The Best Full-Size Pickup Trucks From 2009 for Fuel Economy
2009 was a slow year for trucks in the history of the pickup truck, but there are still plenty of good options. While the best full-size pickup trucks from 2009 on this list come from Ford, Toyota, and Chevrolet, a few others are listed at the bottom.
You can’t have the best full-size pickup trucks from 2009 without the Ford F-150
After reviewing the 2009 Ford F-150, U.S. News found it was a favorite among testers. Ford offered the F-150 with two solid engine choices, making it a good deal for those who need a versatile truck. The base V8 gets 15 mpg in the city and 20 on the highway, but the bigger 5.4L V8 could tow up to 11,300 pounds. You’ll want the base engine for better fuel economy, but the F-150 is one of the best full-size pickup trucks from 2009.
The 2009 Ford F-150 came with either rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive, and the pickup got between 248 and 310 horsepower. That was enough to power it around town, though some rival trucks might have a bit more. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety even gave the 2009 F-150 high safety scores on performed tests, enough to earn the Top Safety Pick award.
The 2009 Toyota Tundra is one of the best full-size pickup trucks
People like the 2009 Toyota Tundra, as did the experts who reviewed it. The Tundra tied the F-150 for the best full-size pickup truck from 2009, thanks to its powerful engine and fuel economy. Toyota offered the Tundra with a base V6 engine or an upgraded V8. The V6 with two-wheel drive averaged 15 mpg in the city and 19 mpg on the highway; the V8 gets 13 mpg and 16. Not the best, but Toyota made up for it elsewhere.
The Tundra can tow up to 10,800 pounds with the bigger V8 engine, one of the highest in the class. Some standard features on the Tundra include dual-zone manual climate control and a four-speaker stereo system. The higher trim levels also got power windows, locks, mirrors, and Bluetooth capability. If that isn’t enough, the  Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave the Tundra high scores on all performed tests and the Top Safety Pick award.
Chevrolet’s Silverado 1500 has three engine choices
Those who need strong engine choices won’t want to miss the 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. Of course, stronger engines come with worse fuel economy. Chevrolet offered the 2009 Silverado with three engine options, a base V6 and two V8s. Two and four-wheel drive were both options. The base V6 got 15 mpg in the city and 20 mpg on the highway, but that does drop significantly for the V8s (12 city/18 highway). However, the 6.0L V8 can tow 10,700 pounds.
Chevrolet made the Silverado surprisingly comfortable inside. The regular cab can fit three passengers, and the extended/crew cabs can fit up to six people. It even gets a CD stereo with an auxiliary input jack! Bluetooth was available on the higher trim levels. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety didn’t give the 2009 Silverado excellent safety ratings, which is something to consider.
The 2009 Cadillac Escalade EXT and the GMC Sierra also made the list if you need more inspiration. The best full-size pickup trucks from 2009 aren’t known to be fuel-efficient, but there are some of the best options. Sacrificing towing numbers for fuel economy is a reasonable tradeoff, so consider both.
