Autoblog and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article.Full-size trucks are not known for sipping fuel, but a few stand out from the pack, and the gap between them can mean real money at the pump. The Chevrolet Silverado 1500, GMC Sierra 1500, and Toyota Tundra are three of the most popular half-tons on sale, and they take very different approaches to efficiency, from a modern diesel to a hybrid V6.2026 Chevrolet Silverado 1500ChevroletEngine choice, EPA ratings, and highway economy all determine how far each of these trucks travels on a gallon of fuel. Here is how the Silverado, Sierra, and Tundra compare, and which one is the most fuel-efficient.2026 GMC Sierra 1500GMCSpecs and pricingSpecificationChevrolet Silverado 1500GMC Sierra 1500Toyota TundraMost efficient engine3.0L Duramax turbo-diesel3.0L Duramax turbo-diesel3.4L twin-turbo V6 hybridBest combined mpg25 mpg25 mpg22 mpgHighway mpgUp to 28 mpgUp to 28 mpgUp to 24 mpgDiesel optionYesYesNoOther engines2.7L turbo, 5.3L and 6.2L V82.7L turbo, 5.3L and 6.2L V8Gas or hybrid V6Starting priceAbout $40,000About $42,000About $42,000A Chevrolet Silverado and a Toyota Tundra take opposite paths to efficiency, and the numbers below show which one wins.2026 Toyota Tundra TRD ProToyotaHow fuel-efficient is the Chevrolet Silverado 1500?Diesel power gives the Silverado the edge. Chevrolet's half-ton offers a rare weapon in today's truck market, a 3.0-liter Duramax inline-six turbo-diesel, rated by the EPA at 25 mpg combined and up to 28 mpg on the highway, the best figures of any full-size pickup you can buy. It also delivers 305 horsepower and a torquey 495 lb-ft, so efficiency does not come at the expense of capability, and its long range can exceed 600 miles on a tank.Chevrolet Silverado 1500 ZR2ChevroletAdvertisementAdvertisementThe Silverado's other engines, a 2.7-liter turbo four and 5.3- and 6.2-liter V8s, are far thirstier, with the V8s managing only around 17 mpg combined, so the diesel is the one to have for economy. GM is now the only automaker offering a light-duty diesel in this class.How fuel-efficient is the GMC Sierra 1500?Mechanically, the Sierra is the Silverado's twin. GMC's half-ton shares its platform and its entire engine lineup with the Chevrolet, including the same 3.0-liter Duramax diesel, so it returns essentially identical fuel economy, right around 25 mpg combined and up to 28 mpg on the highway. In other words, the Sierra is exactly as efficient as the Silverado, because beneath the skin they are the same truck.2026 GMC Sierra 1500GMCThe only meaningful differences are styling, trims, and price, with the Sierra skewing slightly more upscale and costing a little more, especially in its plush Denali guise. On pure efficiency, though, it is a dead heat with its Chevy sibling.How fuel-efficient is the Toyota Tundra?Hybrid power is the Tundra's answer, and it still comes up short. The truck offers no diesel, leaving its i-FORCE MAX hybrid as the efficiency leader of its lineup, and while that powertrain makes a muscular 437 horsepower and 583 lb-ft of torque, it returns just 22 mpg combined, three behind GM's diesel.2026 Toyota Tundra TRD ProThe standard twin-turbo V6 is thirstier still at around 20 mpg. It is worth noting that the hybrid does its best work in the city, where the electric motor assists most, but on the highway the Tundra cannot match the diesel Silverado or Sierra, which pull ahead to 28 mpg. The Tundra is efficient by full-size-truck standards, just not the most efficient here.So which one is the most fuel-efficient?The Chevrolet Silverado 1500 is the most fuel-efficient, with one big asterisk. Fitted with its 3.0-liter Duramax diesel, it returns a class-leading 25 mpg combined and up to 28 mpg on the highway, comfortably beating the Toyota Tundra's best. The asterisk is that the GMC Sierra 1500 is its mechanical twin and matches those numbers exactly, so this is really a tie between the two GM trucks, with the Silverado taking the nod largely because it costs a little less.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe GMC Sierra 1500 is, for all efficiency purposes, joint-first, delivering identical diesel economy in a slightly more upscale package. The Toyota Tundra lands third, and while its i-FORCE MAX hybrid is genuinely efficient for a big truck at 22 mpg combined, the lack of a diesel means it cannot catch GM's frugal straight-six. For the most fuel-efficient full-size truck of the three, the diesel-powered Silverado, with the Sierra right beside it, wins.This story was originally published by Autoblog on Aug 7, 2026, where it first appeared in the Car Buying section. Add Autoblog as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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