By Jeffrey N. Ross, Autoblog.com - There is no doubting that fuel economy has become an important factor in the highly competitive fullsize truck market, with the Ford F-150 EcoBoost V6 and Pentastar V6-powered Ram 1500 setting quite a precedent in recent years. Now it's General Motors' turn. The General has just announced that the new base V6 used in the 2014 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 1500 models will return an EPA-estimated 13.1 L/100 km and 9.6 L/100 km (18 mpg city and 24 mpg) highway in two-wheel drive trim, regardless of cab configuration.
While these figures don't go so far as to earn GM any "best-in-class" fuel economy claims (thanks to the 9.4 L/100 km (25-mpg) Ram 1500 HFE), this new 4.3L EcoTec3 V6 does edge the F-150 and Toyota Tundra while boasting best-in-class numbers for torque, payload and towing capacity among six-cylinder rivals. This all-new engine produces 285 horsepower and 305 pound-feet of torque, and it gives the 2014 Silverado and Sierra the highest towing rating among standard V6 models with a 3,266 kilogram (7,200-pound) towing capacity - besting the Ram by 318 kilos (700 pounds), the base F-150 by 499 kilos (1,100 pounds) and coming within 90 kilos (200 pounds) of the V8-powered Nissan Titan.
Below is the official press release from Chevrolet.
Silverado V6: Best-in-Class Capabilty, 24 mpg Highway
- Best torque, payload and towing of any standard V-6
- Unsurpassed city fuel economy for full-size pickups
DETROIT - The 2014 Silverado with the all-new 4.3L EcoTec3 V-6 - the most capable standard V-6 in any full-size pickup truck - will also be a segment leader in fuel economy, helping save customers money when they buy and when they drive.
EcoTec3 engine technology enables 2WD Silverados to match Ram HFE's 18 mpg city, while 4x4 Silverados achieve 17 mpg city, the best of any full-size pickup. EPA highway estimates are highly competitive: 22 mpg for 4x4 versions, and 24 mpg for 2WD models.
Reflecting Silverado's straightforward approach to performance and fuel economy, these EPA estimates are achieved without expensive add-ons and apply to all three cab configurations, regular car, double cab, and crew cab.
Silverados equipped with the 4.3L V-6 also will be the most-capable trucks with standard V-6 engines, with the highest available payload rating of 2,108 pounds and the highest available towing rating of 7,200 pounds.
"Budget-conscious customers often buy V-6 pickups to do real work, and the 2014 Silverado with the 4.3L EcoTec3 V-6 will combine unmatched capability and excellent fuel economy with surprising levels of refinement," said Jeff Luke, executive chief engineer.
"Our V-6 has torque where you need it to get the job done, with 230 lb-ft of torque available at 1,200 rpm, and more torque available from 2,400 to 5,300 rpm than competitive V-6s make at their peak.
Truck customers now returning to the showroom will find that Silverado's standard V-6 now offers better performance than many V-8 powered pickups from just a few years ago, with far superior fuel economy.
"The average pickup on the road is more than 11 years old," said Luke. "Customers driving these trucks with V-8 engines will be amazed at the power and refinement of Silverado's new EcoTec3 V-6, which has fuel economy some 30 percent better than older V-8s with comparable performance."
The new V-6 joins the mainstream 5.3L EcoTec3 V-8, with EPA-estimated highway fuel economy of up to 23 mpg, the best estimates of any V-8 pickup, and better than estimates for the Ford EcoBoost turbo V-6 (22 mpg EPA highway for 2wd models).
Seamlessly switches to four-cylinder operation
Silverado's combination of capability and efficiency results in part from its EcoTec3 engines, which provide the proven power of a large-displacement truck engine when needed, then switch seamlessly to four-cylinder operation under lighter loads.
"In creating the 2014 Silverado 1500, we looked at a wide variety of powertrain configurations, and concluded that purpose-built truck engines could best provide the payload and towing capability that truck customers require with the long-term dependability they expect," said Luke.
By creating a new trio of EcoTec3 engines for the 2014 Silverado, Chevrolet was able to make the most of the size and performance of each entry:
- The 4.3L V-6 is a rugged and refined standard engine with best-in-class torque, payload and towing
- The 5.3L V-8, expected to power three out of four Silverados, gives mainstream customers 355 horsepower, with fuel economy better than any V-8 competitor or Ford's EcoBoost turbo V-6
- A new 6.2L V-8, available this fall, will be the most powerful engine offered on any light-duty pickup, with an estimated 420 horsepower and 450 lb-ft of torque, and a maximum available towing rating of 12,000 pounds
All three EcoTec3 engines feature direct fuel injection, Active Fuel Management (cylinder deactivation) and continuously variable valve timing, a combination not found in competitive trucks. The engines also use a compact overhead valve design and weight-saving components such as aluminum blocks and cylinder heads to reduce the mass of the engines for additional energy savings.
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