Fast Lane Truck Tacoma Towing Test

Why wouldn't they use the ECT button on the test?

 

Because they don't know what they are doing. They also kept the truck in drive with cruise control on at 70 mph which is way too fast for a midsize towing that much weight. No wonder why mpg was so bad. Should of had it in S5 at maybe 50-60 mph.

 

Looks like we were both right..straight from the 2016 owners manual under trailer towing - trailer towing tips -
"Vehicles with an automatic transmission - to maintain engine braking efficiency and charging system performance when using engine braking, do not use the transmission in D. If in the S mode, the transmission shift range position must be in 5 or lower."

 

I have a truck with 5.7 iForce and a Tacoma with 4.0. and find your statement incorrect .I always get better mileage on my Tacoma even if trucks pull the same trailer with the same weight. Smaller truck with well built engine is just more efficient because it does not have to drag extra 1000LB of own weight and its narrower, and lower.
That weight/trailer on flat road should be between 13-15 MPG .
That's why 8.4 MPG is very surprising and WTF moment for lack of better description. Judging from TFL guys response at the end they are as surprised as many others.
You ask who cares about MPG towing, I thing anybody who does tow. Otherwise everybody would be driving w900 Kenworth's and towing jetski behind it.
Also who wants to stop every 150 miles to buy full tank of gas while towing ATV with 4 cinder blocks. I dont have to do this while towing my Land Cruiser.
Problem is probably because in new truck they installed transmission AC60 designed for Hilux with Diesel engine, or 4.0 Dual VVT-i. But in 2016 truck That transmission is behind minivan engine so it looks like it downshifts a lot to compensate, and when downshifts there goes fuel economy. This is the proof of that.
Toyota should install better engine in that thing, otherwise Sienna makes for better vehicle now.

 

Just for comparison, here is a GM Twin doing the Ike Guantlet. It did it faster then the 2nd Gen Tacoma with the 4.0.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vd_5IBY2gQc

They got something like 3.8 MPG. So if the 2016 half's it's MPG towing that load up hill, it seems as though its on par for the course for small trucks. I don't think they did the same test they did with the Tacoma towing that load on level ground with the GM truck.

What I find interesting is the comments they make at the end of the video, as they seem more accommodating toward the GM truck......"well its a small truck.........its not meant for big loads........ect..." And they didn't harp on the mpg.

 

You do have a point where as the tundra is much heavier...but it all comes down to how you're driving both trucks. As far as downshifting goes, if you watched the ike gauntlet of the 2015 tacoma that downshifted a lot as well to make power. I guess some people do care about mpg while towing, but I certainly wouldn't...at least it wouldn't be at the top of my list. Point is you're gonna get worse mpg when towing no matter what, that's just going to happen. I could tell you though that I would have got better than 8.4 mpg while towing that and I have never towed anything in my life. This is what these guys do, they should have looked through the owners manual of the 2016 tacoma under towing before they did anything, as they did everything wrong - no ECT enabled, kept it in D and in cruise control. Reason you shouldn't keep the truck in cruise control is because throttle manipulation is important while towing...while coming up to a slight hill you could give it a little more gas before so it doesn't have to downshift and make the rpms sky rocket. I'm sorry but 70 mph towing that amount of weight behind that truck is down right dumb. Even if they were doing 70 mph without towing mpg would still have been terrible maybe like 10-15 mpg.

 

I wish they would do a test with the manual. The manual actually torquey at low RPM unlike the auto.

 

pic is just a google image. Sorry, i just edited to make that clear. Just finished paying for my 2010, no 2016 for me.

 

BINGO

 

It's the same engine tho

 

I'm sure they'll do the same parameters, and the throttle will be through the hood.

 

"and it is not a question of IF gas will get that high again but WHEN it will."
meh, not in my lifetime.....

 

I'm enjoying your writings here.
Here's a concept, though hard to comply a lot, I realize..... what I DID....
(As I have done with my '02, I shall do with my '16 TRD OR....)
1) Canopy on the truck
2) Popup (hard sided folding walls) camp trailer. Collapsed, the top of the trailer is the same height as the top of the truck/canopy, therefore very little parasitic drag. Trailer weight remains below about 2300lb.
3) Keep the trailer light. ie, get my camp water at the destination.

I've hauled such a trailer/configuration all over the country with my '02 which had a 2.7 4 cyl, though a Manual tranny. The '16 will have an Auto tranny, and I'm excited to take delivery so I can learn what it takes to make this a functional setup.

 

My favorite part was towards the end where he said its solid, quiet and definitely more powerful then the outgoing model.
That part was cool.

 

This surprises anyone? Smaller engine, more revs, more gears. Wouldn't want to pull my trailer across a client's wet yard. 4,500rpm tire ruts all the way. Spinning the tires is the only way to get rpm up.

 

LOL, gas/oil prices cycles have been going on for over 150 years, and the fundamental reasons behind them haven't changed at all.
Gas will get expensive again.

 

We should stand by for the Ike Gauntlet, that will be interesting.

How do you figure that you get more power? These engines only have knock sensors to determine timing advance, therefore, it would be logical to assume that two fuels with the same octane rating will give you the same engine setting which will give you the same power. To achieve proper Air to Fuel ratio, the engine compensates to the lower BTU Ethanol blended fuels by shoving more of it into the engine, therefore, you will get worse mpg running ethanol blended fuels.

 

you could also, you know, down shift

 

Same engine but any truck is only as good as it's transmission. The manual felt like a completely different truck than the auto.

 

My own towing test