Why General Motors Is America’s Undisputed Diesel King

The state of diesel in the US is such that you can pretty much dominate the segment if you just stick to your guns and offer a few different models with diesel engine options. If you’re willing to risk the production costs that come with building and installing an engine that few American drivers will want to buy.

Gasoline is cheaper in the US than in most of the world, meaning that we’re not really looking to diesel as a cost-efficient alternative, and Dieselgate scared a lot of us off these engines entirely.

According to Baum & Associates, diesel made up 6.4% of all new passenger car sales in 2025. That makes up a niche that’s just large enough to be very rewarding, if you can shoulder the competition out, and that’s exactly what GM has done, stamping its brand on nine of the 13 vehicles covered in the B&A study, including full-size pickups like the Chevrolet Silverado, and SUVs like the Chevrolet Suburban.

The 3.0 Duramax Confirms GM’s Commitment To Diesel

Even if you’ve never been a diesel devotee, GM’s 3.0-liter Duramax is an attractive engine. One of the big advantages of driving diesel comes down to the low-end torque. According to Duramax assistant chief engineer John Barta, the Duramax delivers an effortless driving experience because “at the end of the day, we get 95% of the maximum torque at 1,500 rpm”.

But, diesel tends to be very loud, owing to the higher compression, and can result in a lot of rattling. So, the aim with the new Duramax was to build a modern diesel powerplant that can deliver all that torque “without the engine screaming, without high rpms”. As Barta puts it, “It’s great for driving around town without having to race the engine from Point A to Point B.”

With the Duramax 3.0, GM is trying to create a more versatile powerplant, something that you can comfortably drive in suburbs and on city streets without turning heads and rattling windows. A big part of GM’s dominance in this area has to do with the simple fact that the brand sees diesel as an option for family SUVs, and not just heavy-duty pickups and cargo vans.

GM Offers More Diesel Vehicles Than Any Other American Automaker

Credit: Chevrolet

For most of the American auto industry, diesel is for big trucks, and not much else. Across its Chevrolet and GMC brands, GM offers nine different models with a diesel engine option.

What all of these vehicles have in common is that they’re full-size. At present, there are no mid-size or small pickups or SUVs available in the US with a diesel engine option for the 2026 model year. But, General Motors was one of the last holdouts, offering Duramax-powered Chevy Colorados and GMC Canyons right up until the latest third-gen relaunch.

A Diesel Colorado Can Be Had At A Bargain Price In 2026

Credit: Chevrolet

If a full-size Silverado is more truck than you need on a daily basis, a quick look at the used pickup market shows the second-gen diesel-powered Chevy Colorado going at a fair price a few years since the truck went gas-only. Note that the following listings are only provided as an example, as there’s no telling what will be available when you’re ready to buy.

• A 62,583-mile 2018 Crew Cab ZR2 is selling for $34,590 in New Jersey.
• A 71,796-mile Crew Cab Z71 is selling for $24,590 in California.
• An 80,055-mile 2018 Crew Cab ZR2 is selling for $29,990 in Virginia.
• A 97,484-mile 2019 Crew Cab ZR2 is selling for $31,590 in Texas.
• A 145,585-mile 2016 Z71 is selling for $15,788 in Wisconsin.

You can easily spend $25,000 or more on something with under 100,000 miles on the odometer. If you’re willing to drive something that’s already hit six figures, you should be able to drive off the lot for under $16,000. Obviously, the lower the mileage, the better, but if we’re talking diesel, there’s no need to be scared off by more than 100,000 miles on the odometer, if the price is right.

It’s not unheard of for the 2.8-liter Duramax to pack on a quarter of a million miles and keep going. If you’re buying used, a little preventive maintenance can go a long way to getting your Duramax there.

Owners on the Colorado Diesel forum advise changing the timing belt sooner, rather than later, and to keep an eye on the rear main seal, which, being made of Teflon, rather than rubber, has a tendency to spring a leak. Cracked injector tips are a fairly common issue, as well, and can blast a hole right through a piston, so getting a whole new set on purchase might help to buy you some peace of mind.

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This article originally appeared on CarBuzz and is republished here with permission.