We want it all from our pickup trucks. Maximum towing, maximum payload, maximum comfort, and, of course, maximum power.
But gas isn’t cheap, and that means things are changing. Instead of getting the most of everything, we’re looking at getting the most for our dollars at the gas station. That means we’re looking at trucks with the lowest numbers — ones that will use the least fuel while still giving you 4×4 or AWD for traction in all conditions.
The 10 Most Fuel-Efficient 2024 4×4/AWD Trucks
We’ve used the EPA’s official ratings to find the 10 new trucks that can send power to all four wheels — with the lowest fuel consumption on the market. Some of the results, or at least their places on the list, surprised us.
This list, as a whole, offers worse fuel economy than when we last updated it. Blame the death of diesel engines from Ford, Ram, and Jeep.
What didn’t surprise us was that these 4×4 fuel sippers come in almost every powertrain imaginable, from good old gas engines to diesel, and hybrids to electric trucks.
If SUVs are more your thing, check out The 10 Most Fuel-Efficient 2024 4×4 SUVs
Here are the 10 most fuel-efficient 2024 4×4/AWD trucks, from number 10 to number 1, using their official combined EPA fuel economy ratings.
10. Ford Ranger 4×4 (22 MPG)
The latest Ford Ranger is completely new, with more payload capacity, a bigger cab, and tech that’s more than a decade more modern than the truck it replaces. Despite all of that, it gets the same fuel economy as the old one.
The Ranger uses the same 2.3L turbocharged four-cylinder connected to a 10-speed automatic transmission and the massive gear ratio spread that comes with it. The combination is good for 7,500 pounds of towing when equipped with 4WD and as much as 1,805 pounds of payload.
Ford’s little engine offers 270 horsepower, and the turbocharger helps it make 310 pound-feet of torque. The 2024 Ford Ranger 4WD is estimated to give you 20 mpg city, 24 highway, and 22 combined and starts from $36,365 for a crew cab XL.
(Note: All prices listed exclude destination and handling charges.)
9. Ford F-150 PowerBoost Hybrid 4×4 (23 MPG)
While hybrid powertrains are known for producing astounding fuel economy in small cars, Ford applied its hybrid knowledge to the F-150 PowerBoost. Instead of making less power than the 3.5L non-hybrid EcoBoost engine, the PowerBoost’s hybrid assist gives this pickup 30 horsepower more for a total of 430 horsepower. Torque is also boosted by 70 pound-feet thanks to the electric motor, for a total of 570 pound-feet.
For 2024, the PowerBoost hybrid V6 powertrain is available on every trim level from XL to Limited. The 4×4 PowerBoost can tow up to 12,700 pounds when properly equipped. Its peak payload is 1,830 pounds, on par with most of the full-size trucks on this list.
The Ford F-150 PowerBoost Hybrid should return 23 mpg in combined driving, according to EPA estimates.
8. Hyundai Santa Cruz AWD (23 MPG)
The Hyundai Santa Cruz might be the most unique pickup on this list. Based on the Hyundai Tucson crossover, the compact pickup has a unibody design. It is much more like a crossover with its cargo cover removed than a traditional truck.
Hyundai offers the Santa Cruz with two different 2.5L engines. The naturally aspirated (NA) option makes 191 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque. The turbocharged engine option comes in at 281 horsepower and 311 pound-feet.
While both use an eight-speed automatic and offer available AWD, the turbo is a dual-clutch version, not a conventional torque converter automatic transmission. We’ve included both here because they get nearly identical fuel economy: 21 city, 25 highway, and 23 combined for the NA option and 19/27/22 mpg for the turbo.
The bigger difference comes into play when towing, where the 2.5L turbo can lug 5,000 pounds compared to the NA engine’s 3,500 pounds. The NA engine has a max payload of 1,753 pounds versus the turbo’s 1,609.
The Santa Cruz has an MSRP of $28,400 for the SE trim NA model and $38,460 for a Night trim 2.5T.
7. Chevrolet Silverado/GMC Sierra 1500 Duramax Diesel 4×4 (24 MPG)
Equipped with GM’s Duramax 3.0L I6 diesel engine and an eight-speed automatic, the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 4WD and its GMC Sierra twin have a strong reliability history. Newly upgraded for 2023, the GM Duramax turbodiesel engine produces 305 horsepower and a huge 495 pound-feet of torque from just 1,500 rpm.
With all that torque, the 4×4 Duramax can tow up to 13,000 pounds and has a maximum payload of 2,210 pounds when outfitted with the right equipment.
The EPA rates the diesel 2024 Chevy Silverado 1500 at 22 in the city, 27 on the highway, and 24 mpg combined, and the new power didn’t eat into that fuel economy one bit.
6. Toyota Tacoma i-Force Max (24 MPG)
Toyota’s brand new Tacoma finally gives this legendary nameplate a new chassis and new drivetrains. Every Tacoma gets a 2.4L turbocharged four-cylinder engine, but i-Force MAX badged trucks also get Toyota’s latest hybrid system.
Combined with an eight-speed automatic, hybrid versions of the new Tacoma make 326 horsepower, and an astonishing 465 pound-feet of torque. It also helps the Tacoma return an EPA-estimated 23 mpg city, 24 highway.
It might be a hybrid, but the mid-sized Tacoma is still plenty capable. The hybrid can tow up to 6,000 pounds and has a max payload of 1,610 pounds. The starting price for the 2024 Tacoma Hybrid is the Sport trim from $46,300.
5. Ford Maverick 2.0T AWD (25 MPG)
The Ford Maverick is the best gas-powered truck on the list when it comes to fuel efficiency. The AWD version of Ford’s new small pickup comes with a turbocharged 2.0L four-cylinder engine to help boost power and torque. The eight-speed automatic gives the Maverick plenty of gears so the truck can accelerate when loaded and keep rpm down on the highway.
The engine offers 250 horsepower and 277 pound-feet of torque, impressive for such a small package. It’s enough power to give this small pickup a 4,000-pound tow capacity when equipped with the Max Tow Package and a peak payload of 1,500 pounds. While that tow rating can’t quite match larger pickups, the payload rating is competitive with even some full-size trucks.
One of our editors owns a 2022 Maverick. Click the link to find out if he still loves it after driving more than 3,000 miles.
EPA estimated fuel economy is 22 city and 29 highway for a total of 25 mpg combined. Unfortunately, Maverick configured with AWD isn’t available with the hybrid powertrain, which gets 37 mpg overall (2022 EPA estimates..
A 2024 Ford Maverick XL with a 2.0L engine and AWD starts from $26,140.
4. GMC Hummer EV (53 MPGe)
GMC doesn’t have to generate official EPA numbers for GMC Hummer EV because it’s so heavy. Vehicles with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating — the maximum allowable weight of the truck, including the vehicle, passengers, cargo, and trailer tongue weight — of more than 8,500 pounds don’t have to list their economy figures.
Despite the Hummer EV weighing more than 9,000 pounds empty, GMC has decided to go ahead and publish a figure anyway. The massively hefty Hummer EV pickup has an official government estimate of 53 MPGe and a range of 314 miles. That’s on the smaller end of the electric truck spectrum, and a surprise since it has the largest battery pack.
It’s as heavy as an HD pickup, but it has the ability to tow 7,500 pounds and a maximum payload of 1,300 pounds. The 1,000-horsepower, $110,295 Hummer EV does truck work like a midsize.
Read about our first drive with the Hummer EV.
3. Chevrolet Silverado EV (67 MPGe)
When the high-capacity 4WT model drops, GM claims a whopping 450 miles of range from its standard battery pack. Chevrolet calls that more standard range than any other electric pickup. For now, the longest-traveling model on sale is the 393-mile 3WT-spec truck.
Along with bladder-testing range, the electric Silverado has 754 horsepower and 785 pound-feet of torque when you use the Wide Open Watts launch mode. It can hit 60 miles per hour in a supercar-like 4.5 seconds, and it can tow up to 10,000 pounds. Though not both at the same time, of course.
Chevy’s Silverado EV also comes with one of the best pickup features of all time: A mid-gate like the classic Avalanche that opens up and lets you stretch out cargo from the truck bed into the back row of seats.
Pricing for the 2024 Silverado EV starts from $74,800.
2. Ford F-150 Lightning 4WD Extended Range (70 MPGe)
Ford’s standard range Lightning, starting from $54,995 with twin motors and AWD, makes 452 horsepower. The extended-range EV truck, available in the XLT and higher trims, makes 580 horsepower. Both configurations will produce an incorrigible 775 pound-feet of torque. The price for the bigger battery starts at $69,995 for the Lightning XLT.
According to EPA estimates, the standard-range Lightning gets 68 MPGe, an EV range of 230 miles, and a towing capacity of 7,700 pounds with the optional Max Tow Package. The extended-range models can travel 320 miles on a single charge and clock 70 MPGe. Add the Max Tow Package and trailering capacity tops out to 10,000 pounds.
The F-150 Lightning Pro trim, which only has the standard-size battery, starts at $49,995 (excluding Ford’s power cable, destination, and acquisition fees). Ford charges an additional $1,395 for the Tow Technology package and $825 for the Max Trailer Tow package.
After spending several days behind the wheel of an F-150 Lightning, find out if our editor kept his preorder with Ford.
1. Rivian R1T Dual Max (84 MPGe)
At the top of the list is a pickup that is also one of the most innovative on the list — the Rivian R1T. It was the first all-electric pickup to go on sale in the U.S. and is expected to outsell the R1S SUV.
The Rivian pickup gives you an estimated 410-mile range of electric power in Dual Max form, while the four-motor Quad Max delivers 1,025 horsepower and 1,198 pound-feet of torque. That gives the R1T the highest figure on the list for both of those crucial truck measures.
And, when it comes time to use the pickup truck bed, the R1T can hold up to 1,760 pounds of cargo, and max towing is an impressive 11,000 pounds. Rivian’s MPGe is 91 city, 77 highway, and 84 MPGe combined.
The 2024 Rivian R1T Dual Standard, with dual motors, AWD, and a 270-mile battery pack, starts at $69,000. With a bigger Max battery pack that’s good for a range in excess of 400 miles, the R1T Dual Max Adventure starts at $83,000. The quad motor version, which is only available with the Large pack, won’t start deliveries until next year.
We get truckin’ with Rivian R1T and GMC Hummer EV showdown. How do you think these monster EV trucks stack up when driven side by side?
