The 2016 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel was the only half-ton truck that appeared on this year’s WardsAuto 10 Best Engines list.The Ram 1500 EcoDiesel was the only half-ton truck recognized recently on WardsAuto 10 Best Engines of 2016.
It’s the third year in a row that the popular 3.0-liter turbo diesel, which generates 420-ft. lb. or torque, made the list. Two other pickups were tested but didn’t make the cut.
“Ram engineers have done such a stellar job of integrating this powertrain that most people wouldn’t guess there’s a diesel under the hood,” reads an engineer’s scorecard.
In an evaluation on Ram’s EcoDiesel V6, Wards Auto editors contend that the Italian built engine is “the gold standard for refinement and fuel efficiency in the world of light-duty trucks. Hitch a sizable trailer on the back and it barely breaks a sweat.”
Over the course of 10 days of testing, the truck’s fuel economy rating approached 24 mpg. Although Wards Auto doesn’t mention names, two other diesel pickups were tested but failed to make this year’s list.
All 10 engines that made the 2016 list have dual overhead cams. Chevy Volt’s 1.5-liter 4 cylinder/120 kilowatt motor is the smallest on the list. The largest engine to make this year’s list is the Ford Shelby Mustang GT350 5.0-liter V8.
Wards Auto began its annual engine competition 22 years ago. Engines, which include electrified propulsion systems, are judged for their technology and engineering.
