1989 diesel 2500/3500 pickups
Every diesel offering in the data for 1989. Ratings are the highest offered across the trucks in each row, and transmissions are those of the whole year range shown, so they may differ for 1989 itself; check each range's notes.
Horsepower
- Ford · International 7.3L IDI V8180 hp
- General Motors · GM 6.2L Detroit Diesel V8143 hp
- Ram / Dodge · Cummins 6BT 5.9L 12-valve160 hp
Torque
- Ford · International 7.3L IDI V8345 lb-ft
- General Motors · GM 6.2L Detroit Diesel V8257 lb-ft
- Ram / Dodge · Cummins 6BT 5.9L 12-valve400 lb-ft
Ratings are the highest offered in each row; see the table below for exact year ranges and notes.
| Brand | Trucks | Engine | Range | hp / lb-ft | Transmissions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ford | Ford F-250, Ford F-350 | International 7.3L IDI V8 | 1989–1991 | 180 / 345 | Automatic (E4OD), 5-speed manual (ZF) |
| General Motors | Chevrolet C/K 2500, Chevrolet C/K 3500, GMC Sierra C/K 2500, GMC Sierra C/K 3500 | GM 6.2L Detroit Diesel V8 | 1989 | 143 / 257 | Not listed |
| Ram / Dodge | Dodge D250/W250, Dodge D350/W350 | Cummins 6BT 5.9L 12-valve | 1989–1993 | 160 / 400 | 5-speed manual, 3-speed automatic |
What stood out in 1989
Editorial opinion, based on the criteria listed.
Pick: Dodge Ram 250/350 with the Cummins 6BT (160 hp / 400 lb-ft)
Runner-up: Ford F-250/F-350 with the 7.3L IDI (180 hp / 345 lb-ft)
Its 400 lb-ft was the highest torque rating of the three, against 345 lb-ft for Ford's IDI and 257 lb-ft for GM's heavy-duty 6.2L, and it was the only turbocharged direct-injection diesel of the group in its debut year. Ford's IDI had the highest horsepower, 180 against GM's 143 and Ram's 160. Editorial pick, weighted toward torque and design.
Criteria: Peak rated torque; Rated horsepower; First-in-class feature (turbo and direct injection)