Tips for achieving high MPG in 3rd Gen OR?

Learn to coast if you are coming up on a red light, this will help a lot. Also accelerating slowly, I rarely get my truck to 3,000 RPM accelerating unless I have to for when I need to pass someone or when trying to get on the freeway. If I know I don't need to accelerate quickly, perhaps no one is behind me then I usually will accelerate to 2,000 RPM and not much more. This helps a lot too. I get around 19 MPG on a fill up.

 

I've found the same thing. CC kills MPG even with a tune. It gives the computer the green light to floor it and shift all over the place for some reason.

 

As said above, driving habits really affect mpg's. Also, turn off the A/C whenever possible. A/C sucks out about 2 mpg's.

 

I found this is correct also. CC doesn't *anticipate* the road, for example when a long hill is approaching I begin to speed up slightly which prevents the speed dropping until CC causes a "deep" acceleration to happen trying to keep my speed up. As well when you see traffic slowing ahead due to an accident or something you can take foot off the accelerator and coast up to the spot instead of braking hard, etc. CC is great for long stretches of highway driving, but not really for anything else.

 

I agree with this. If you are a peddle masher, off the line and the brakes, your MPG is going to go way down. My average is 19.5MPG that's without thinking about it much. If I'm really careful and feather the gas peddle I can see 21-22 MPG, but whose got the patience for that?

 

I've always gotten 15 MPG. At this point i just accepted it.

 

Only drive downhill

 

Don't use a heavy, 4x4, 4 door pickup truck as a station wagon for heaven's sake use the wife's van to haul people around...

 

Don't sit and idle for long periods. If you're stopped by a train, in a long drive through or otherwise know you're going to be stuck for more than 2-3 minutes, shut if off. At stand still idling you're getting zero MPG. Also, learn to anticipate stop lights ahead. If you're 150 yards from a light and it's green, it's probably going to be red by the time you get there. Slow down if you can do so without impleading other traffic and try to time arriving at the light just as it turns green again. Takes a little practice. That little acceleration from stand-still to 10-15 mph eats gas like a dog attacking a hotdog.

 

Increase the PSI in your tires.

 

accelerate very slowly and lightly press the gas pedal. try to meditate while driving to block out the people tailgating you so you don't press gas pedal more.

 

https://ecomodder.com/forum/EM-hypermiling-driving-tips-ecodriving.php

Check out hypermiling techniques just make sure you choose the safer ones (some are just silly and saving 1mpg isn't worth crashing).

As others have mentioned adjust driving habit, maybe pick up one of those chin spoilers every SR/SR5/Sport owner throws away and make sure you aren't hauling unnecessary weight.

 

What are you looking to use your Tacoma for? Like a car? Some road trips? Light off roading? Overlanding? Rock crawling? Do you have plans to modify it, a little or a lot?

you received some good answers if you driving around or some road trips. If you plan to modify your truck then there is more that you need to think about.

 

I noticed that if you accelerate slow it uses more fuel then if I accelerate fast to get up to speed then back off the throttle.

 

The best fuel mileage comes AFTER the truck is fully up to normal operating temperature. Prior to that it's just guzzling more fuel.

^^ No doubt about this recommendation.

Toyota's logic programmed into their Cruise Control does not make sense to me. There should be a user setting for degree of acceleration as well as a tolerance + or - from the set speed. If I'm using CC (basic CC) I really don't care if my speed dips 5 mph below (or above) what I've set it for. But if I start up a grade it sometimes insists that it's necessary to downshift to 4th (with RPMs of 3K or more). Then, after cresting the hill it takes a bit too long to upshift.
Many times I'll just turn CC off when I see a hill ahead and restore it on the level or downhill side.

Have my doubts about this approach.
My '21 TRD OR AC's mileage from purchase to date:

 

What would you consider "high mpg?" If you're thinking upper 20's/30's, not going to happen.

I have a '17 DCSB V6 4x4 automatic: went with P-rated 265/75r16 all terrains, removed chin spoiler, and got a basic OV tune. I've yet to have a tank below 20mpg, or have a tank above 25mpg - in mixed driving. (24.something on all-highway trips.)

As others have said, your driving habits likely make the biggest difference; mods would be next largest impact (unless you're running 35's and have bolted 16 things on to your Taco so it looks like a decorated Christmas tree as you drive to the grocery). After owning a V8 4R and V8 GX470 (and a '95 Land Cruiser), I altered my habits because low teens mpg isn't where my wallet likes me going.

 

I have wondered when someone was going to come up with some sort of active CC that used RaDAR or LiDAR to do these things. I believe the tech is there and there should be sufficient incentive for it.....

 

Oh hey look, another MPG thread.

 

Hold out for an EV Taco.....

 

And try to anticipate and time your arrival so it turns green just before you arrive...so you don't have to stop. I've been doing this for YEARS on my cars, as they have always been manual transmissions, and this technique saves clutches, brakes, gas, stress. etc.