Best Diesel Pickup Trucks of 2010
Diesel trucks have come a long way in the past decade. Gone are the days of the smelly lumberwagons that grunt, grumble, and spew clouds of smoke. What has replaced these dinosaurs is a line of sophisticated workhorses, and the 2010 models are no exception.
2010 Ford Super Duty
The Super Duty is powered by the legendary Power Stroke. The 2010 model Power Stroke is a V8, Twin-Turbo powered, 6.4 Litre engine. It makes an impressive 350 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque. The Power Stroke is available on the single rear wheel F-250 as well as the dually version F-350 and F-450. Consumers have the choice of pairing their Power Stroke with either a 5-Speed Manual or 6-Speed automatic transmission. Interior amenities include the Ford TowCommand TBC or trailer brake controller and a "Rapid-Heat" supplemental cab heater. The supplemental cab heater creates heat as soon as the engine starts, eliminating the need for a lengthy warm-up. The Super Duty also boasts a slide out side step and a swing up hand grab bar on the tailgate for easy cargo accessibility.
2010 Dodge Ram
Dodge offers the Cummins diesel engine in their 3/4 ton and 1 ton models. The 2010 Cummins is a turbocharged 6.7 Litre Inline 6 Cylinder engine. Despite having 2 fewer cylinders than the Power Stroke, it manages to produce exactly the same horsepower and lb-ft of torque. The Cummins, thanks to an innovative NOx Absorber Catalyst or NAC, is also cleanest engine of the 2010 varieties. Transmissions are available in automatic or manual, each with 6 gears. The Rams interior is a bit more spartan than the Super Duty, but it does come standard with side-curtain airbags. Together, these things managed to earn the Ram the prestigious 2010 Truck of the Year award from Motor Trend.
2010 Chevrolet Silverado
Chevrolet used to be the under dog when it came to diesels. But since the introduction of the Duramax, that's simply no longer the case. While it doesn't have the long standing reputation of the Cummins or the Power Stroke, the 2010 Duramax produced the best performance numbers of the bunch. Thanks to an efficient single turbocharger coupled with intercooling, the 6.6 Litre V8 Duramax makes a whopping 665 horsepower and 660 lb-ft of torque. Chevrolet offers the Duramax in a single rear wheel 2500 model, as well as the dually 3500. Behind the duramax sits an automatic 6-Speed Allison transmission. While some might be disappointed to see that Chevy doesn't offer the Duramax with a standard transmission, they should at least find comfort in the fact that the Allison is widely considered to be the most robust transmission built.
These are essentially all of the 2010 diesel trucks available in the U.S. Each truck truly is a new breed of diesel. These trucks are quiet and clean. It's a rare case that anyone get a whiff of diesel fumes even when outside of the vehicle. Each model has a lot to offer. Hopefully this information has helped you decide which is best for you.
