2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel vs 2015 Nissan Titan Diesel

2014 is expected to be a big year for diesel-equipped pickups, and two of the most talked-about vehicles right now are the 2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel and the 2015 Nissan Titan Diesel, both of which are set to be released within the next couple of months.

Much of the buzz about the pickups surrounds the 5.0-liter Cummins diesel engine that will be found under the hood of the Nissan Titan. Yes, you read that right—a Cummins in a Nissan.

Read More: 2016 Nissan Titan Reveal Was Not The Event We Wanted It To Be

For decades, Cummins engines have been exclusive to Ram pickups, but the diesel engine that Cummins produced for the 1500 was completely shot down by Ram. Apparently the automaker was looking for a highway fuel economy rating of no less than 26 mpg, and the Cummins Diesel was only able to return around 24. So, for the first time ever, Cummins was forced to find another buyer—and Nissan jumped on the chance to take the engine off their hands.

The real question is: did Ram make the right choice by turning down the hefty V8? Let’s take a look.

Ram 1500 EcoDiesel vs Nissan Titan Diesel

2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel 2015 Nissan Titan Diesel Engine 3.0-liter V6 5.0-liter V8 Horsepower 240 300 Torque 420 500 Highway Fuel Economy 28 mpg 24 mpg

Before we get to the nitty gritty, I just want to take a second to acknowledge the numbers on the table above. Those outputs and fuel economy ratings are just some of the many reasons that I’m totally digging all the news about the push for more diesel engines in the states. Light-duty pickups pumping out 500 lb-ft of torque is just astounding.

But I digress.

One quick look at the specs shows that the 1500’s V6 is more fuel efficient and the Titan’s V8 is more powerful. However, the EcoDiesel’s output really isn’t too far off from that of the Cummins engine. I know I just said that I’m jacked on the Cummins’ 500 lb-ft of torque, but at the same time I have to wonder if it’s really necessary to go that big. I feel like the EcoDiesel’s 420 lb-ft of torque is more than adequate.

Now it’s worth noting that the 24 mpg rating listed for the Cummins V8 is just an estimate. As I said earlier, Ram ran tests on the engine and found that it wasn’t able to return any more than 24 mpg, so I’m just going to go ahead and assume that EPA tests will return a similar figure. Either way, as a V8, it’s not likely that it’s ever going to come close to the 28 mpg rating of the EcoDiesel V6.

When considering both of the engines’ outputs and fuel economy ratings, I have to say that the EcoDiesel engine of the Ram 1500 seems to be the better of the two options. It may not be as powerful as the Cummins V8, but you can’t really deny that impressive fuel efficiency. Plus, like I said, for a pickup that is—or at least once was—considered to be light duty, its output seems undoubtedly sufficient.

Winner of the CarDebate: 2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel

Truck enthusiasts who get hard-ons over pure unadulterated power may find that the Cummins V8 in the Titan Diesel is the better of the two engines, but those looking for a capable and efficient all-around engine are sure to find that the 2014 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel’s V6 is the better of the two options.

This does not mean that all hope is lost for Nissan, however. There is definitely a market for a V8-equipped light-duty pickup, and Nissan is likely to discover new-found success with the Titan Diesel. For the past couple of years, sales numbers for the Titan have been far from impressive, and the Cummins V8 has some serious potential to change that, but it’s just not for me.

The one aspect of the Cummins Turbo Diesel V8 that I’m most excited about is what it means for the future. As Nissan just unveiled their diesel-powered Nissan Frontier concept, now the second Cummins-powered Nissan, it’s clear that the Nissan and Cummins partnership will be an ongoing thing, and I’m looking forward to watching that evolve.