Pump-wise pickups

Mileage: 21 mpg city/25 mpg highway/22 mpg combined
Standard equipment: 2WD, 2.7-liter I4, 5-speed manual, 159 horsepower, 3,500-pound tow rating

The Toyota Tacoma is the fuel-mileage champ, but its paltry 3,500-pound towing capacity illustrates the trade-off facing buyers looking for miserly pickup trucks: The brute force and buff body needed to tow big loads will be sacrificed for mileage at the pump. The compact-class Tacoma comes in a variety of body styles, with the base 4x4 version delivering 18 mpg city/21 mpg highway. A 4.0-liter V6 engine upgrade is optional. The bottom line is that the Tacoma's top mileage figures, low price and refreshed 2012 exterior make it a hard-to-beat front-runner.

Price: $16,875

See: New Trucks That Get More Than 20 MPG

Mileage: 20 mpg city/23 mpg highway/21 mpg combined
Standard equipment: 2WD, 6.0-liter V8, CVT, 332 horsepower, 6,100-pound tow rating

General Motors' hybrid 1500 Silverado and Sierra series is a win-win, delivering all the advantages of a full-size truck — V8 engine with 367 lb-ft of torque, big interior, big bed and muscular towing capacity — while also posting impressive efficiency numbers. The hybrid system runs the show until 30 mph, and then the V8 takes the baton. GM's Active Fuel Management runs on four cylinders as much as possible to further enhance fuel efficiency, which is identical in 2-wheel-drive and 4x4 trims. This is a versatile rig, for sure, but you pay the piper; it takes green to be "green."

Price: Chevrolet, $39,265; GMC, $40,010

Watch Video:  2011 Chevrolet Silverado Hybrid

Mileage: 19 mpg city/23 mpg highway/21 mpg combined
Standard equipment: 2WD, 2.5-liter I4, 5-speed manual, 152 horsepower, 3,500-pound tow rating

Nissan's miser is the 90-pound weakling of the bunch, realizing its pump performance by using the smallest, least powerful engine on the list. The Frontier lineup has no regular cab model. It comes only in King Cab and Crew Cab, and in fuel-efficiency trim with the 2.5-liter engine the truck is available only in King Cab configuration. Its low price tag may make it the value buy on the list, however, as most pickups demand a premium for extended-cab versions. For those who want more grunt, a 4.0-liter V6 engine is offered as an option and delivers 16 mpg city/20 mpg highway.

Price: $18,740

Compare: Nissan Frontier vs. Chevrolet Colorado vs. Suzuki Equator

Mileage: 19 mpg city/23 mpg highway/21 mpg combined
Standard equipment: 2WD, 2.5-liter I4, 5-speed manual, 152 horsepower, 3,500-pound tow rating

The Suzuki Equator is built on the Nissan Frontier platform using Nissan's engine lineup, and like the Frontier it has no regular cab model. It also shares the lowest tow-rating numbers on this list with the Frontier and Toyota Tacoma. It's priced several hundred dollars less than the Frontier, and Suzuki dealerships may be more willing to haggle. On the flip side, there are fewer Suzuki dealerships, which may make it more difficult for owners who want their scheduled maintenance done at a dealership. The Equator is an interesting proposition, for sure.

Price: $17,899

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Mileage: 18 mpg city/25 mpg highway/21 mpg combined
Standard equipment: 2WD, 2.9-liter I4, 4-speed automatic, 185-horsepower, 4,000-pound tow rating

The base Colorado, the Work Truck trim, is famed for its no-nonsense approach to trucking and offers few options. The Bodyguard Package (bed-rail protectors and splash guards), solar glass and a CD stereo are the standout options. Bumping up to a 1LT trim opens the door to real-world options but will push the price to $20,370 in standard-cab, 2-wheel-drive guise. GM offers two additional engines that increase the Colorado's towing capacity: a 3.7-liter 5-cylinder, which delivers 17 mpg city/23 mpg highway, and a 5.3-liter V8, which gets 14/20.

Price: Chevrolet, $17,745; GMC, $17,490

Bing: Chevrolet Accessories

Mileage: 17 mpg city/23 mpg highway/19 mpg combined
Standard equipment: 2WD, 3.7-liter V6, 6-speed automatic, 302 horsepower, 5,500-pound tow rating

There is a reason the Ford F-150 has been America's best-selling truck for decades: versatility. There are numerous cab and bed configurations to choose from, as well as four engines and more gear ratios than you can shake a stick at. Conversely, towing capacity can range from 5,500 pounds to 11,000 pounds. Beyond the base V6, you can check an option box for a 365-horsepower EcoBoost V6 (16 mpg city/22 mpg highway); a 5.0-liter 360-horsepower V8 (15/21); and a 6.2-liter 411-horsepower V8 (13/18). Inside, all manner of creature comforts abound, making for a spalike interior and a commute that can calm frayed nerves.

Price: $22,990

Watch Video:  2012 Ford F-150

Mileage: 16 mpg city/20 mpg highway/18 mpg combined
Standard equipment: 2WD, 4.0-liter V6, 5-speed automatic, 270 horsepower, 4,500-pound tow rating

The Toyota Tundra is another capable and comfortable full-size pickup. Like the Ford F-150, the Tundra line is topped by a pair of V8s that open the door to a maximum of 10,000 pounds of towing prowess: a 310-horsepower 4.6-liter rated at 15 mpg city/20 mpg highway, and a 381-horsepower 5.7-liter that gets 14/18. The Tundra can be ordered in three cab styles, with scores of tasteful options so that you can outfit your truck as anything from a sleeves-rolled-up workhorse to a slick luxury commuter. Factor in superior materials, quality workmanship and Toyota reliability, and picking a full-size truck has never been more difficult.

Price: $25,155

Compare: Toyota Tundra vs. Ford F-150 vs. GMC Sierra 1500

Mileage: 15 mpg city/22 mpg highway/18 mpg highway
Standard equipment: 2WD, 5.3-liter V8, 6-speed automatic, 315 horsepower, 9,100-pound tow rating

Here we have the GM's conventional full-size pickup sans the hybrid drivetrain. The Silverado/Sierra has a refreshed design for 2012. It also provides substantially more under the tow-capacity banner, and oddly, thanks to its 6-speed automatic, the V8-powered XFE trim gets better mileage at 15 mpg city/22 mpg highway than the Work Truck trim and its 4.3-liter V6 and 4-speed automatic, which manages 15/20. It should be noted that the XFE is available only in Crew Cab configuration, which may help explain its hefty sticker price. The conundrum is whether the XFE's minimal bump in mileage is worth the 35 percent jump in the bottom line.

Price: XFE trim, $34,150; Work Truck trim, $22,195

Watch Video:  2012 GMC Sierra 1500

Mileage: 15 mpg city/21 mpg highway/17 mpg combined
Standard equipment: Full-time 4WD, 3.5-liter V6, 5-speed automatic, 250 horsepower, 5,000-pound tow rating

The Ridgeline's progressive design, further enhanced for the 2012 model year, gives the truck a one-piece look that makes it a stylistic standout on the list. In fact, the Ridgeline is a take-it-or-leave-it proposition, with one engine, one transmission, one driveline and one body-style choice. Thanks to Honda's Variable Torque Management 4-wheel-drive system, the Ridgeline is the only pickup on the list with full-time 4WD. The Crew Cab-only Ridgeline offers insightful cargo and storage capability, a high level of interior refinement and a sporty driving experience. It's a definite test-drive for serious commuters.

Price: $29,250

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Mileage: 14 mpg city/20 mpg highway/16 mpg combined
Standard equipment: 2WD, all engines, 5- and 4-speed automatic, 215 to 390 horsepower, 3,800- to 10,450-pound tow rating

The Ram is another pickup with a distinctive look. The mileage champ of the lineup is the entire lineup, as all three Ram engine options deliver the same fuel efficiency. The difference-maker is the transmission. The 3.7-liter V6 (215 horsepower) is backed by a 4-speed automatic, while the 4.7-liter (310 horsepower) and 5.7-liter (390 horsepower) V8 engines feed more efficient 5-speed automatics. Ram offers three cab configurations, three bed sizes and nine model trims, from the base ST to the line-topping, luxury-minded Laramie Longhorn ($43,125).

Price: ST trim, $21,820

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For more information on any vehicle in this slideshow, click the links below:

- Toyota Tacoma
- Chevrolet Silverado
- GMC Sierra Hybrid
- Nissan Frontier
- Suzuki Equator
- Chevrolet Colorado
- GMC Canyon
- Ford F-150
- Toyota Tundra
- Honda Ridgeline
- Dodge Ram 1500

Compare: All 11 trucks

Evan Griffey served as an editor of Turbo & High Tech Performance, a pioneering publication about sport-compact tuning. Today Griffey freelances for Import Tuner, Sport Compact Car, Car Audio and Siphon.

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