There are many reasons why the Chevy Silverado is one of the most popular trucks in America. Not only is it a capable truck that has a lot of options and features, but it also strikes a great balance between performance and fuel efficiency. Here’s a look at just how fast and fuel-efficient the Chevy Silverado can be.

Performance vs. fuel economy

As many people know, for many cars, there’s always a trade-off between getting better performance and getting a higher fuel economy. This mostly comes down to physics. That being said, it’s not a hard and fast rule by any means. There are plenty of powerful cars that are also extremely fuel-efficient. 

The most obvious examples are electric vehicles, especially Teslas. Some Tesla models are extremely fast and powerful, with acceleration from 0 to 60 MPH in less than 3 seconds. But of course, EVs aren’t the only exception, and regular cars that use gas or diesel can also be fast and fuel-efficient. 

The Chevy Silverado LT Diesel is the most balanced

Consumer Reports wrote that the Silverado LT, when it’s equipped with its 3.0-liter diesel engine, strikes the best balance between performance and fuel economy when it comes to full-size trucks. In fact, with 23 MPG overall, this version of the Silverado is only 1 MPG behind the truck that was at the top of the list, which was the Chevy Colorado LT diesel.

While that Colorado variant was slightly more fuel-efficient than the Silverado LT diesel was, the Colorado was also significantly slower. Consumer Reports said that the Colorado LT diesel only accelerated from 0 to 60 MPH in 10.3 seconds, while the Silverado LT diesel came in at 7.9 seconds, a full 2.4 seconds faster than the Colorado. 

Obviously, when these trucks are compared to sports cars that can go from 0 to 60 MPH in around 3 seconds, it’s not a contest. But of course, trucks like the Silverado and the Colorado can do things that many sports cars can’t do, such as towing a lot of stuff or having comfortable seating spaces.

That practical fact, when combined with the Silverado’s impressive fuel economy and performance figures, makes it a very balanced truck all around.

The Chevy Silverado LT Diesel compared to other trucks

That said, while the Silverado LT diesel had relatively impressive performance figures, it wasn’t at the top of the pack in that regard either. The Nissan Titan SV was the fastest full-size pickup truck, as it could accelerate from 0 to 60 MPH in 6.7 seconds. However, likely due to its engine, its fuel economy suffered as it only had 16 MPG overall. 

This was a similar story for a different version of the Silverado. Many Chevy owners want a V8 in their trucks, and Chevy offers a powerful 5.8-liter V8 on the Silverado. This engine does make the Silverado faster, as it can go from 0 to 60 MPH in 6.9 seconds with this engine, but again, its fuel economy will suffer. Consumer Reports wrote that this version of the Chevy only gets about 17 MPG overall.

For folks who simply want a powerful truck that can go very fast, the V8 option is undoubtedly the most attractive option for the Silverado. That said, for folks who are more practical, the six MPG difference between the V8 and the 3.0-liter diesel is a good enough reason to choose the diesel. And besides, the diesel is only a second slower in the 0 to 60 MPH test than the V8 is anyway.