8 Trucks That Buck the Gas-Guzzling Stereotype

Let’s be honest, the first thing you think when you pull up behind a big, menacing truck—probably with some sort of obnoxious accessory, be it a Confederate flag decorating the entire rear window or a set of balls hanging from the rear— is “I wonder what kind of gas he gets?”

But hold on a second. Every truck isn’t a slap in the face to environmental friendliness these days. There are actually models in America pushing the high teens and twenties for mpg. Outside the country, manufacturers are doing even better. See that hope is alive with 10 Trucks That Buck the Gas-Guzzling Stereotype.

RELATED: The 25 Best Ford F-Series Trucks
RELATED: The History of Chevrolet Trucks in 15 Pickups

Mpg: 17/23

2013 is a year of improvement for the Ford's big bad truck. The F-150 STX jumped from 16/21 mpg in 2012 to 17/23. It's good to see Ford's top selling F-Series avoid complacency.

Mpg: 18/25

HFE stands for high fuel efficiency, and Ram might as well stand for Running American Masculinity ... or something hyper manly like that. The 1500 has 305 horsepower and 269 lb-ft of torque without pissing off Mother Earth.

Mpg: 19/23

Nissan boasts that the Frontier's 2.5L four-cylinder engine delivers the same smoothness of a V6. Coming in as the best-rated compact truck last year, we have no reason to doubt them.

Mpg: 20/23

Between the Chevy Silverado and the GMC Sierra, GM is leading the way with hybrid trucks. It's even environmentally in the grave. 85 percent of the vehicle is recyclable.

Mpg: 20/23

Starting at $41,000, this full-size truck doesn't come cheap. But it does come with a rare combination of power and eco-responsibility, thanks to a hybrid 6.0L V8 engine.

Mpg: 21/25

The Tacoma was named by U.S. News as the best compact truck for your money, and part of that has to do with its standing as the most fuel efficient truck available. Don't let its size or efficiency fuel you, this is a badass truck. Let that front end stare you down if you don't believe us.

Mpg: 29.4 avg

The Amarok isn't available in America ... yet. Volkswagon is reportedly discussing bringing their super-efficient truck to North America. Should it happen they'll already crush other trucks in fuel economy.

Mpg: 36.75 avg

As you should all know by now, pickup trucks are called "utes" in Australia. And the best mileage for a ute down under comes from a Korean manufacturer. Ssongyong's parent company, Mahindra, hopes to have vehicles in the U.S. by 2016. The Korando better be the first.