10 Of The Most Reliable Diesel Trucks Of All Time, Ranked - SlashGear (2024)

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Even with the many improvements of modern-day powertrains, plenty of car enthusiasts still love to look back on diesel. Between numerous benefits like better average fuel economy and less required maintenance, it's not difficult to see why diesel engines remain in use even today.However, if you're looking to buy a brand-new ride with one of these behemoths under the hood, your options are going to be limited mostly to pickup trucks and other large vehicles.

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Diesel engines can be a great lifespan-extender for trucks, as they're much less likely to fail over time. But there are other factors to consider when looking at their longevity, from how long diesel fuel can be stored to how reliable the actual truck itself might be. After all, if your new ride has a big design flaws, the extra help provided by this engine won't do much good. This article will focus on the 10 most reliable trucks around powered by diesel.

Since many trucks have options for alternative fuel types, casting a wider net and looking at their overall performance can help determine whether they'd be much better with or without a diesel engine. As such, unless there are specific flaws or benefits in the engine itself affecting the vehicle's reliability, this article will consider all versions and model years of each truck on this list. As long as a diesel engine can be found under its hood, it's allowed on this list.

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The Nissan Titan bottoms out this list due to a number of technicalities. While its most recent model years boast a reliability score of 88/100 on JDPower, the truck has very few years in which it was even rated at all. The regular Titan doesn't even offer diesel options, though its Titan XD variant did...for about four model years. None of these diesel-bearing trucks were even ranked on JDPower, leaving other reviewers to lament the long-term issues they were forced to deal with.

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The diesel engine in the Nissan Titan had a number of commonly reported problems as time went on, ranging from system malfunctions to flat-out failures. It didn't even offer all that much more power over the basic gasoline options, providing much less horsepower and only a small boost in torque. The 2019 model year of the Nissan Titan XD received decent reviews compared to older versions, and its resale prices are far from the worst, so there's a degree of reliability there regardless. But this truck's spot on this list serves more as a warning to diesel enthusiasts rather than a recommendation.

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The Ram 2500 lacks the impressive reliability scores of its rivals. Its most recently scored model on JDPower was for the 2022 model year, with a 79/100 that makes it the only truck on this list to not have 80 or more points as its newest score. Older versions have it even worse, sometimes dipping into the 60s, and community members note how there are better options if you're looking for a diesel engine. While it's technically still "above average" in this regard, it shouldn't be your first choice if you're looking for the most reliable diesel truck out there.

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In spite of these shortcomings, a modern model of this truck still might be a pretty good choice. The Ram 2500's 6.7 Cummins diesel engine is leagues above its 6.4 HEMI alternative when it comes to towing capacity, capable of handling over 2,000 pounds more. However, the diesel engine is also much more expensive, so keep this in mind before going straight for the 2500. You might not have much trouble taking advantage of resale prices in the future, but only if you keep its mileage under 100,000.

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Even outside of reliability, the GMC Sierra 1500 is among the best trucks you can buy today.In our review of the AT4X AEV Editionversion of this pickup, we were blown away by its diesel engine's performance, achieving greater numbers of torque much faster than other gasoline-powered engines. Other previous models of the Sierra 1500 are similarly well-rated, with quite a bit of praise going toward the surprising silence and unmatched power of its diesel options. You can feel pretty confident in your choice if you decide to go with the latest version of this truck.

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The only reason the Sierra 1500 falls short on this list is its lack of reliability in older model years. While its reliability ranking on JDPower never went below 84 from 2020 to 2024, the number falls quite a bit starting from any model year older than that. However, these older models can still go for relatively high resale prices, and different versions like the 1500 Limited are still able to boast some very high scores. Even so, for maximum reliability, you're better off relying on the newest Sierra 1500 you can find rather, than one from a decade ago.

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Though the Chevrolet Colorado falls short in its reliability score for older years, these shortcomings are far less worrying than previous trucks on this list. The 2022 model year is the most recently rated model, and it scored 85 points, which is especially relevant for this article, since later yearshave since dropped most of their diesel engine options. The resale prices on this truck's diesel versions are also fantastic, with multiple models bearing over 100,000 miles still hitting prices above $20,000. As long as you aim for one ofthe best Chevrolet Colorado years, you're unlikely to be disappointed with it later down the line.

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As for why Chevy discontinued the diesel options in its Colorado models, the company's gasoline options had simply improved quite a bit with newer model years. With these improvements, Chevy ended up focusing its diesel engines solely on the Silverado, leading the Colorado to target more of an off-roading crowd. Though it's not known if Colorado models with return to bearing diesel engines in the future, you can't go too wrong with one of these pickups yourself. Just keep an eye on the model year and you'll be set for quite a few miles.

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The Nissan Frontier sets a prime example of what to expect from other trucks on this list. Though it offers both gasoline and diesel engines, the latter has more than double the towing capacity at the same displacement. Previous models of this truck have put a lot of focus on diesel, with Nissan itself creating a concept vehicle from this truck in 2014 known as the Frontier Diesel Runner. While this concept never quite made it off the ground, the company implanted its features in future vehicles, and diesel engines continue to be used in trucks even outside of the Frontier.

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As for the Frontier itself, it's a respectable truck with very high reliability, scoring an 84/100 on JDPower for its 2023 model year. This number has dipped in the past, but it never went below a score of 80. You can also expect models beyond 2010 to last for around 150,000 miles before facing issues. Diesel models of the Frontier vary in resale price, but there are some that reach above $10,000 even with over 100,000 miles. These results aren't as impressive as other trucks on this list, but it still cements the Frontier as a very reliable choice overall.

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The Ford Ranger is one of the most reliable pickup trucks of all time, so it's diesel variant easily earns a spot on this list. After receiving a new generation in 2019, none of these pickups have fallen below a score of 80 in JDPower's reliability ratings, with the 2024 model even scoring as high as 87. At first, it might seem like the Ranger deserves to make it even higher on this list, but thanks to differences in the overseas market, you might have a hard time even finding a diesel-powered Ranger in the first place.

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Currently, the new generation of Ranger only has diesel engine options overseas. If you're living in North America, you'll be hard-pressed to find any version of this pickup with diesel under its hood unless you travel to places like Europe. If you're able to find one of these trucks for yourself, there's little need to worry about it failing on you over time, it's just that this is probably the hardest diesel-powered vehicle on this list to actually get.

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The Ram 1500 is among the few diesel-capable trucks on this list to have its most recent model reach a reliability score beyond 87 on JDPower, with its 2024 model hitting 88/100. Unfortunately, this reliability doesn't translate to its older models, with the 2019 version being among the few to reach below a score of 70. You'll be unlikely to find older models with more than 100,000 miles priced near their original cost as a result. If you want confidence in your purchase, you'll have to stick to a more recent model.

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Many of these issues actually stem from the truck's EcoDiesel engine options. As this engine was completely overhauled in more recent years, pre-2019 versions of it are generally viewed unfavorably by community members, and Ram 1500 trucks with these older engines have faced multiple recalls. The main reason it is still ranked so highly on this list is the fact that those issues are practically nonexistent in newer models. So if you're keen on a Ram 1500 of your own, just be sure to avoid model years before 2020.

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Though it's a relatively new addition to the American market, the Jeep Gladiator really makes its mark on this list. This is thanks to a special type of engine under the hood known as the EcoDiesel, which grants the Gladiator even more torque and efficiency than other diesel engines. While there were concerns over earlier versions of this engine, this is only relevant for different vehicle models and doesn't affect this one's reliability. The bigger issue is simply the fact that this unique engine has been discontinued, so you're limited to models of the Gladiator released before 2024.

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Luckily, the Gladiator's reliability is exceptional. The 2023 model ranks an 87/100 for reliability on JDPower, and the only one to reach below a score of 85 is the 2020 version. You're unlikely to find many used diesel variants of the Gladiator for sale, but the few that are present in the market still fetch prices decently close to their MSRP. As long as you limit your selection of model years from 2021 to 2023, a diesel Gladiator is a fine pick for a reliable truck.

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It shouldn't come as a surprise that a heavy-duty truck would have options for diesel engines. The GMC Sierra 2500HD heavily advertises its 6.6-liter Duramax diesel engine alongside a similar gas-powered version, with the diesel having more torqueandmore horsepower.The diesel engine bumps up the price as usual, but unlike with many other trucks, it's a flat-out upgrade rather than simply an alternative. If you want everything you can get out of the Sierra 2500HD, the diesel option will be more attractive no matter what.

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When it comes to reliability, the Sierra 2500HD is somewhat unique. Its 2024 model year scores 87/100 on JDPower in that regard, with previous years sharing their own high scores up until 2020. From there, you'll be taking a risk with lower scores across the board, but models older than 2015 can match and sometimes even exceed more recent scores. You might have to keep an eye on those years to avoid issues down the line, but with a bit of care and diligence, you can feel confident in the 2500HD lasting for a long time.

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It might seem odd to see the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 so high on this list. After all, it shares a lot of fundamental features with the Sierra 1500, down to the selection of specific engines. Their performance with the diesel engine is virtually identical as well, boasting the same towing capacity and extremely similar MPG numbers. The greatest differences between the two boil down to minor extras, like cloth/vinyl upholstery and slight price differences.

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However, the Silverado 1500's reliability score — especially for its limited variant — has been far more positive. 2019, 2017, 2014, and 2007 are the only years in which it scores less than an 80 on JDPower's reliability rankings, and while its most recent model doesn't reach much higher than that, the 2022 limited version reaches as high as 87. This gives you a very wide range of years to choose from, helping the Silverado 1500 stand out amongst its competitors. With the diesel engine inside it being among the most beloved in the community, there are few ways in which you could go wrong relying on a Silverado 1500.

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Rankings were primarily determined by reliability ratings from JDPower, while also considering resale prices from places such as CarFax, CarGurus, and Edmunds. While reliability and resale value are two different metrics, other factors play a part in determining both at once, including accumulated miles. Any existing recalls for certain models were considered as well, especially if they relate specifically to diesel engines. Rankings were also partially decided by collecting data from the SlashGear automotive review team.

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As always, your experience might vary if you get one of these diesel-powered trucks for yourself. This ranking is meant less as a buyer's guide and more as an at-a-glance measurement of how these vehicles stack up to one another. You might find a diesel-powered Titan XD that lasts for more than 200,000 miles, or you might find a diesel-powered Silverado 1500 that breaks down before its mileage reaches the number in its name. If you're truly invested in finding the most reliable diesel truck out there, keep watching the market and see how future models could change these rankings.