Motortrend Claims 2020 Silverado 1500 Diesel is “Most Economical Light-Duty Truck Out There”

How many miles you are ultimately going to nail down on the road is the all-important statistic that draws many towards their next auto or truck purchase. As far as the work truck category is concerned, there are many diehards out there who understandably think diesel is the only way to go, and all of us here at O'Rielly Chevy of Tucson agree that 23/33 mpg city/highway is impressive. The producers of the good word at Motortrend offered up a story this past week claiming that these numbers now put the Silverado ahead of the 2019 Ford F-150 diesel, a sworn and solid rival in the trenches.

If you opt for the 4-wheel drive instead of rear-wheel drive, the fuel economy on the Silverado diesel does drop to 23/29 mpg, but it's still ahead of the F-150 diesel at 21/28 mpg. At this point fuel economy numbers have not yet been announced for the new Ram 1500 EcoDiesel, so we aren't positive that the Silverado will be the front-runner in all sectors, but are willing to bet heavily on it. When paired with the four-wheel drive, the Silverado can tow up to 9,300 pounds and has a max payload of 1,870 pounds.

Under the hood resides a 3.0-liter turbodiesel engine, cranking out 277 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque, paired to a 10-speed automatic. During a recent test drive, MotorTrend referred to it as a “sweetheart of an engine”, feeling peppy and high on the torque delivery factor. The diesel capability is up for grabs on the LT, RST, LTZ, and our favorite High Country trims. Deliveries of the 2020 Silverado with the turbo diesel engine are expected to take place during the fall. This is truly a truck with a solution for almost every need, sporting three cab types, two-bed lengths, and a wide range of options for every work task imaginable.

For years automakers have been in essence saying no to half-ton diesel pickups. They claim that costs will be too high, they won't sell enough units, and demand is simply too low. Many seasoned truck experts will just tell you to buy a three-quarter-ton with the big 6.0-liter V8, but the market was very responsive to the 3.0-liter V6 EcoDiesel a few years back, and the positive acceptance has been abundant and bountiful. 

The excitement of throwing the Silverado into Sport mode provides alteration of the throttle input and transmission shift points and makes for handling more like its V8-powered counterparts. During your test drive you'll notice that the diesel is amazingly quiet, thanks to the added extensive sound deadening in the engine bay: it works overtime to minimize the noise that sometimes comes from the use of diesel power, a boisterous boost to the reasons why you'd want a 1500 at the top of the list for your next truck purchase!