4 Diesel Trucks With The Most Torque In 2024

Diesel engines are popular these days due to their unflinching willingness to handle high towing capacities and deliver lots of torque from low revs. In truck applications, a healthy amount of low-end torque provides a responsive performance that makes it easier to pull heavy loads from a standing start. It also helps make trailer towing and heavy load hauling easier when you're moving up steep inclines.

Trucks with huge torque are also competent off-roaders, as the high amount of torque helps them to better navigate challenging terrain like rocky or hilly areas. As an added bonus, high-torque trucks tend to be more fuel-efficient and durable than their gas counterparts. That's because engines usually consume less fuel at lower RPMs, and running at lower speeds often helps extend an engine's lifespan.

However, not every diesel-powered truck has a high amount of torque, which is to be expected, considering the highest torque engines are normally reserved for some of the biggest pickup trucks on the market so as to enable them to overcome their weight, in addition to the aforementioned performance and capability benefits. With this in mind, here are the four diesel trucks with the most torque in 2024.

Ford's Super Duty lineup was given a thorough revision for the 2023 model year, and it received a new high-output variant of the 6.7-liter Power Stroke V8 Turbo Diesel engine as part of that update. The new diesel engine offered a generous dose of power, with output rising to 500 horsepower and up to 1,200 lb-ft of torque — enough to elevate the Super Duty into a big shot that's now worthy of a place among the most powerful pickup trucks ever made. As you may have guessed, that also means the Ford Super Duty now has the most torque of any pickup truck in 2024. When equipped with the high-output engine, the Ford Super Duty F-450 can tow up to 40,000 pounds, which, again, is the most for any pickup truck.

But what if you don't need that much grunt for your application? Well, the Ford Super Duty also offers a less potent version of the Power Stroke V8 that dials all that oomph down to 1,050 lb-ft of torque and 475 horsepower. As a comparison, that output is still more than you'll get with the most powerful Ford Super Duty gas engine, a 7.3-liter V8 that puts out 430 horsepower and 485 lb-ft. The base gasoline engine for the Ford Super Duty is a tamer 6.8-liter V8 that's good for 405 horsepower and 445 lb-ft of torque.

Chrysler's decision to throw the 6.7-liter Cummins Turbo Diesel inline-six engine into the Dodge Ram 2500 and 3500 heavy-duty pickup trucks back in 2007 has gone down quite well. At launch, the diesel engine made a relatively modest 350 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque. However, several years down the road, the inline-six has grown into a formidable pair that now includes a high-output version generating 420 horsepower and a mammoth 1,075 lb-ft of torque. Under the hood of the 2024 Ram 3500, that high torque delivers 37,090-pound towing capacity while also enabling the truck to haul up to 6,560 pounds in its bed.

For its own part, the standard 6.7L Cummins has also seen its output rise slightly to 370 horsepower and 850 lb-ft of torque, which translates into a 22,660-pound towing rating and a maximum payload of 6,830 pounds when under the hood of the Ram 3500. In the Ram 2500 (which isn't eligible for the high-output 6.7-liter Cummins diesel engine), it enables 19,990 pounds of towing capacity and 3,150 pounds of payload.

Looked at purely from the standpoint of Chevy Silverado HD devotees, the 2024 model year has been exceptionally good. Not only did the lineup receive a midcycle refresh that made it a lot more attractive, but it also debuted two new trims in the form of the Silverado HD ZR2 and Silverado HD ZR2 Bison — a first for the HD trucks. As is to be expected of any ZR2, the Silverado HD ZR2s brought many goodies that should make off-roading a breeze. These include raised suspensions, Multimatic DSSV (Dynamic Suspensions Spool Valve) dampers, and a rear e-locker, as well as 35-inch Goodyear Wrangler Territory MT tires and 18-inch wheels.

But even with the legendary ZR2 trims, enthusiasm about the L5P Duramax Turbo-Diesel 6.6-liter V8 could not be overshadowed. The powerplant has been updated and, among other things, now features a new turbocharger, an improved high-pressure fuel system, and upgraded piston design that ups power to 470 horsepower and 975 lb-ft of torque (from 445 horsepower and 910 lb-ft).

As with its fraternal twin the Chevy Silverado HD, a revised GMC Sierra HD landed in U.S. showrooms for the 2024 model year, with the changes also including a little more oomph under the hood in a 6.6-liter Duramax Turbo-Diesel V8 configuration. As noted above, the Duramax has been subject to enhancements that increased output to 470 horsepower and 975 lb-ft of torque. All that power is routed to the wheels via a responsive Allison 10-speed automatic transmission.

As might be expected, the increase in output has led to a corresponding increase in towing capacity, with a Duramax-equipped Sierra 2500 HD now able to tow up to around 22,500 (it was previously rated for 18,500 pounds). However, the 3500 HD's towing capacity has held constant at 36,000 pounds. But do keep in mind that in order to tow that much weight, you will need to equip the rear-drive Regular Cab Long Bed 3500 with a gooseneck hitch, the Duramax engine, and the dual-rear-wheel axle.