size diesels start to make a compelling argument for themselves.
The Diesel Contenders: Highway Kings
If you spend your life on the highway, a hybrid might actually be the wrong choice. This is the nuance most "best of" lists miss. When we talk about the truck with highest mpg for long-distance cruising, we’re talking about the 3.0L Duramax Turbo-Diesel found in the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and the GMC Sierra 1500.
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It’s a beast. A very efficient beast.
The Silverado 1500 with the Duramax diesel can hit 29 or 30 mpg on the highway. That’s incredible for a full-size truck that can pull 13,000 pounds. Think about that. You have a massive cabin, a giant bed, and the ability to tow a boat, yet you're getting better highway mileage than many mid-size SUVs.
- Chevrolet Silverado 1500 (3.0L Diesel): 23 city / 29 highway mpg.
- GMC Sierra 1500 (3.0L Diesel): 23 city / 29 highway mpg.
- Ram 1500 (3.0L EcoDiesel): (Note: Ram phased this out recently, but it remains a top contender in the used market for high mpg).
Diesel contains more energy per gallon than gasoline. It’s basic science. Because the engine doesn't have to work as hard to maintain speed, it just sips fuel. But you have to factor in the cost of Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) and the fact that diesel fuel often costs 20% to 30% more than 87 octane gas. Is it still the "highest mpg" if it costs more to run? That's a math problem every buyer has to solve for themselves.
Mid-Size Trucks: A Crowded Middle Ground
The mid-size segment is where things get frustrating. You’d think a smaller truck would automatically get better mileage, but that’s not always the case. The Toyota Tacoma, for instance, has shifted to a turbocharged four-cylinder and a "i-FORCE MAX" hybrid system.
It’s powerful. It’s torquey. It’s... not that efficient?
The Tacoma Hybrid gets around 23 to 24 mpg combined. That's fine, I guess. But compared to the Maverick, it feels thirsty. Why? Because the Tacoma is still a "real" truck with a body-on-frame construction and serious off-road gear. All that weight and aerodynamic drag (it's basically a brick with headlights) kills the efficiency.
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- Toyota Tacoma Hybrid: 23-24 mpg combined.
- Honda Ridgeline: 18 city / 24 highway. It’s comfortable, but the V6 is old-school.
- Nissan Frontier: 18 city / 24 highway. Rugged, but definitely not winning any green awards.
The Electric Pivot: Rivian, Lightning, and the "MPGe" Trap
We can't talk about the truck with highest mpg without mentioning the trucks that don't use "g" (gallons) at all. The Rivian R1T and the Ford F-150 Lightning are technically the most efficient "fuel" users if you convert their electricity usage into MPGe.
The Rivian R1T can get the equivalent of 70+ MPGe.
But EVs are a different animal. If you’re towing, your range drops by 50% almost instantly. If you live in a cold climate like Minnesota or Maine, your efficiency tanks in the winter. For a city dweller who can charge at home, an electric truck is the undisputed champion of efficiency. For a rancher in Wyoming? Not so much.
The Surprising Truth About Aerodynamics
Truck designers are in a constant war with the wind. The higher a truck sits, the more air it has to push out of the way. This is why many "efficiency" packages on trucks include lower air dams and active grille shutters.
Check out the Chevrolet Colorado or the GMC Canyon. They’ve moved to high-output 2.7L turbo engines. They have plenty of power, but they struggle to break 20 mpg in real-world mixed driving because they are tall and wide. If you want the truck with highest mpg, you usually have to sacrifice that "lifted" look. Lower is better for the wallet.
Fact-Checking the "Big Three"
People often ask if the Ford F-150 PowerBoost Hybrid is the winner. It’s a great truck. It gives you 430 horsepower and can power your house during a blackout. But its EPA rating of 24 mpg combined is often hard to hit in the real world. Owners on forums like F150Gen14 often report getting closer to 20-21 mpg if they have a heavy foot or bigger tires.
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The Maverick remains the king because it doesn't try to be a "do-everything" workhorse. It knows it’s a light-duty runabout.
Is "Highest MPG" Always the Best Choice?
Kinda. It depends on your "total cost of ownership." If you buy a Maverick Hybrid for $30,000 and get 40 mpg, you’re winning. If you buy a $75,000 Silverado Diesel to get 29 mpg, you have to drive a lot of miles before that fuel savings pays for the higher sticker price of the truck.
A lot of people overlook the Hyundai Santa Cruz. It’s the Maverick’s only real rival in the "small truck" space. But it’s not a hybrid. The base engine gets about 23 combined, and the turbo version is even thirstier. It’s more fun to drive and has a nicer interior, but if the goal is strictly fuel economy, the Ford wins by a landslide.
Actionable Steps for Truck Buyers
If you’re ready to pull the trigger on a fuel-efficient pickup, don't just look at the sticker on the window. Do the legwork.
- Audit your driving: If 90% of your miles are under 45 mph, get the Ford Maverick Hybrid. The electric assistance is most effective in traffic.
- Consider the "Highway Diesel" strategy: If you drive 20,000 miles a year on the interstate, the Silverado 1500 with the 3.0L Duramax is the smartest play. It will outlast many gas engines while keeping your highway fuel costs surprisingly low.
- Watch the trim levels: Adding off-road tires (like the ones on the Chevy ZR2 or Toyota Trailhunter) can tank your fuel economy by 3-5 mpg instantly. Large treads create rolling resistance and drag.
- Check the used market carefully: The older Ram 1500 EcoDiesel models had some reliability issues with their Bosch fuel pumps and EGR coolers. They got great mileage, but the repair bills can eat those savings fast.
- Look into 2025/2026 releases: Ram is moving away from the Hemi V8 toward the "Hurricane" inline-six engines. While they aren't hybrids, they offer a better balance of power and efficiency than the old V8s.
The search for the truck with highest mpg eventually leads back to the same conclusion: you have to choose what you’re willing to give up. You can have 40+ mpg if you’re okay with a smaller truck. You can have 30 mpg in a big truck if you're okay with diesel. You can have 70+ MPGe if you’re okay with charging stops.
The "perfect" high-mpg truck doesn't exist yet, but we are closer than we’ve ever been. Pick the one that fits your actual daily commute, not the one that fits the "what if I need to haul a mountain" fantasy. Your bank account will thank you.