Towing review...pulled fine...mileage bleh

So I finally pulled a small trailer this week. It is a basic landscape type trailer with 10' of deck. I made two round trips of 120 miles. It was basically flatish with rolling hills. The way out I was empty and took about a 5 mpg hit (13.5 down from 19) doing 65-70 most of the way (speed limit) . ECT pulled the rolling hills better, so that is what I used at all times. It probably cost me at least 1 mpg just running ECT. The way back was loaded with green lumber and probably about 4000 lbs both times. I got about 11 mpg loaded ( an 8 mpg hit).

Overall, the power was more than adequate, but this is absolutely not the truck for regular hauling of even a moderate load as far as mileage is concerned. I was very surprised at the empty mpgs. I am sure if I had done 55 I would have seen better numbers, and these were all computer derived mpgs, so take it with a grain of salt. This isn't something I do much, so I don't really care, but if you are thinking about running something like a landscape rig with a couple of large mowers on a daily basis, get something else.

 

That's been the general consensus with the Tacoma's towing dating back to the 90's. It can do it just fine but you pay for it at the tanks.

They can haul 1200 lbs and maybe lose 1mpg. If they tow 1200 lbs you lose more like 6mpg.

 

Wow my LX570 gets 10-11 Towing

Didn't realize turd taco gets the same

 

What does it normally get otherwise?

 

My LX? I get 14-15 otherwise

 

People forget this truck wasn't designed, marketed for people that tow on a regular basis or at all.

 

A truck with 6500 lb tow rating is marketed for people who would expect to be able to tow a 1000 lb empty trailer without taking a 5mpg hit. But you are correct, it is not designed to be a tow rig.

 

Not arguing there, its sad and a bit misleading to the unsuspecting/unresearched person, but for them that's just a number they can use for marketing/competition reasons.

 

Just to be clear, I am not bitching at all, just a bit surprised. Again, it handled well and had plenty of power. Just drank gas.

 

Yep, never said you were man. lol.

 

Effing Mike Sweers lol

 

Yep, only a seatbelt is the same...if I ever met that dude in real life.

 

Dang, I remember towing my 20' jet boat with my 1990 Toyota with a 22RE 4 cyl. Probably was maxing out the tow capacity but it made it there and back without skipping a beat. That was when men were men and trucks were trucks.

 

Yeah nothing like 4 cyl trucks

Long love them

 

Met him when he wasn't a big shot

If I met him now I would put my cheapo Chinese Pro grille where the sun don't shine

 

Just a bit disappointed and didn't like him trying to convince a bunch of Tacoma enthusiasts like ourselves this was an all new truck, etc. etc. But I only know so much, he does work for Toyota and ultimately they call the shots.

 

We are the sheep
I blame myself

 

True, best way to tell them would have been by not buying the truck, but instead they are flying off the shelves, anyone is silly to think Toyota is gonna do much in the years to come until sales start to drop.

 

My mileage is in the 13 range in town without towing.

 

This!!

I just purchased a truck and it's not a 3rd gen. It's not its competitors either. It's a relic from the peak of Toyota's reliability era. It's being shipped to my home. I won't say what it is yet because I still have sort out DMV stuff with it. Yep it's special enough to give the DMV issues.

It sucks I have to look to past to get a better Toyota product.