Tag: fuel efficiency

While pickup trucks and truck-based SUVs are, by nature, not the most fuel-efficient vehicles on the market, there are still ways that truck owners can save on gas. And, if you plan on doing a lot of driving this summer, chances are you’re going to be spending hundreds of dollars at the pump just to take a quick family vacation. Here are four ways to improve the fuel economy in your pickup or SUV, according to the Department of Energy.

Gas prices are in constant fluctuation across the country. One day they are up and the next they drop a few cents. At the same time, we’re getting more questions from consumers about the differences between regular and premium fuel and which should be used in a particular car.

Not surprisingly, the safe answer is to use whatever grade of fuel is specified in your owner’s manual or the label inside the fuel-filler flap. If your manual says something along the lines of "Premium fuel required," you can stop reading here and resign yourself to the fact that you’re going to be springing for high-octane premium gasoline.

One of the three traditional domestic half-ton pickup trucks, the Dodge Ram started life in 1981. Recently, though, parent company Chrysler spun Ram off as its own brand, helping separate the rugged image of a pickup from the Dodge performance ethos.

The redesigned 2013 Ram 1500 has no shortage of rugged capability, but we see fuel economy becoming a top priority for Ram for the first time. The EPA results are in, and the 2013 4x2 model with a V6 engine achieves 18 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway; four-wheel drive drops those numbers to 16 and 23, respectively.