The fuel economy ratings for the diesel-powered 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 are out and they are quite remarkable. Rear-wheel-drive versions have been rated by the EPA at 33 mpg (7.1 l/100 km) highway and 23 mpg (10.2 l/100 km) city, making the Silverado 3.0 Duramax the most economical truck in its segment.

That’s an improvement of 3 mpg highway over the 2019 Ford F-150 Power Stroke diesel and 6 mpg highway over the outgoing Ram 1500 EcoDiesel. Still, Ram is expected to narrow the gap when an all-new model launches for 2020. Things are looking good for four-wheel-drive Silverado 1500 diesel models as well, with EPA-estimated ratings of 29 mpg (8.1 l/100 km) highway and 23 mpg city (10.2 l/100 km).


The 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 features an all-new 3.0L Duramax inline-six turbo diesel rated at 277 hp and 624 Nm of torque. The engine is exclusively mated to a Hydra-Matic 10L80 10-speed automatic transmission with smaller gear steps and an overall larger ratio spread to enable peak efficiency.

When equipped with the optional four-wheel drive system, it allows the Silverado to tow up to 4,218 kg, with the maximum payload reaching 848 kg.


The 3.0L Duramax turbo diesel is available on the LT, RST, LTZ and High Country trims. For the LTZ and High Country, the 3.0L Diesel is a US$ 2,495 option, identical to that of the 6.2L V8. For the LT and RST, it represents a US$ 3,890 increase over a 2.7L Turbo engine. Customer deliveries of the 2020 Silverado 1500 3.0L Duramax turbo diesel are expected to begin this fall.