These Are The Top 5 Trucks That DIED This Year — And Why They Went Away

We had to say a sad goodbye to these trucks in 2019.

While 2018 and 2019 have been huge years for new full-size truck reveals, there have also been some deaths in the truck world. Specifically, we’ve seen certain engine and transmission combinations die across various automakers, as these trucks are updated with new powertrains to carry through their latest generations.

There’s plenty to be excited about, but Roman and Andre are taking a moment to bid farewell to these top 5 trucks that died this year. More than that, we’re also going in depth as to why they died in the first place.

These Are The Top 5 Trucks That DIED This Year — And Why They Went Away

5) Chevy Colorado/GMC Canyon Manual

The list kicks off with a passing many people likely won’t notice. The manual transmission option only came with the base 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine on the WT (Work Truck) trim. Even so, you could still buy a manual version of the GMC Canyon or Chevrolet Colorado, but that option is gone on 2019 and 2020 trucks.

Back in the day, manual transmissions were cheaper and offered better fuel efficiency than their automatic counterparts. However, with new eight-speed and ten-speed automatics, manuals’ fuel economy advantage has all but evaporated. As the trucks themselves get more expensive, the added cost of an automatic isn’t swaying most customers, either.

These Are The Top 5 Trucks That DIED This Year — And Why They Went Away

4) Toyota Tundra 4.6L Gas V8

You can buy most full-size trucks with a wide range of engines, from V6 units to V8s and even a four-cylinder in the Chevy Silverado 1500. The Toyota Tundra, on the other hand? For quite a few years, you’ve had the option of two V8 engines. The 5.7-liter unit is much more popular, but there was also a smaller, more fuel efficient 4.6-liter engine.

Now, with the 2020 Toyota Tundra, the smaller engine choice is gone. The 4.6-liter V8 put out 310 horsepower and 327 lb-ft of torque, so it was fairly less powerful than the larger V8, as you’d expect. However, the fuel economy gains weren’t that great either, as the Tundra still falls short of the competition.

These Are The Top 5 Trucks That DIED This Year — And Why They Went Away

3) Ram HD Manual

This is definitely the one that hurts the most. Up until the latest 2019 Ram HD, you could get a heavy duty truck with a manual transmission. Yes, they were a bit tough to find, but Ram did offer a manual mated to the 6.7-liter Cummins diesel engine.

Now, for the latest generation, that’s all gone. Granted, you do get a high-output Cummins with 1,000 lb-ft of torque. However, that and the standard output Cummins now come exclusively with six-speed automatics. The take rate is extremely low on these sorts of trucks, which prompted Ram to drop it for the new models.

2) Chevy HD Vortec 6.0L Gas V8

In with the new, out with the old. GM’s Vortec engine had been around since 1999, in various forms. It stuck with GM’s heavy duty trucks until this new generation, where it’s been phased out in favor of an all-new engine.

Instead of the Vortec, we now get a 6.6-liter gas engine to compliment the 6.6-liter Duramax diesel. Figures on the new gas engine stand at 401 horsepower and 464 lb-ft of torque. That’s a major improvement on the old Vortec, which put out 360 horsepower and 380 lb-ft of torque in its final years.

Nissan debuts factory-authorized lift kit for Titan, Titan XD

1) Nissan Titan XD 5.0L V8 Diesel

There’s no replacement for this model — it’s just gone. To clarify, there will be a 2020 Nissan Titan XD. However, it will no longer have the 5.0-liter Cummins V8 turbodiesel as an option. In the current generation, the engine manages 310 horsepower and 555 lb-ft of torque.

Despite the improvement in torque against its half-ton competition, the V8 diesel Cummins falls short of the heavy duty trucks. It’s not terribly powerful against those models, nor is it fuel efficient against the half-tons. The Titan XD diesel’s place as an odd go-between meant most people went in another direction.

2021 GMC Canyon at4 Colorado zr2
This is what we’d like a GMC Canyon AT4 to look like – something like a ZR2. [Rendering by TFLtruck.com]

Bonus) GMC All-Terrain models

This one is more the death of a name than a concept. GMC formerly used “All Terrain” to describe some of its most dirt-worthy models. There was a GMC Sierra All-Terrain, and the 2019 GMC Canyon All-Terrain is still on sale.

However, there is a new GMC Sierra AT4, both in half-ton and heavy duty forms. We also had the chance to catch a glimpse of the upcoming GMC Canyon AT4. There’s also an Acadia AT4, which means that the All Terrain name is no longer needed in the lineup.

Come back to TFLtruck.com for more news, views and reviews of trucks that will live on into 2020.