Filed under: Truck , Etc. , Diesel Mahindra Pik-Up – Click above for high-res image gallery It’s hard to understand how Indian truck/SUV maker Mahindra could miss its fuel economy goal by one-third. Mahindra’s supposed U.S. distributor, Global Vehicles of Marietta, Ga. (which has been embroiled in an opera of lawsuits, name-calling and musical chairs management concerning its deal with the Indian manufacturer), has had an oft-stated goal of 30 mpg highway fuel economy for the clean diesel truck. According to FuelEconomy.gov , however, the four-wheel-drive Mahindra TR40 crew-cab pickup with a four-cylinder diesel engine and automatic transmission has been rated by the EPA at only 19 mpg city/21 mpg highway. By comparison, the 4×4 2011 Dodge Dakota with a 3.7 liter V6 engine is rated at 14/18. The TR40′s miserable highway mileage doesn’t even match the Ford F-150 3.7 liter 4×2, which is rated at 16 city/23 highway. The 4×4 Ford Ranger , like the aforementioned Dodge, is rated at 14 city/18 highway. Mahindra’s compact pickup truck offers a towing capacity of 5,000 pounds and a payload of 2,765 pounds. Mahindra and GV had been counting on the fuel economy angle to get on truck buyers’ radar

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