EPA Ratings for Compact Trucks

The EPA is talking about making major changes to the way it estimates fuel economy. The current rating system was developed over twenty years ago. It tests vehicles on a dynamometer, a set of rollers that the car is pulled onto. The vehicle sits in place and its wheels turn the rollers. The drag on the rollers is adjusted to simulate different driving conditions.

The vehicle's gas mileage is never tested in the real world--no wind resistance, no accessories. To top it off, simulated speeds are far less than the average driver drives--an average of 20 miles per hour for city tests and 48 miles per hour for highway figures.

Top Ranked Compact Trucks

Most of these trucks are available in plenty of configurations, but expect to see 2WD, 4-cylinder trucks at the top of the list.

1. Ford Ranger 2WD

   The 4-cylinder, 2WD Ford Ranger truck is at the top of the EPA fuel economy rankings. Compare Ford Ranger Trucks

2. Mazda B2300 2WD Trucks

   The 4-cylinder Mazda B2300 is right there with the Ford Ranger when it comes to fuel economy. Compare Mazda Trucks

3. Nissan Frontier 2WD

   The Frontier is the next on the list, but the 4-cylinder truck's EPA ratings take a fairly good dip from the first two. Compare Nissan Frontier Trucks

4. Toyota Tacoma 2WD

   The 4-cylinder, 2WD Tacoma truck with an automatic transmission is next on the list, ranking pretty much alongside the Nissan in terms of fuel economy. Compare Tacoma Trucks

Two-wheel drive models of the Chevy Colorado, GMC Canyon and Isuzu rank next. The Colorado and Canyon are cousin-trucks with virtually identical EPA stats.

EPA ratings are helpful when you want to compare vehicles in a class, but don't count on them for an accurate projection of actual gas mileage.