If you’re looking at used trucks, you might wonder whether you should buy a gas or diesel truck. When it comes to buying a truck, one of the most common considerations is whether the truck is gas or diesel. One is not hands-down better than the other and they both have pros and cons. Let’s take a look.

The Diesel Vs Gas Landscape Has Changed

The landscape of diesel vs gas has changed somewhat dramatically from just a few decades ago. Back then, diesel trucks were loud and smelly, but they were also reliable and fuel efficient. On top of that, diesel fuel was a lot cheaper than gas. However, now diesel engines are far more complex with new emissions systems, variable geometry turbochargers, and diesel exhaust fluid.

The new technology has made modern diesel engines much more powerful and quiet. However, diesel fuel is more expensive than gas and diesel trucks have also gotten more expensive. Gas engines have evolved too with turbochargers and a lot more power and fuel efficiency than before. These gains make it even more difficult to choose between a gas or diesel truck.

Truck Size Matters

Your choice between a diesel truck and a gas truck also depends on what size of truck you’re looking at. Toyota, Ford, and Nissan don’t offer diesel engines in their midsize trucks, so if you want a Ford Ranger or Toyota Tacoma, you’ll end up with a gas engine by default. You can get a Jeep Gladiator with a diesel engine and it offers impressive torque at over 400 pound-feet. However, it doesn’t increase the Gladiator’s towing capacity beyond 4,500 pounds.

GM originally offered its midsize Colorado/Canyon siblings with a diesel, but if you want these models, you’ll be looking at used trucks as the diesel engine is no longer available. In most cases, the lure of the diesel engine is about increased towing, which you probably aren’t expecting with a midsize truck.

Moving up to half-ton trucks, you have more diesel options to choose from. Ram and GM have diesel trucks, but Ford, Toyota, and Nissan are still lacking in this area. You can get a diesel F-150 or Nissan Titan with a Cummins diesel if you look at used trucks.

Heavy Duty Trucks Dominate Diesel

In most cases, if you want a diesel truck for towing large loads, you’ll have to move up to the HD trucks. These trucks offer unrivaled torque and towing ability compared to gas trucks. Although modern gas engines have narrowed the gap, diesel is still king when it comes to towing large loads. One of the biggest advantages that HD diesel trucks have is the available exhaust brake to slow down heavy loads.

If you want an HD truck, Ford, GM, and Ram make three-quarter and one-ton trucks across the lineup. The main disadvantage of a diesel HD truck is the cost. The Big Three HD lineups do offer more reasonable base models, but trucks these days are full of luxury and modern tech that ramps up the price.

To conclude, in most cases, diesel trucks only separate themselves from gas trucks when you move to the HD models. Otherwise, if you’re looking at smaller trucks, it’s generally more affordable to stick with gas.