The Ford 3.0L Power Stroke V6 launched in the 2018 Ford F-150 to much fanfare, as quite a few truck buyers had been pining for a diesel version of the popular pickup for some time. However, the F-150 Power Stroke didn’t stick around for long due to poor sales and was subsequently discontinued, as Ford Authority exclusively reported last year. Regardless, there are still likely some folks in the market for an F-150 Power Stroke, or perhaps its electrified counterpart, the PowerBoost hybrid, which is why we’ve assembled a comparison between those powerplants and the Chevy Silverado and Ram diesel pickups, as well as the new Toyota Tundra i-Force Max hybrid, to see how they stack up.
| GM Duramax LM2 | GM Duramax LM2 | Ford Power Stroke | Ram EcoDiesel | Ford PowerBoost | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicles | 2021 Silverado 1500 | 2022 Silverado 1500 | 2021 Ford F-150 | 2022 Ram 1500 | 2022 Ford F-150 | 2022 Toyota Tundra |
| Engine Type | I6 | I6 | V6 | V6 | Hybrid V6 | Hybrid V6 |
| Displacement | 3.0L | 3.0L | 3.0L | 3.0L | 3.5L | 3.4L |
| Aspiration | Turbocharged | Turbocharged | Turbocharged | Turbocharged | Twin-turbocharged | Twin-turbocharged |
| Fuel Type | Diesel | Diesel | Diesel | Diesel | Regular gasoline | Regular gasoline |
| Horsepower (hp @ rpm) | 277 @ 3,750 | 277 @ 3,750 | 250 @ 3,250 | 260 @ 3,600 | 430 @ 6,000 | 437 @ 5,200 |
| Torque (lb-ft @ rpm) | 460 @ 1,500 | 460 @ 1,500 | 440 @ 1,750 | 480 @ 1,600 | 570 @ 3,000 | 583 @ 2,400 |
| City Fuel Economy RWD/4WD (mpg) | 23/22 | 23/22 | -/20 | 23/21 | 25/23 | 20/19 |
| Highway Fuel Economy RWD/4WD (mpg) | 31/26 | 31/26 | -/27 | 33/29 | 25/23 | 24/22 |
| Combined Fuel Economy RWD/4WD (mpg) | 26/24 | 26/24 | -/23 | 26/24 | 25/23 | 22/20 |
| Max Payload Capacity (pounds) | 1,870 | 1,930 | 1,840 | 2,090 | 2,120 | 1,665 |
| Max Towing Capacity (pounds) | 9,500 | 13,300 | 12,100 | 10,010 | 12,700 | 11,450 |
GM Duramax LM2 engine vs Ford Power Stroke and PowerBoost vs Ram EcoDiesel vs Toyota i-Force Max
The F-150 Power Stroke is the underdog in this comparison in terms of output, as its ratings of 250 horsepower and 440 pound-feet of torque place it squarely in last place in that regard. The hybrid choices, on the other hand, offer far superior ratings, with Toyota’s new i-Force Max barely edging out Ford’s 3.5L PowerBoost V6 (which is rather quick) with a class-leading 437 horsepower and 583 pound-feet of torque. The Silverado’s Duramax LM2 cranks out 277 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque, while the Ram’s EcoDiesel is rated at 260 horsepower and 480 pound-feet of torque.
n spite of this power advantage, the hybrids can’t quite match the max towing capacity of the 2022 Silverado Duramax, which tops all comers with 13,300 pounds. However, both Ford’s PowerBoost and Toyota’s i-Force max beat out the F-150 and Ram diesels in that regard, though the Power Stroke is impressive with 12,100 pounds of max towing capacity. In terms of payload, the PowerBoost takes home the win with 2,120 pounds.
The final measure of these powerplants – fuel economy – produces some mixed results. Both the GM diesels and the Ram tie for first place with a best combined rating of 26 miles-per-gallon, while the PowerBoost falls just short with 25. Meanwhile, the Tundra hybrid surprisingly finishes last with a mere 22 combined miles-per-gallon.
Full-Size Pickup Truck Sales - 2021 - USA
| TOTAL | -6.44% | 2,183,446 | 2,333,850 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MODEL | YTD 21 / YTD 20 | YTD 21 | YTD 20 | YTD 21 SHARE | YTD 20 SHARE |
| FORD F-SERIES | -7.80% | 726,004 | 787,422 | 33% | 34% |
| RAM RAM PICKUP | +1.01% | 569,388 | 563,676 | 26% | 24% |
| CHEVROLET SILVERADO | -10.83% | 529,765 | 594,094 | 24% | 25% |
| GMC SIERRA | -1.62% | 248,924 | 253,016 | 11% | 11% |
| TOYOTA TUNDRA | -24.95% | 81,959 | 109,203 | 4% | 5% |
| NISSAN TITAN | +3.66% | 27,406 | 26,439 | 1% | 1% |
In terms of sales figures, the F-150 still reigns supreme above all of its competition, however, posting a commanding lead last year even as sales fell by nearly eight percent. Regardless, these results are undoubtedly interesting, and should prove helpful for those weighing a diesel and hybrid pickup, particularly with gas prices reaching new heights in recent months.
