2017 Ram Power Wagon and Nissan Frontier 2WD City and Highway Combined MPG Loop [Video]

2017 Ram Power Wagon and Nissan Frontier 2WD

We are starting something new. This is a 50-mile loop that combined city and highway driving. The goal is to run trucks (and some cars) on this loop unloaded, in order to get an approximate number of MPG that you may see on your commute to and from work.  The average speed of this loop is 35 mph, which is an average of the EPA/Government city and highway test loop speeds.

First on the loop are the 2017 Ram Power Wagon and the 2017 Nissan “Final” Frontier 2WD. EPA rates the Frontier King Cab 2WD four-cylinder at 21 MPG on the combined cycle. EPA does not rate the Power Wagon for efficiency because it is a heavy duty truck. The first episode is about checking the real-world fuel efficiency of the Frontier versus the government rating; and getting a number for the Power Wagon.

Naturally, the 2017 Power Wagon is not built for around-town efficiency. We weighed it at close to 7,400 lbs of curb weight with a full tank of fuel. It has 4.10 axle ratio and big Goodyear Duratrac off-road tires.  The 6.4L HEMI V8 does offer cylinder deactivation that Ram calls Multi-Displacement System (MDS). This is a powerful engine that is rated at 410 hp and 429 lb-ft of torque. It’s backed up by a 6-speed automatic transmission.

On the other hand, the 2017 Nissan Frontier 2WD is a base truck that weighs well under 4,000 lbs. It’s powered by a 2.5L four-cylinder with 152 hp and 171 lb-ft of torque. This relatively light-weight setup and a 5-speed manual transmission might be the ideal configuration for a combined MPG loop that averages 35 MPH.

Spoiler Alert:

The final result: 2017 Power Wagon registered 13.6 MPG and 2017 Nissan Frontier 2WD came in at a surprising 27.4 MPG.

Check out all the city and highway mpg loop fun.