Tacoma vs. Tundra mpg

How is that a V8 powered (5.7L) Tundra weighing about 1400 lbs. more than a V6 powered Tacoma gets about the same gas mileage? At least, the difference is not what I would expect. The Tundra also has a larger frontal footprint.

Tundra - 14/18 mpg
Tacoma - 17/21 mpg

 

ill take my taco over a tundra any day

 

I agree that the mileage isnt that much different but depending on the number of miles you drive each year as to how much of an impact it makes on your wallet. I drive about 40k miles a year so 3-5 miles per gallon can add up at 3.99 a gallon.

 

If you compare to the taco 6speed then the MPG is 15/18. Tundra is very similar.

The Tundra is too damn big, I don't want a full size truck. And it only comes in an automatic. Real men drive manuals.

 

6-speed ECT, and better aerodynamics.

BTW - none of the guys at my work that have Tundras get anywhere near the fuel economy I get. They are happy to see 17-18 MPG on the highway. Meanwhile, I can get 22-23 easily.

 

Yes, but the manual 6 speed in the Tacoma is geared much lower than the Tundra 6 speed automatic. The manual is supposed to get the most low end torque out of the Tacoma 4.0L V6 as possible.

Meanwhile the 6 speed automatic in the Tundra doesn't need to be geared for torque as the 5.7L V8 will handle the torque load much better. Therefore the Tundra has a much higher top gear which equals lower RPMs and less work at highway speeds.

 

Yeah that makes sense, I'm just saying I can't have a vehicle that isn't a manual tranny.

 

Don't get me wrong, I really prefer the smaller Tacoma. I just thought that with the weight and frontal wind footprint difference the mpg gap would be larger. The Tacoma works well for me most of the time but I'm sort of undecided because of my travel trailer tow requirements. The trailer I have now works out OK with the Tacoma but it would not suffice if and probably when a larger trailer is purchased. Better mpg performance with the Tacoma would help convince me to stay with a smaller trailer.

 

I am getting average 20mpg on my taco (22-22 on highway, and 18-19 in the city). Tundra - the company truck eats a LOT more, last tank...in city it was 15mpg.

 

Yeah, I really wish that top gear on the 6 speed manual was interchangeable. I would love to get a 6 speed and make it get 25 MPG (unloaded) consistently...

 

Well you bring up a good point. 6th gear sucks, it's the same damn thing as 5th gear. Yeah I wish they woulda made it higher gearing.

 

Yeah, it doesn't make much sense to me. They are so very close...


FIRST
4.171

SECOND
2.190

THIRD
1.488

FOURTH
1.193

FIFTH
1.000

SIXTH
0.849

 

Meanwhile the Tundra 6 speed Automatic is much better ratio with 2 overdrive gears!!!

FIRST
3.333

SECOND
1.960

THIRD
1.353

FOURTH
1.000

FIFTH
0.728

SIXTH
0.588

 

In most cases they don't even compare. Short hauls in cold weather those big v-8's don't get much over 10 mpg. I have a friend with a Tundra who tells me the BEST he can do highway is 14.

 

3 mpg is right. If you dont need large truck, then enjoy getting 60 miles futher on a tank in a Taco. I does add up.

A low 6th has it merit. Keeps me below 70 to get best mpg and no speeding tickets. Also if you haul heavy loads, tow a light trailer, or climb hills its the perfect rpm to maintain hwy speeds, no downshifting on grades... In winter, 17 mpg towing my sled trailer in the hills, bet I do better than an auto, at least in this one situation...

 

That sounds about right. My boss had an 06 DC Texas Edition, and he couldn't squeeze 16 out of it if he tried.

Meanwhile one of my coworkers has an 07' DC, and he is in the exact same boat - 16 MPG is tops no matter what he does.

 

i was at the toyota truck challenge about to months ago and the lady teaching the class was very specific in saying that the auto had better torque then the manual...she works for toyota and travels the country giving educational class on the tundra and tacoma.

she said something about the fans underneath the gear box. one moving one wasnt...

anyways just thought i would put it out there.

 

Yeah the ONLY reason I didn't get a 6 speed - I needed the Long Bed. Stupid Toyota doesn't offer the 6 speed in the Double Cab Long Bed!

I can't really complain. The automatic is very smooth and very efficient - its just not my bag.

 

Well, that's kinda true. The engine is what actually produces the torque. The transmission can only put it to use. With the implementation of a torque converter an automatic can smoothly switch between gears without losing the torque peak. That's true.

However, on the Tacoma (not the Tundra), the 6 speed manual is much better for putting the 4.0L V6 engine's torque to use as the lower gear ratios allow for the tranny to keep the engine right around its peak torque band.

On the Tundra, with so much torque, you would find yourself shifting too much to make a 6 speed manual of use (as long as it isn't JUST for racing) for MPG and Torque at the same time. Every time you shift you lose power. The automatic tranny limits the amount of power loss.

Unfortunately, this is also much more demanding on the tranny. That is why manuals tend to last longer than automatics (among many other reasons).

 

yanno... I could never break 18mpg with my tacoma no matter what I did despite the slightly higher EPA estimates. (of course, they've since changed those estimates so I was getting the EPA rate the whole time.... ) Then I put the AFE Pro Dry in and jumped up to 20. Kinda curious what that would do for a Tundra. Although, I'm not curious enough to buy one!

Wife wanted one..... Until we walked around a dealership one day and she realized how BIG they were. She has a hard enough time driving and parking the taco.