- the 2020 ram 1500 ecodiesel earns up to 22 mpg city and 32 mpg highway, according to the epa. that's for the 2wd model.
- half-ton ram trucks equipped with the diesel engine and all-wheel drive are rated at 21 mpg city and 29 mpg highway.
- the base ram 1500 with the ecodiesel engine starts at $38,585, making it the cheapest light-duty diesel in its class.
while many expected flying cars to be a thing by now, who thought full-size pickup trucks would be able to exceed 30 mpg? well, kids, the 2020 ram 1500 ecodiesel is the latest light-duty pickup truck to make that once unthinkable feat a reality.
now that the diesel 3.0-liter v-6 has returned to the ram 1500 lineup, the epa has released its fuel-economy estimates. the rear-drive version is expected to earn 22 mpg in the city, 32 mpg on the highway, and 26 mpg combined. models with all-wheel drive are rated at 21 mpg city, 29 mpg highway, and 24 mpg combined. we tested the awd model on our 200-mile fuel-economy route before its epa certification and saw 24 mpg highway. while that number is obviously short of the government's rating, it's still 6 mpg better than the v-8 ram we tested.
the 2020 ram 1500 ecodiesel isn't the only truck in its class that offers these notable epa ratings. both the half-ton chevy silverado and gmc sierra with the optional duramax diesel 3.0-liter inline-six are in the 30-mpg club. in fact, the oil-burning chevy one-ups its ram counterpart by earning up to 33 mpg on the highway, 23 mpg in the city, and 27 mpg combined.
still, the ram's ecodiesel powertrain edges out the power stroke diesel 3.0-liter v-6 that's available on the ford f-150. for comparison, the blue oval's downsized diesel is rated at up to 22 mpg city and 30 mpg highway for the 2019 model.
the ecodiesel also owns the all-important torque crown with 480 lb-ft of twist, which is 40 more than ford's power stroke and 20 more than gm's duramax. what's more, the diesel ram 1500 generates 70 lb-ft more than the brand's 5.7 hemi v-8.
the ram's new ecodiesel engine will be available on all 2020 body styles and trim levels. that even includes the off-road-oriented rebel model for the first time. those looking for the most stump-pulling power from a 2020 ram 1500 can have it for under $40k since ecodiesel-equipped versions start at $38,585. that makes it several thousand dollars less expensive than its diesel-powered half-ton competitors.