One embodiment is a method comprising operating an internal combustion engine system including multiple cylinders structured to combust a charge mixture and to output exhaust to an exhaust manifold, an electronic control system structured to control operation of the engine system and an exhaust manifold pressure (EMP) sensor structured to provide data to the electronic control system and performing an air-fuel ratio (AFR) imbalance diagnostic with the electronic control system. The AFR imbalance diagnostic may comprise the acts of processing the data to provide at least one output metric sample, determining an output metric statistic based on the at least one output metric sample, evaluating the output metric statistic relative to one or more predetermined criteria to identify an AFR imbalance condition, and providing an operator perceptible indication of the AFR imbalance condition.