GM Diesel Pickups Top 30 mpg on Highway

The diesel versions of General Motors Co.’s Chevrolet Colorado/GMC Canyon midsize pickup trucks have received a 31 mpg highway fuel efficiency rating from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. That’s the highest rating of any truck in America—regardless of size or fuel type, according to the carmaker.

The full city/highway/combined EPA rating for the rear-wheel-drive GM pickup trucks is 22/31/25 mpg, while four-wheel-drive models are rated at 20/29/23 mpg. The vehicles are powered by a new 2.8-liter 4-cylinder Duramax diesel that generates 181 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque.

In the fullsize pickup category, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ Ram EcoDiesel leads with a 20/29/23 mpg EPA rating, making it the market’s second-most-efficient truck overall. The Ram model is powered by a 3.0-liter V-6 diesel.

The new GM pickup trucks will be launched later this year. The diesel models will carry a $3,700 premium over comparable models with a 3.0-liter V-6 gasoline engine.

GM says the EPA also issued a “certificate of conformity” for the Canyon and Colorado diesels. The stablemates, which were in the final stage of evaluation when Volkswagen’s diesel emission cheating scandal was discovered two months ago, had to undergo additional on-road testing than in previous years.

The carmaker also reiterated plans to launch a diesel variant of the 2017-model Chevrolet Cruze small car.