The Most Reliable Diesel Trucks for 2025

Diesel trucks are known for their impressive torque numbers and reasonable fuel economy (especially when towing), but oil burners also have historically boasted robust construction and reliability. Although diesel engines are getting rarer and rarer, there are still a handful offered for the 2025 model year, including the Ford F-Series Super Duty, Ram Heavy Duty, and the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra cousins. Of note, the General Motors trucks are the only ones that offer a diesel engine in their half-ton variants, and the light-duty Duramax is a good one.

Using data from J.D. Power and RepairPal, we've arranged today's diesel pickups from most to least reliable, as well as our honest opinions on how the trucks rate in Edmunds' testing. And for good measure, we've also thrown in two of the most desirable diesel engines in history, partly for nostalgia and partly since folks looking to save some money on a pre-owned vehicle still want to avoid the repair shop as much as possible.

Chevrolet Silverado 1500: 3.0-Liter Duramax inline-six

With 495 lb-ft of torque, the turbodiesel 3.0-liter inline-six that's optional in the 2025 Chevrolet Silverado is actually the twistiest engine offered on the Bow Tie's half-ton pickup. It also has a healthy 305 horsepower and achieves up to 26 mpg combined, meaning it's as efficient as it is grunty. Better still, the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 is a reliable pickup overall, and the Duramax inline-six stands up to abuse quite well.

If that's not enough incentive to opt for the oil burner, consider that the diesel costs only a little more than GM's fine 5.3-liter V8 (and less than the flagship 6.2-liter mill). Trucks equipped with the light-duty diesel can tow up to 13,300 pounds, making the Duramax the most capable trailer-tugger in the 1500 lineup.

• Shop all used Chevrolet Silverado 1500 trucks
• Read our 2025 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 review

GMC Sierra 1500: 3.0-liter Duramax inline-six

It should come as a surprise to no one that the Duramax engine in the 2025 GMC Sierra 1500 is as fine a turbodiesel as the one in the Silverado 1500 … because it's the same engine. Differences between the Silverado and Sierra are largely skin-deep, with unique exterior styling and dashboard designs, as well as some trim and equipment differences. The Sierra costs a bit more than the Silverado when equipped the same, but a shrewd dealership negotiator might be able to make up the difference.

As on the Chevy, the GMC Sierra 1500 diesel costs a few grand more than a 1500 with the base four-cylinder engine and a few grand less than one with the 6.2-liter V8. It's also the towing champ among GM light-duty trucks, and its 13,300-pound maximum trailer weight is only 200 pounds behind the segment-leading gas-only Ford F-150.

• Shop all used GMC Sierra 1500 trucks
• Read our 2025 GMC Sierra 1500 review

Ford F-Series Super Duty: 6.7-liter Power Stroke V8

The 2025 Ford F-Series Super Duty — sold in F-250, F-350 and F-450 variants — sports the latest version of the Power Stroke turbodiesel 6.7-liter V8. Opting for the High Output diesel gives you an incredible 500 hp and 1,200 lb-ft, numbers that are best in class among heavy-duty trucks (and even more torque than the Bugatti Chiron hypercar offers). Properly equipped, the torque monster can tow up to 40,000 pounds, another best-in-class number. If you don't need the superlatives, Ford also offers a standard-output Power Stroke with a still impressive 475 hp and 1,050 lb-ft that can tow up to 38,600 pounds.

The Super Duty is among the most reliable heavy-duty trucks on the market according to J.D. Power, and many 6.7-liter Power Stroke owners go hundreds of thousands of miles without serious problems.

• Shop all used Ford F-Series Super Duty trucks
• Read our Ford F-250 Super Duty review

Chevrolet Silverado HD: 6.6-liter Duramax V8

Chevy also offers its Silverado in 2500HD and 3500HD versions. If you tick the box for the diesel, you get 475 hp and 975 lb-ft, not class-leading numbers but still plenty to get the truck (and a heavy trailer) moving. One of the Duramax's biggest trump cards is that its transmission wears the coveted badge from Allison, a supplier of legendarily robust gearboxes used in some of the hardest-working trucks in the world. Properly equipped, the Silverado HD can tow up to 36,000 pounds.

Like most modern pickups, the Silverado HD can be had stripped to the bones or loaded up like a Mercedes S-Class. It's also pretty reliable, with good scores from J.D. Power.

• Shop all used Chevrolet Silverado HD trucks
• Read our 2025 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD review

GMC Sierra HD: 6.6-liter Duramax V8

Like its Chevrolet twin, the GMC Sierra HD offers a turbodiesel 6.6-liter V8 with 475 hp and 975 lb-ft. The Allison-badged 10-speed automatic transmission has a great reputation for reliability, and even if the GM trucks' maximum tow ratings and engine outputs aren't best-in-class, they're still pretty amazing. You used to need a medium-duty truck to haul a 36,000-pound trailer, so being able to do it in a GMC Sierra is a testament to modern engineering.

• Shop all used GMC Sierra HD trucks
• Read our GMC Sierra 2500HD review

Ram Heavy Duty: 6.7-liter Cummins inline-six

The original Dodge Ram was the first truck to introduce everyday consumers to the Cummins turbodiesel engine in 1989, and since then, the big inline-six has been a mainstay of oil-burning performance and reliability. The face-lifted 2025 Ram Heavy Duty, which comes in Ram 2500 and Ram 3500 trims, offers the high-output Cummins as an option. If you check that box, you're getting 430 hp and 1,075 lb-ft. And for 2025, the Ram 3500 will tow up to 36,610 pounds with a numerically lower axle ratio than that of 2024's truck, meaning better fuel economy.

Since Cummins and Ram have been building trucks together for more than 35 years, the engine is pretty robust and free of kinks.

• Shop all used Ram Heavy Duty trucks
• Read our Ram 2500 Heavy Duty review

What's the most reliable diesel truck of all time?

1989-2007 Dodge Ram: 5.9-liter Cummins inline-six

The first turbocharged diesel truck to hit the market was the 1989 Dodge Ram 250/350. Equipped with a 5.9-liter Cummins inline-six, its healthy 160 hp and 400 lb-ft left Ford's and GM's naturally aspirated diesels choking in the dust. The turbocharged Ram eventually made 325 hp and 610 lb-ft before it was pushed off the top pedestal by an upsized 6.7-liter Cummins six-cylinder engine. Nevertheless, the 5.9-liter that appeared in early Dodge Rams is a legend for good reason: It put Chrysler on the map as a serious manufacturer of hard-working trucks with stout, reliable and powerful engines.

1994.5-2003 Ford F-Series: 7.3-liter Power Stroke V8

When the Cummins six-cylinder arrived in the late 1980s, Ford and GM were left scrambling. The International Harvester IDI 7.3-liter V8 found in the 1988-1993 F-250 and F-350 made a respectable 185-190 hp, but its torque of 345-360 lb-ft was found lacking against the robust Cummins. That changed halfway through the 1994 model year, when Ford and Navistar kept the dimensions of the IDI and changed everything else. Now called Power Stroke, the 7.3-liter V8 turbodiesel made 215 hp and 425 lb-ft, eventually rising to 275 hp and 525 lb-ft. The 7.3-liter is legendary for its reliability, unlike the Power Stroke 6.0-liter V8 that replaced it.

For more information on diesel pickup trucks, check out our article on the best new diesel-powered trucks for 2025 based on the scores they received from Edmunds' expert reviewers. And if you're not specifically looking for a diesel engine, here's an article covering all of the most reliable trucks.