10 of the Best Truck Engines

2020 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD front grille blog 900x600

The engine is one of the most important parts of any vehicle, but it's especially important in a pickup truck. Pickups are intended to haul heavy loads and tow trailers. For a working vehicle, the engine is responsible for getting the job done.

To help you figure out what you need, we've done the homework and come up with the 10 best pickup truck engines on the market today. These are not necessarily the most powerful or the biggest, and we've picked some four-cylinder and six-cylinders as well as the big traditional V8s to help you narrow down your pickup shopping list.

Ford 2.3-liter four-cylinder (2020 Ford Ranger)

Ford reintroduced the Ranger mid-size pickup last year with just one engine choice. The 2.3-liter EcoBoost turbocharged four-cylinder delivers 270 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. That’s comparable power to most V6 engines. The EcoBoost is paired to a 10-speed automatic, which helps maximize power.

Fuel economy is another reason to choose the 2.3-liter engine. The 2020 Ford Ranger returns up to 21 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway, with 23 mpg in combined driving. The EcoBoost engine gives the Ranger up to 1,860 pounds of payload capacity and can tow trailers up to 7,500 pounds when the vehicle is properly equipped.

Photo by Ford

General Motors 2.7-liter four-cylinder (2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and 2020 GMC Sierra 1500)

A four-cylinder engine in a full-size pickup truck would have been unthinkable just a few years ago. But GM's new 2.7-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine is rated at 310 horsepower and 348 pound-feet of torque in the 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and 2020 GMC Sierra 1500. That represents a 22% improvement in torque over the company’s 4.3-liter V6, as well as improved fuel efficiency.

The new 2.7-liter engine uses cylinder deactivation, dynamic cam timing, and cam profile changes based on engine power needs. This engine also features an electric water pump to reduce horsepower-robbing drag. Both the Silverado and Sierra with the four-cylinder engine return 20 mpg city, 23 mpg highway, and 21 mpg in combined driving.

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General Motors 3.0-liter turbodiesel V6 (2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and 2020 GMC Sierra 1500)

The 3.0-liter Duramax V6 turbo diesel is also available in the 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and 2020 GMC Sierra 1500. This engine offers 277 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque, and it's matched with a 10-speed automatic transmission and your choice of rear-wheel or four-wheel drive.

Fuel economy ratings are 23 mpg city and 30 mpg highway with rear-wheel drive, while four-wheel drive drops it to 22 mpg city and 26 mpg highway with 24 mpg combined. Selecting the Duramax also equips your truck with a diesel exhaust brake system that can be a lifesaver when you descend a grade with a trailer in tow. Total trailer weight with this engine is up to 7,400 pounds, while you can also opt for 2,378 pounds of payload.

Photo by General Motors

Honda 3.5-liter V6 (2020 Honda Ridgeline)

Honda is often overlooked as a truck manufacturer, but the 3.5-liter V6 engine in the 2020 Honda Ridgeline is a long-proven and smooth-running unit. This engine offers 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. The Ridgeline can handle a payload of up to 1,580 pounds, and it offers up to 5,000 pounds of trailering capacity. Fuel economy is rated up to 19 mpg city and 26 mpg highway.

In the Ridgeline, Honda pairs this engine with a six-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive or single range all-wheel drive. With the Ridgeline's unique independent rear suspension, the V6 engine gives this pickup an SUV driving experience. Additionally, JD Power rates the Ridgeline as "great" in quality and reliability.

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Ford 3.5-liter High Output V6 (2020 F-150)

Ford offers a wide range of engines in the 2020 F-150 pickup, but the 3.5-liter EcoBoost High Output engine is a standout. This twin-turbocharged V6 pumps out an amazing 450 horsepower and 510 pound-feet of torque. With a 10-speed transmission to optimize gearing, this makes the F-150 faster than many sports cars. The HO EcoBoost is available in the off-road-focused F-150 Raptor and the luxury-oriented F-150 Limited.

Equipped with the HO EcoBoost, the Raptor will tow up to 8,000 pounds, and the Limited handles up to 11,100 pounds. Payload limits are 1,200 pounds in the Raptor and 1,520 pounds in the Limited. Fuel economy is EPA-rated as 15 mpg city and 18 mpg highway in the Raptor, or 17 mpg city and 21 mpg highway in the Limited.

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Nissan 5.6-liter V8 (2020 Nissan Titan)

Nissan has a powerhouse V8 engine in the 2020 Titan pickup line. The 5.6-liter V8 Endurance engine muscles up with 390 horsepower and 394 pound-feet of torque. The Endurance V8 is mated to a seven-speed automatic transmission with rear-wheel or four-wheel-drive.

In the single-cab Titan, this engine enables 1,850 pounds of payload and up to 9,660 pounds of towing capacity. The Titan XD can pull up to 11,680 pounds and carry up to 2,990 pounds with this V8 under mpg hood. The EPA rates the fuel economy of the Titan at 15 mpg city and 21 mpg highway. As a heavy-duty truck, the Titan XD is not evaluated by the EPA.

Photo by Nissan

Ram 5.7-liter V8 (2020 Ram 1500)

Ram took the truck world by storm last year with the redesigned Ram 1500, and buyers can't get enough of its 5.7-liter Hemi engine. On its own, this engine provides 395 horsepower and 410 pound-feet of torque, paired with the eight-speed TorqueFlite automatic transmission. You can also get this engine with the optional eTorque mild hybrid system, which adds up to 130 pound-feet of additional torque at low speeds.

With the 5.7-liter Hemi and the eTorque hybrid system in place, the 2020 RAM 1500 will tow up to 12,750 pounds. That's best-in-class towing, and the payload rating is up to 2,300 pounds. The eTorque option raises fuel economy by about 2 MPG, up to 17 mpg city and 22 mpg highway. If you get the optional supersized 33-gallon fuel tank, you can drive up to 750 miles on a tank of gas with the eTorque V8.

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Toyota 5.7-liter V8 (2020 Toyota Tundra)

Since 2007, Toyota has delivered the Tundra full size pickup with an i-FORCE 5.7-liter DOHC V8 engine. This plant produces 381 horsepower and 401 pound-feet of torque, and it’s paired to a six-speed automatic transmission with rear-wheel or four-wheel-drive.

The 5.7-liter i-FORCE engine has been in service so long because it's incredibly reliable. This engine also gives the 2020 Toyota Tundra towing capacity up to 10,200 pounds, and payload capacity of 1,730 pounds. Be sure to specify the tow package, because this adds engine and transmission oil coolers. The Tundra returns 13 mpg in the city and 18 mpg on the highway.

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General Motors 6.2-liter V8 (2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and 2020 GMC Sierra 1500)

At the top of the engine list for the 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and 2020 GMC Sierra 1500, you'll find the 6.2-liter EcoTec3 V8 engine. This mighty V8 is good for 420 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque. GMC and Chevy both match this engine with a 10-speed automatic transmission and four-wheel-drive for maximum capability. Trucks with this engine can tow up to 9,300 pounds and carry up to 2,165 pounds in the bed.

The thing that really sets this engine apart, however, is its Dynamic Fuel Management technology. This feature allows the engine to deactivate cylinders when they're not needed, thereby saving gas. But unlike the crude deactivation of the past, DFM can shift the engine into any of 17 different rhythms using varying numbers of cylinders, all according to what's needed. And it's all so smooth, you'll never know it's happening.

Photo by General Motors

Ford 6.7-liter turbodiesel V8 (Ford F-Series Super Duty)

Ford has upgraded its legendary 6.7-liter Power Stroke V8 turbodiesel for the 2020 model year. This engine is available in the Ford F-Series Super Duty truck line, and now makes 475 horsepower and an impressive 1,050 pound-feet of torque. Ford matches this engine with a tough 10-speed automatic transmission.

That much power gives the Ford Super Duty towing capability up to 24,200 pounds, and up to 7,850 pounds of payload capacity. Ford guarantees this engine for five years or 100,000 miles. As with other heavy-duty trucks, the EPA does not evaluate the Super Duty for fuel economy.

Photo by Ford