6 speed manual and 6 speed auto, MPH delta

6 speed manual achieves 17-20
6 speed auto achieves 18-23

Both are 6 speed, why the delta?

 

I believe it's because a computer is better (for MPG) at picking shift points than a human. So they want us to believe, anyway. It's probably true, though. I know when I'm driving a MT, I will run it up well into the powerband, whereas the AT will shift way before that. Lower RPMs = better MPG.

 

I have a manual and would be REAL happy with 17mpg. I've never gotten that average per tank and am always closer to 16mpg. I drive like granny most of the time too...

 

Different gear ratios. Manual has 4.30

 

In short, axle ratios.
Automatic trucks are 3.90:1 (I believe).
Manual trucks are 4.30:1
My Taco turns 2200rpm at 100kmh

Frank

 

My auto will hit 2000rmps in 6th @ 80mph.

 

Plus if you drive the auto gently the shift points are very low.

 

For some reason, Toyota doesn't gear the manuals to rev as low as the automatics on the highway. All my "stick" cars actually run lower highway rpm's than similar auto-equipped cars, so I'm not sure why? The driver can always downshift if more rpm's are needed, right?

 

How many miles & what type of driving? My truck averaged 14-16 until I hit 1500 miles. I drive 60/40 city/hwy and I'm now averaging 20mpg. I do baby the throttle except for on Friday's.

 

Top gear in auto is taller in manual. Better highway MPG as a result. Also shifting is tuned for better MPG in auto.

 

Good summary of ratios here:

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/2016-gear-ratios-at-awesome-mt-now-with-double-overdrive.387347/

As mentioned above both the axle gearing and the transmission gearing is noticeably taller in the auto than the manual.

Maybe this helped enough with around town mpg that they chose to go this way. Or maybe some of the EPA testing is done with cruise on in top gear.... Or maybe having the upper gears this closely spaced really is needed. You read so many people complaining the auto can't hold sixth in so many conditions and it even has the ability to unlock the torque converter to get a few more RPM's without a full downshift.

In any case I'm just glad they offer a manual. If you look at how many 4x4 vehicles that can tow "some" and seat four with a manual for under 50k there are only like 4-5 vehicles available in the US to choose from.

 

Axle ratios are only ever half of the story. The transmission gearing makes just as much difference. In this case it's certainly not helping the situation, but the trans gearing is still quite different between the RC62 and the AC60.

If the 6AT had the 4.30:1 final drive that the 6MT had, 6th would still be taller than it is in the 6MT (2.49:1 versus 3.07:1). 2nd and 3rd are similar gearing between the 6MT and the 6AT, however 1st and 4th through 6th are all quite a bit taller on the 6AT.

6MT / 6AT Overall Gear Ratios ( :1)
1. 17.12 / 14.07
2. 8.67 / 8.17
3. 5.68 / 5.82
4. 4.30 / 3.91
5. 3.65 / 2.69
6. 3.07 / 2.27

Looking beyond gearing differences however, modern transmission control is much smarter at making gear selections for fuel economy than people are.

Jeff

 

Just my opinion, but a couple of changes in the gearing that would've made the MT truck perfect (for me):
1. Lower reverse!
2. Higher 6th (or 5th and 6th to keep the ratios close) - the objective being to keep the truck in a more efficient RPM range at highway speed.

Oh well, it is what is is. Plenty of power for climbing hills and passing in 6th.

Frank

 

I wish the AT had the same gearing as the MT. The AT downshifts to 4th all the time on the highway.

 

We shouldn't forget the fact that the autos have the ECT, which when used "wakes" the engine and transmission up. Manuals, along with the lower 4.3 gears, are always in "ECT" mode since that is not an option with the manual. Probably the big reason that everyone with a manual enjoys the full engine power/torque all the time. With the auto, you have the choice of whether to use ECT or not. The autos do get better with mileage.

 

MT on the way, had to go 3,150 miles to get it!!

 

I have a 16 TRD Off Road w auto, but sure wish I would have gone with the manual. You pretty much have zero control over your auto tranny and I personally believe that this 3.5 engine performs much better with the manual. Oh well....after two years, I'm going to a manual 6 speed version of this truck and never looking back. The gas mileage difference is minimal when you think about how much more an automatic tranny costs in this truck. Lesson learned.

 

I had my 2008 trd off road for 6 years and wished it were a manual everyday. Not this time, thanks to Cars.com it was easy to find exactly the truck i wanted, it is in Bend Oregon. It will cost me a $1,000 to have it shipped down south. I even got the Black interior this time, iam sick of grey interior!! I hate the Grill on the 2016 TRD-OffRoad, but BAMF is going to solve that issue soon!!!

 

I can not stand the 5 & 6th gear in these 3.5 AT I changed the tires to 265/70r17 which I was told isn't enough difference to do a gear ratio change but I only can touch thouch 5-6th going down hills and maybe flat surfaces if the wind is at my back and our freeways in Utah are 80mph so Im pulling 3500-3700 rpm's in 4th gear down the freeway it really pisses me off hell my old 4.0 Cherokee on 33x13.50 bias ply super swampers AT locked stock gears held freeway speeds better then this truck once I got to 80mph with a slight death wobble haha it would hold overdrive no problem only downshifted on climbs anyone have any suggestions to gear ratio change

 

I haven't found anything available quite yet, but I will probably go 4.56 with the load e 33's.