How many miles per gallon does a 1500 diesel truck get?
There isn’t a single miles-per-gallon figure for every 1500-diesel pickup; values depend on the exact model, year, engine, and drivetrain. In general, most modern diesel 1500s deliver mpg in the mid-20s combined, with highway fuel economy typically higher and city driving lower. For precise numbers, consult the EPA ratings for your specific configuration.
Diesel 1500 pickups range from Ram’s EcoDiesel to GM’s Duramax options and Ford’s Power Stroke. MPG varies with drivetrain (2WD vs. 4WD), cab and bed size, payload, towing, driving conditions, and maintenance. The EPA publishes configuration-specific fuel-economy ratings that are the best source for your exact truck.
Common diesel 1500 pickups and typical mpg ranges
Below are the main 1500-class diesel pickups and the approximate EPA ranges they have shown across common configurations. These figures can vary by year and setup, so check the exact ratings for your truck.
- Ram 1500 EcoDiesel (3.0L V6): typically around 21–23 mpg city, 29–32 mpg highway, and about 24–27 mpg combined, depending on 2WD vs. 4WD and cab/bed configuration.
- Chevrolet Silverado 1500 with Duramax 3.0L Turbo-Diesel: commonly ~23–24 mpg city, ~33–34 mpg highway, and ~26–27 mpg combined for most 2WD configurations; 4WD can be slightly lower.
- GMC Sierra 1500 with Duramax 3.0L Turbo-Diesel: similar to the Silverado, with roughly 23–24 mpg city, 33–34 mpg highway, and 26–27 mpg combined for 2WD.
- Ford F-150 with 3.0L Power Stroke Diesel: typically about 22–23 mpg city, 29–33 mpg highway, and around 25–27 mpg combined depending on drivetrain and configuration.
Numbers above reflect EPA estimates for common configurations and may differ by year, cab/bed size, trim level, and whether the truck is 2WD or 4WD.
What affects real-world mpg
Real-world fuel economy depends on factors such as payload and towing, driving speed and style, aerodynamics (tiedowns, bed covers), tire type and pressure, road grade, weather, and maintenance (air filters, oil, diesel particulate filter regeneration). Diesel engines tend to perform best on steady highway cruising and can drop noticeably under heavy loads or frequent starts and stops.
Summary
Diesel-powered 1500 pickups offer solid highway efficiency, with typical combined mpg generally in the mid-20s and highway numbers often in the upper 20s to low 30s. For an exact figure, always reference the EPA ratings for your specific year, model, and configuration on fueleconomy.gov, and consider your own daily driving patterns to estimate real-world mileage.
