Used International LT625 Buyer’s Guide: Cummins X15 vs A26, Sleepers, and What to Check

After the Freightliner Cascadia, the International LT625 is the truck we sell more of than any other. Since the fall of 2024, more than 60 LT625s have come through our lot in Byron Center, Michigan: about 48 sleepers and 14 day cabs, most of them 2019 to 2022 models. That’s enough trucks to know what buyers ask, what they should ask, and what these trucks sell for.

This guide covers what the LT625 is and how it changed over the years, the Cummins X15 and International A26 engines and the transmissions behind them, day cabs and the sleeper options, what used LT625s have sold for here, and what to check before you buy one. The LT625s we have in stock right now are listed partway down.

What the LT625 is

The LT625 is the International LT, the long-haul tractor International introduced in late 2016 to replace the ProStar. LT625 is the model name a VIN check shows, and many listings just say “International LT.” Every LT625 has a 125-inch bumper-to-back-of-cab (BBC) length, whether it’s a day cab or a sleeper.

At launch, International rated the LT about 7% more fuel efficient than the 2017 ProStar with the Cummins ISX15, partly thanks to a more aerodynamic hood. Since then it has changed in three main steps:

In plain terms: the LT625s we sell are mostly 2019 to 2022 trucks, and most of them have the Cummins X15 and an Eaton automated transmission.

Engines and transmissions: Cummins X15 vs International A26

Most of the LT625s we sell have the Cummins X15 and an automated transmission. Some have International’s own A26, and now and then one has a manual.

Cummins X15. A 15-liter engine, rated 400 to 565 horsepower and 1,450 to 2,050 lb-ft of torque in the LT. It comes in two versions: the Efficiency Series, up to 500 horsepower and tuned for fuel economy, and the Performance Series for heavier loads.

International A26. International’s own 12.4-liter engine, introduced in 2017 to replace the N13, rated 370 to 475 horsepower and 1,350 to 1,750 lb-ft. At about 2,230 pounds, it weighs roughly 700 pounds less than a 15-liter engine, which means more payload.

International S13. The 13-liter engine that replaced the A26 in trucks built from 2024, rated up to 515 horsepower and 1,850 lb-ft. It comes with International’s T14 14-speed automated transmission, and these trucks are newer than the ones we usually sell.

Eaton Endurant. A 12-speed automated manual transmission from Eaton and Cummins’ joint venture, standard on the LT from January 2020. It shifts itself, so any driver can run it, and it’s tuned to work with the engine for fuel economy.

Eaton 10-speed automated. Trucks built before 2020 with an automatic typically have an Eaton 10-speed, such as the Fuller Advantage.

Eaton Fuller manuals. 10-, 13- and 18-speed manuals show up now and then. Some drivers won’t have anything else, but a manual limits who in your operation can drive the truck.

The rule of thumb: the X15 for heavy loads, mountains and long haul, the A26 for regional work or when payload matters, and an automated transmission unless you specifically want a manual.

Day cab or sleeper, and which sleeper

A day cab has no bunk and is the choice for drivers who are home every night: local delivery, regional runs, drayage and dedicated routes. It’s lighter and cheaper to buy. About one in four LT625s that have come through our lot were day cabs, all 2018 and 2019 models.

International builds the LT with four sleepers, named by length and roof height:

• 56-inch Low Roof. The smallest sleeper, with a low, flat roof. Usually ordered for regional work or for pulling flatbeds and tankers, where a tall roof only costs fuel.
• 56-inch and 73-inch Hi-Rise. A mid-height roof, what most drivers call a mid-roof. More headroom and storage than the Low Roof, without the full height.
• 73-inch Sky-Rise. The tall roof with standing room and the most storage, what many drivers call a condo. This is the sleeper most owner-operators look for.

The LT625 sleepers we sell are mostly Hi-Rise mid-roofs and Sky-Rise condos.

What a used LT625 costs

These are our own numbers: the typical price range for LT625s sold at 5 Star Truck Sales since October 2024. “Typical” means the middle half of our sales, so a single unusual truck doesn’t skew it. Year, mileage, engine, sleeper and condition move an individual truck above or below these ranges.

Two patterns in these numbers. First, an LT625 sleeper has typically sold here for $5,000 to $10,000 less than a Cascadia 126 of the same years, so it’s a way into a late-model sleeper for less. Second, every LT625 day cab we’ve sold was a 2018 or 2019 truck, and all sold for under $30,000.

Every truck on our website shows its price, and the spec sheet on each listing has the full specs. Financing is available on all of them.

What to check on a used LT625

Most of the LT625s we see come out of fleet service at three to six years old. That’s normal, and an X15 or A26 with a good history has a lot of life left. What matters is how the truck was run and what shape its systems are in now. Ten things to check, in the order we’d check them:

1. Which engine it has. LT625s came with two engines, so check that the listing, the engine tag and the ECM agree on Cummins X15 or International A26, and on the horsepower rating.
2. Fault codes, regens and the DPF. Plug in and read the codes before anything else. Frequent forced regens or recurring aftertreatment codes (DPF, DEF and SCR) are the most expensive problem a used truck can have, and a high-mileage filter that’s never been cleaned is a cost coming your way.
3. Idle hours versus miles. The ECM records both. A truck with high idle time has more engine hours than the odometer suggests, and more wear on the aftertreatment.
4. Oil leaks and coolant. Look at the rear main seal, the oil pan and the turbo. Check the coolant for oil and the coolant filter’s condition.
5. Shift quality. Drive it. An Endurant or Eaton 10-speed automated should shift cleanly without hunting and pull away smoothly from a stop.
6. Tires and brakes. Measure tread on all ten tires and check brake shoe thickness. A full set of drive tires is a $3,000-plus expense.
7. Frame and fifth wheel. Look for cracks, bends and repairs on the frame rails. Check the fifth wheel for wear and that it locks cleanly.
8. Cab and sleeper. Sit in every seat, run the HVAC, and check the bunk, cabinets and APU if fitted. Water stains at the roof seams mean a leak.
9. Electrical and safety systems. Every light, the dash warnings and the mirrors. Check that the Bendix Wingman collision mitigation shows no fault: its radar sits in the front bumper, and Wingman Fusion adds a windshield camera.
10. Paperwork. Clear title in hand, any remaining factory or extended warranty transferred to you, and the truck’s VIN matching the paperwork and the engine tag.

Every truck we sell has already been through a third-party DOT inspection and third-party service, with fresh oil and filters and the coolant filter checked, before it’s listed. You’re welcome to have your own mechanic look at any truck on our lot as well.

LT625s for sale right now