2018 taco and want a small camper

2018 Tacoma double cab 4x4 SR. Looking at a 3500lb travel trailer. anyone have any idea of gas mileage? Tips? I have searched the towing forum and didnt see any MPG figures. Retiring this October and comparing the cost of motels Vs camping. 1000 to 2500 mile trips. 2 to 3 weeks at a time.

 

Keep it off the interstates and stick to the secondary highways as much as possible, and enjoy those 60-65 mph scenic drives.

I drag my popup on 2000-3000 mile trips at least once annually - it's a slightly different animal because it doesn't quite catch the wind like a travel trailer will. But even then the difference between 60 and 70 can be over a 20% mpg decrease. A good full day on the road has seen mid 15s for me. My worst day, a day full of dust storms, a small mountain grade, and a monster headwind, saw two entire tanks averaging 8 mpg. Usually I shoot for 14, and am happy if I can keep it close to that.

 

We towed a trailer about that size up and down the West coast last summer. Usually was right around 10 or 11 mpg. That was with me in the right lane taking it easy around 60 mph.

 

I got right at 15 mpg towing a Casita and now get 11-13 with a 3700lb Lance. Be sure to keep it in 4th gear.

 

Is the SR a 4 cylinder? If so, not sure that will work out well.

If it's the 6, does it have the tow package? If not, you'll need a few things to beef up the truck.

MPG towing of significance on any Tacoma is a 30-50% drop.

 

@kentuckyredneck

Pick up an Airstream Base Camp X... it’s 16’ is lifted 3”, OffRoad tires, and basically designed for the Tacoma/4Runner lifestyle! They are everything you’d want from an Airstream and so much more! Wife and I are going to local Airstream dealer ASAP to look at one.

https://www.airstream.com/travel-trailers/basecamp/floorplans/

 

3500lbs dry + 1000lbs loaded your mpg will be lousy, 10 mpg or so. Don’t buy a trailer with the idea of saving money over staying at motels. The cost of a trailer will be far more than staying in motels. You have the cost of the trailer anywhere from about $15000 to $30000, insurance, license, maintenance, lousy mpg and you will pay a nightly fee to stay at a campground or RV park. You don’t get a trailer to save $$$, you get it because that’s the lifestyle you want to pursue. Don’t misunderstand me I love trailers, I’d rather tour the country with a trailer than stay in motels. I think there are way more advantages to trailering than motels but cost isn’t one of them. The lousy mpg is probably the least of the costs. So you need to decide if you can afford a trailer and if that’s the way you (and spouse?) want to go.
To help you decide rent a travel trailer for a week or10 days or so and see how you like it.

 

Bank on 10-11 MPG

My cousin had one of these and it was great, but too cramped inside for my 6'2'' self. The only real negative to any Airstream seems to be that they're relatively heavy compared to trailers of similar size and specs. Presumably their stoutness is a mark of quality because Airstreams are built far better than almost anything else out there. To the OP's question...bank on 10-11 MPG with an average 3500 lb trailer.

 

Airstreams are top of the line trailers, possibly the best you can get. For as long as I can remember they were considered the best of the best. But the price is in the stratosphere. A 16’ starts at about $40,000 and quickly goes up. I think a lot of people are just priced out of the airstream market.

 

We had a NuCamp T@b 320 Boondock, about 25-2700 lbs loaded. My 2019 4x4 Sport got about 15 mpg towing it. I moved up to a Coachmen Nano 187, about 33-3700 lbs loaded. My mileage dropped to 13mpg. I’ve towed with the setup about 10k miles. I found my ARE Mx, high rise topper adds about 2.5 mpg over an empty bed when towing due to improved aerodynamics.

 

Do you think a softopper would have similar MPG benefits?