America no longer predominantly uses the V8 engine for trucks; evidence abounds.
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A thriving nation has its favorite passions. Baseball? Check. Apple pie? You betcha. But what about our beloved truck engines? You guessed it - we've got a soft spot for V6s.
However, ready yourself for a jolt - this one's the real deal. Just as Ram triumphantly revived the Hemi V8 in their half-ton truck range, I dived headfirst into discovering which engine setup is the reigning favorite among American full-size pickup enthusiasts. Through insights from automakers, analysts, and industry experts, I unearthed a fascinating revelation: the six-cylinder engine rules the roost.
Have you ever wondered how this came to be? Let's break it down.
Much of it stems from the choices laid before us by the manufacturers. For instance, Toyota dropped the V8 entirely from the Tundra for this generation, instead opting for a twin-turbo V6 with or without hybrid assistance. And until Ram's recent announcement, they abandoned the Hemi altogether for the 3.0-liter Hurricane inline-six. Since production of Hemi Ram 1500s won't start for a few more months, that means a big chunk of the industry's prominent players don't have a V8 to offer, even if that's what you desire.
And then there's Ford. Since '35, the Blue Oval has stood by its V8-powered pickups. Yet, it began endorsing its EcoBoost V6s as the premium option over a decade ago. The numbers back it up, too; the 3.5-liter variant cranks out 400 horsepower - the exact same power as Ford's 5.0-liter V8 - and pumps out a whopping 500 lb-ft of torque, a striking 90 lb-ft increase over the five-oh. It also offers a PowerBoost hybrid variant of the 3.5-liter, alongside a smaller 2.7-liter twin-turbo V6. When I reached out to Ford, they shared a rather intriguing detail: each engine offering takes an approximately equal share of their sales volume, signifying that the V6s decisively outnumber the V8s.
General Motors holds the title for the most prolific V8 half-ton truck manufacturer, offering two such engines - the 5.3-liter and a 6.2-liter - and together, they power an astounding half of all new Chevrolet Silverado 1500s (making up 42% and 8%, respectively). GM also hoists a mighty 3.0-liter Duramax diesel inline-six, but their highest-volume engine not named a V8 is the 2.7-liter TurboMax four-cylinder. After the 5.3-liter, the base 2.7-liter claims the lead by a wide margin at 36 percent.
Having absorbed all this info, I got in touch with Stephanie Brinley, principal automotive analyst at S&P Global Mobility. Exhibiting some delightful numbers, she told me that S&P's U.S. data reveals that V8 pickups accounted for 64.6% of half-ton truck registrations in 2020, but that number dwindled to 38% by 2024. In comparison, full-size trucks boasting six-cylinder engines hiked up from 32.8% to 47.6% of registrations over the same stretch. Even four-cylinder GM half-tons wrangled an impressive 11.5% of registrations on their own in 2021.
"The trend in the change includes the fact that V6 and four-cylinder options have become far stronger than they used to be," Brinley explained. "Ram stands as a key example as its Hurricane six-cylinder engines surpass the 5.7-liter V8 in terms of efficiency and power."
Indeed, the Hemi churns out 395 hp and 410 lb-ft of torque, while the standard Hurricane cranks out 420 hp and a robust 469 lb-ft. Step up to the high-output Hurricane, and those numbers skyrocket well beyond the Hemi's to 540 hp and 521 lb-ft. It's almost ludicrous when it comes to sheer performance.
"Still, many full-size pickup truck buyers believe a V8 remains the quintessential solution for their truck, and at 38% of registrations in 2024, that equates to about half a million V8-equipped trucks registered that year," Brinley continued. "Offering a variety of engine choices remains critical for the segment, as long as the engines can be cost-effectively made to comply with regulations. Over time, the V8's popularity is likely to continue to dwindle. However, at the moment, there are enough full-size half-ton pickup buyers yearning for a V8 to justify providing an option, particularly for the Detroit-based brands."
This probably explains why Ford hasn't jettisoned the V8 yet, despite being the first to introduce turbo-sixes to the market. It seems that pickup truck customers love a diverse range of options, even if most gravitate toward the same ones. Lose a customer, though, and it's nightmarishly difficult to win them back.
"Ram's ditching of the Hemi was undoubtedly a colossal mistake, and it's fair to assume that it sent potential customers to GM and Ford instead," explained Robby DeGraff, manager of product and consumer insights at car industry research firm AutoPacific. "Even with the revival of the profitable Hemi, it's important that buyers have other powertrain choices at their fingertips, including eventual electrification. A wide range of powertrain options is crucial, and when one is removed from a potential vehicle buyer, their profits plummet."
Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis reinforced this assertion when he announced the Hemi's return. "Everyone makes mistakes, but how you rectify them defines you," he said. "Ram screwed up by axing the Hemi. We take responsibility for that and we've corrected it." Although it's hard to predict the V8's take rate, Kuniskis speculates that it will initially sit somewhere around 20% to 25%, though he hinted it could swell to 40% later on.
Another automotive market pundit advised me that taking the Hemi's reintroduction as a significant indicator in the overall market is a touch far-fetched, and other automakers are unlikely to switch their product strategy based on Ram's move. "I don't foresee the return of the Hemi making much of a splash in the market, and other auto manufacturers are unlikely to change their course of action in response," said Sam Abuelsamid, vice president of market research at Telemetry Agency. "It's not as though you're going to witness a resurgence of V8s across other brands."
Each manufacturer has invested heartily in their six-cylinder truck engines due to the market's evident skew in that direction and the likelihood that it will persist in the face of emissions regulations. I'm not qualified to say V8s have reached their zenith, but V6s are already capable enough to deliver solid power, decent fuel economy, and emissions outcomes that automakers aren't likely to abandon anytime soon. While there remains a sizable group of truck customers who yearn for the simplicity of a V8, the truth is that most buying them are awfully indifferent. As long as that persists, manufacturers will unquestionably keep building and marketing engines that generate a profit for them.
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Information Added:- Ram's Hurricane six-cylinder engines are more efficient and more powerful than its traditional 5.7-liter Hemi V8, with the standard version producing 420 hp and 469 lb-ft of torque.- The Hemi's standard output pales in comparison to the high-output Hurricane, which boasts a significant lead in horsepower and torque, topping out at 540 hp and 521 lb-ft.- Both Toyota and Ram have opted for six-cylinder engines in their trucks, shifting away from V8 options.
- The finance sector saw a significant shift in the automotive industry as manufacturers like Toyota and Ram moved towards six-cylinder engine options in their pickup truck models, abandoning traditional V8 engines.
- The technology sector has played a crucial role in enhancing fuel economy in the transportation industry, with six-cylinder engines like Ford's EcoBoost V6 and General Motors' TurboMax four-cylinder offering similar power to V8 engines while providing better fuel efficiency.
- Even with the return of Ram's Hemi V8, industry experts argue that the six-cylinder engine will continue to dominate the full-size pickup market, as manufacturers prioritize cost-effective compliance with regulations and consumer preferences for a wide range of engine options, including eventual electrification.
