Today, more than ever, the demand for powerful pickup trucks is at an all-time high. Whether you’re in the market for a truck for work, play, or both, the choice can be overwhelming. Fortunately, most truck buyers don’t have to look further than the diesel engine when shopping for their new ride. The peak output of diesel engines hovers around 160 horsepower, and they’re much faster at revving out their torque output. That power-to-weight ratio and responsiveness make diesel ideal for performance-hungry pickup truck owners. Diesel engines are only allowed in light-duty trucks, such as the Chevrolet Colorado, Ford EcoBoost, and the Nissan Titan. However, other markets worldwide have access to diesel engines on light- and heavy-duty vehicles as well. This article will highlight the best diesel engines for pickup trucks based on power, towing capacity, and other vital factors.
Isuzu D-Series
The Japanese automaker Isuzu is most famous for its ute and commercial vehicle lines, but it also has a line of pickup trucks under the D-Series name. This full-size truck is available in both two-door and four-door models. The four-door is the most popular, and it’s a pretty standard truck. But the two-door is downright unique. It’s available with a box-on-frame configuration that makes it a top-rated truck for the construction industry. The engine lineup consists of three gasoline engines and two diesel engines. The diesel lineup includes both six-cylinder diesel engines and an eight-cylinder diesel engine. The most popular diesel engine is the four-cylinder, turbocharged 2.2-liter that produces 138 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque.
Cummins ISX Engines
The ISX is another diesel engine available for commercial fleet customers. This time, it’s from the American truck manufacturer Cummins. The Cummins ISX Engines are Cummins’ answer to the clean diesel emissions standards set by the EPA and California. Cummins says they produce zero nitrogen oxide emissions at any speed and don’t produce any particulate matter with their exhaust fluid-fluid recirculation system. The ISX engine produces 250 horsepower and 500 foot-pounds of torque. It’s also rated to get 23 miles per gallon in the city and 30 on the highway. The ISX comes standard with a six-speed. Finding Cummins ISX engines for sale would be a dream come true for you.
Jeep’s Renegade Diesel Engine
Then there’s the Renegade, the latest addition to Jeep’s popular pickup truck lineup. The Renegade offers the task-specific capability that you’d expect from a Jeep pickup truck. It’s available with two- or four-wheel drive and has a payload rating of 2,000 pounds and a towing capacity of 5,000 pounds. It also has a low range transfer case and a high range. The diesel engine is a 3.0-liter, turbocharged inline-six, producing 365 horsepower and 381 pound-feet of torque. It is a perfect choice for towing, hauling, and other light-duty uses. It’s even available with the Sentry Dry automatic transmission that automatically diverts power to help reduce towing and braking effort.
Cummins Turbo Diesel Engine
The Cummins Turbo Diesel engine is available in a wide range of applications. It’s most commonly found in commercial trucks, but it can also be found in heavy-duty pickup trucks and SUVs. The Cummins Turbo Diesel produces up to 255 horsepower and a torque rating of 470 pound-feet. It’s available in several configurations, including 6.0-liter inline-six, 8.3-liter inline-six, and 10.5-liter inline-six diesel engines. The 6.0-liter diesel is rated for up to 17,100 pounds of towing capacity and a payload rating of 3,900 pounds. The 8.3-liter is rated for up to 19,900 pounds of towing capacity and a payload rating of 3,500 pounds. The 10.5-liter produces up to 21,700 pounds of towing capacity and a payload rating of 4,300 pounds. Cummins offers an optional Cummins Direct-Shift Transmission on all of their diesel engines. This transmission offers six forward speeds and two reverse speeds.
Conclusion
Diesel engines have come a long way since first introduced in the ’90s. Today, they offer a much better power-to-weight ratio than gasoline or electric engines, and they’re much quicker. As technology advances, so will the diesel engine, so they’re a good bet for the future. If you’re in the market for a new pickup truck, it’s worth your while to look at the diesel engine first.
