Two automakers are making news with advancements in fuel economy for the line of pickups each one produces. Honda turned heads with its Ridgeline, while Ford stepped up its game with a few different trucks bringing pretty impressive fuel economy ratings. According to Edmunds, Ford builds the pickup that has the highest fuel economy rating out there. Which one is it, and what does it have to offer?

What truck gets the best gas mileage in the Ford lineup?

Trucks aren’t generally known for having outstanding EPA estimates, but Ford has figured out how to offer fuel savings to its customers with the Ranger pickup. This truck is in the midsize range, and it can get around 26 mpg on the highway while offering 21 mpg on city roads. To achieve this, the Ranger has a few critical pieces of equipment. 

Under the hood, you’ll find a 2.3-liter EcoBoost Inline four-cylinder engine that produces 270 hp with 310 lb-ft of torque. That’s plenty of power to tow up to 7,500 lbs with the trailer towing package added. Payload capacity is 1,860 lbs. Paired with the engine is a 10-speed automatic transmission. 

The Ranger model gets the best gas mileage with the rear-wheel drivetrain. If you choose a four-wheel drive, you’re only going to get approximately 24 mpg when traveling on the highway and 20 mpg on city roads. 

So, for an affordable price of around $25,000 starting price, you get a five-passenger pickup in a few different trim levels, each offering its own useful features, like 4G WiFi, premium cloth seating, and dual 4.2-inch productivity screens. The biggest downside is its reliability, which was rated a two out of five by Consumer Reports. 

What Ford’s Maverick pickup will offer when it comes to gas mileage?

For the 2022 model year, Ford will be rolling out the new Maverick pickup, which is expected to make waves. The first full-version hybrid truck to enter the market, the Maverick offers lots of storage space, room for five adults to travel, and the best part is that it’s estimated to get approximately 40 mpg in the city and around 500 miles of range with one tank of gas. 

Powering it up is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder combined with an electric motor to produce 191 hp and 155 lb-ft of torque. Paired with it is a continuously variable automatic transmission, which enables the Maverick to tow up to 2,000 lbs. Payload capacity is still an impressive 1,500 lbs, which is around the weight of an ATV. 

It’s too soon to say how reliable it might be, but since Ford prides itself on not settling for anything less than a Ford tough vehicle, it may just prove to be a durable pickup. According to Ford’s Media Center, the expected starting price for the Maverick is $19,995 for the base. 

What other Ford trucks offer decent gas mileage?

While the Ford Ranger and the Maverick offer excellent mileage figures, there are more pickups in the lineup. Ford’s F-150 Turbo Diesel and the F-150 Hybrid found their way to the U.S. News‘ Best Gas Mileage of 2021 list. 

The diesel model starts at $42,440 and offers 23 mpg combined with a 3.0-liter V6 engine. It’s rated to tow up to 14,000 lbs and haul approximately 3,325 lbs in the bed of the truck. The Hybrid F-150 gets 25 mpg combined with an electric motor and an EcoBoost 3.5-liter V6 motor paired with a ten-speed transmission. The base price is slightly lower than the diesel model, at $42,120. 

When it comes to pickups, gas mileage was usually lower on the list of things we wanted in our trucks since they never really could get much. With the advance of technology, fuel savings on a pickup are things to look forward to, especially since Ford is breaking the mold with its Ranger and Maverick models.