2026 Silverado 2500HD Engines Hot Springs AR

The 2026 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD offers two engines: a 6.6L V8 gas engine making 401 horsepower and 464 lb-ft of torque, and an available 6.6L Duramax turbo-diesel V8 making 470 horsepower and 975 lb-ft. The structural fact most buyers get wrong is trim scope, so it is worth stating up front: both engines are available on every trim, including WT. You do not have to climb the price list to get the Duramax.

What the engine changes is what the truck will pull and how it behaves doing it. Allen Tillery Chevrolet stocks both. Each engine, the transmission and drivetrain behind it, and which one suits which job, follow below.

The Two Engines at a Glance

• 6.6L V8 gas (L8T): 401 horsepower, 464 lb-ft. Offered on every trim, and the engine the truck starts with.
• 6.6L Duramax turbo-diesel V8 (L5P): 470 horsepower, 975 lb-ft. Available on every trim, paired with the Allison 10-speed automatic.

Engine-by-Engine Breakdown

6.6L V8 Gas

Available on WT, Custom, LT, LTZ, ZR2 and High Country. 401 horsepower at 5,200 rpm and 464 lb-ft, driving a 10-speed automatic.

This engine is more capable than its reputation. Specified correctly it handles 16,000 pounds on a receiver hitch, which takes in most boats, campers, equipment trailers and landscape rigs. It is lighter than the diesel, which is why a Regular Cab long-bed rear-drive WT with this engine is the payload leader in the lineup at 3,926 pounds. It runs on regular unleaded, it starts in the cold without a block heater ritual, and it has no emissions fluid to keep topped up.

Who it suits: the buyer whose trailer sits under about 16,000 pounds and whose priority is upfront cost, payload and simple ownership.

6.6L Duramax Turbo-Diesel V8

Available on WT, Custom, LT, LTZ, ZR2 and High Country. 470 horsepower and 975 lb-ft, paired exclusively with the Allison 10-speed automatic.

The torque figure is the point. 975 lb-ft arrives low enough that a loaded trailer does not force the transmission to hunt, and on a long grade the truck settles into a gear and stays there. Add the Max Trailering Package and the numbers become 20,000 on a receiver, 22,050 on a gooseneck or fifth-wheel, with the combined rating up at 30,000. An exhaust brake is available, which does work on a descent that would otherwise fall to the service brakes. Powertrain cover also runs to five years or 100,000 miles on this engine.

It costs more up front, it weighs more, which takes payload back, and it uses diesel exhaust fluid. Consumption of that fluid rises with load, so an owner towing every weekend runs a different service rhythm from one commuting.

Who it suits: the buyer pulling a heavy fifth-wheel, working near the top of the ratings, or covering the long grades west of town under load often enough that the truck's composure matters more than its sticker.

Transmissions and Drivetrains

Both engines use a 10-speed automatic, but they are not the same unit. The Duramax pairs with the Allison 10-speed automatic; the gas 6.6L V8 uses a 10-speed automatic of its own. That pairing is fixed; choosing the Duramax chooses the Allison.

Drivetrain availability is set by trim, and this is the second thing buyers get wrong. Rear-wheel drive is the starting point on WT and Custom, with four-wheel drive optional; the LT, LTZ and ZR2 come only in four-wheel drive. Four-wheel-drive trucks add an automatic locking rear differential; ZR2 goes further with a rear electronic locking differential and an Autotrac 2-speed transfer case with push button controls.

Two option groups are bundled to serious towing rather than to a trim: the Max Trailering Package, which is what unlocks the 20,000-pound conventional and 22,050-pound gooseneck ratings on the Duramax, and the heavy-duty electrical group of dual batteries and dual 220-amp and 170-amp alternators. A 3.42 rear axle ratio is available.

Side-by-Side Powertrain Matrix

Fuel Economy by Configuration

There is no EPA fuel-economy rating to publish for any configuration of this truck, and that is a rule rather than an omission. This weight class sits outside federal labelling, so no configuration carries a city, highway or combined figure. Anyone quoting one for a 2500HD is quoting something else.

What you can plan around is range and duty cycle. The Crew Cab carries a 36.0-gallon tank, and the Duramax's advantage on a long loaded haul is real even without a number attached to it. A diesel that never gets warm is the worst case for its emissions hardware, so a few miles at a time is worth thinking about before you order one.

Which Engine Is Right for You?

• Trailer under about 16,000 pounds, conventional hitch: the 6.6L gas V8. It is rated for the job and leaves more payload in the bed.
• Fifth-wheel or gooseneck over 16,000 pounds: the Duramax with the Max Trailering Package in a long-bed cab, for 22,050 pounds.
• Long grades under load, most weeks: the Duramax, for the exhaust brake and for 975 lb-ft that keeps the transmission settled.
• Maximum payload, minimum outlay: the gas V8 in a Regular Cab long-bed rear-drive WT, at 3,926 pounds.
• Mostly short trips with occasional towing: the gas V8, which asks less of you in that duty cycle.

See which engines are on the lot now.

Shop the Silverado 2500HD at Allen Tillery Chevrolet

The grades running west out of town toward the Ouachita Mountains are short but steep, and they are where a loaded truck tells you which engine you actually wanted. We stock both at 4573 Central Ave in Hot Springs, serve Garland County daily, and sell regularly to buyers in Malvern, Arkadelphia, Texarkana and Mena. Texarkana crews running loaded down I-30 usually want the Duramax. Call 501-881-4274 and tell us what you tow.

Silverado 2500HD Engine FAQs

What engines does the 2026 Silverado 2500HD offer?

Two: a 6.6L V8 gas engine making 401 horsepower and 464 lb-ft, and an available 6.6L Duramax turbo-diesel V8 making 470 horsepower and 975 lb-ft.

Can I get the Duramax on the base WT trim?

Yes. The 6.6L Duramax turbo-diesel is available across the lineup, including WT. Engine choice is not gated behind trim on this truck.

What transmission comes with the Duramax?

The Allison 10-speed automatic. That pairing is fixed. The 6.6L gas V8 uses a 10-speed automatic of its own.

What is the MPG of the 2026 Silverado 2500HD?

No EPA rating exists for any configuration, because the federal labelling programme excludes this weight class. What is published instead is tank capacity, 28 to 36 gallons.

How much more does the Duramax tow than the gas V8?

Properly equipped with the Max Trailering Package, the Duramax is rated at 20,000 pounds conventional and 22,050 pounds on a gooseneck or fifth-wheel. The gas V8 tops out at 16,000 pounds conventional.

Does the Duramax come with an exhaust brake?

A diesel exhaust brake is available. It uses the engine to slow the truck on a descent instead of leaning on the service brakes, which matters most with a heavy trailer behind you.

Is the Duramax warranty different from the gas engine's?

Yes. The Duramax carries five years or 100,000 miles of powertrain coverage against five years or 60,000 miles on the gas V8. Bumper-to-bumper coverage is three years or 36,000 miles on both.

Which engine gives the most payload?

The gas V8. It is the lighter engine, so it leaves more of the truck's rating for cargo, up to 3,926 pounds in a Regular Cab long-bed rear-drive WT.

Explore the Silverado 2500HD