Initial MPG thoughts?

Curious as to what kind of mileage people got with their 4x4 v6 Tacomas when they were new??

The reason I ask is that I just picked up my new 2023 OR to replace my totaled 2021 SR5 (4-cyl 2.7)… I’m loving everything about it except … the mpg!

I just went through about my third tank of gas. I drove carefully with it—split between City and highway but mostly highway. I had hoped/expected somewhere in the low range of the EPA estimated 18 mpg. I was shocked to only have gotten 16.7 mpg. I’m Florida so everything is flat, and I was carrying no loads and not towing. Everything is stock, but it did come with the “factory” upgraded 16" All-Terrain Tire Upgrade (package #TB560)

I remember with my 2.7 4-cylinder SR5, the mileage did improve as the engine got broken in and the computer recalibrated a little. But I’m interested on any thoughts on this? Im rethinking a lift, tires, and a tune… think the mpg will actually improve by much?

Thanks!

 

Your mileage matches mine even after my truck got broken in.

 

@Trail Limo, thanks for the info! Not necessarily the news I had hoped for! Lol

 

Depends on a lot of factors. The break in will definitely improve it over time. However speeds over 60 will start to kill your MPG. I usually get between 18 and 23 MPG depending on the time of year with 90% driving at 70 MPH.

 

I’m almost to 10k miles and at 18.8. MPH affects my mileage more than anything. I have 2 routes to work, 75 and 65 speed limits. The higher yields 17.5-18 and 65 is about 19-20. Most here report best efficiency at 45-55mph will get 20-23 but hard to average.

 

I am driving about 60% highway (VERY hilly terrain too) and with A/C running I am around 21 mpg combined. I have a set of traction tires for winter and it drops to about 16.5-19.0 mpg with those on, so keep in mind the truck is very sensitive to what tires you have......more so than any other vehicle I've ever owned.
You should be able to get the advertised MPG on a stock truck.
EDIT: If you use the cruise control your mileage will be low.....for some reason it kills my mpg.

 

I almost exclusively use cruise control. It probably greatly depends on your driving style and terrain. I will turn it off when in hilly areas and use momentum to my advantage since the cruise will try to maintain your speed within a reasonable amount, both using heavy acceleration and engine braking.

 

Do you run the A/C much in Florida?
That'll hurt the mpgs

 

If you drive more highway than city, it should be around 22 mpg, and change in the summer. With winter mine has gotten as low as 19 mpg. Of course short trips will kill fuel mileage, summer, or winter.

 

Exactly the reason I don't use it. The terrain here is mostly hills and the cruise takes too long to react, then the trans drops down a couple of gears. On flat terrain it works ok.

 

I average over 17 mpg in Colorado with 275s, 4.88s and tons of other mods.

Stock I averaged 19-21. Maybe it’s how you drive? Your biggest hit to mpg is actually how often you hit the brake pedal. If you want better MPGs, find ways of driving that reduce the need to hit the brakes.

 

I’ve had my Sport just over six weeks now (it sat over 2 1/2 weeks at one point). Got 2700 miles. I travel a lot like you describe. A lot of flat, some hill, some town and suburbia. Not much city. Lots of two plus hour trips on two lane roads going 60-70 mph. A little four lane Hwy going 75. I’m not pounding the pedal but I’ll pass people on two and four lane when I have to. Have not hauled to date. If it means anything I just looked and the Toyota app says my driving is excellent. I have yet to get below 21 on a tank and probably average well over 22 mpg. More than once I got 24 mpg. I use 87/88 gas always and have stock Sport Toyo tires. I also double check the computer mpg by the math on trip mileage divided by how much gas I put in. Sometimes the computer over estimates, sometimes it’s spot on.
I’d guess it’s how aggressive both your tires and driving are. I have had had no issues with the engine everyone complains about. I think the v-6 does what you’d expect. And I traded in a crap Chevy v-8 for this taco. And my GMC before that one could flat out haul ass. That crap Chevy got 17-18 mpg around the house and 19/20 maybe 21/22 mpg if the wind was right on those 2 plus hour trips. Combined average tank to tank it was 18-19 mpg summer and 16/18 mpg winter. I like the taco mpg so far.

 

I average about 18mpg but generally, just daily driving, short trips.

 

22 Sport V6, I'm getting about 23/24MPG 70% hilly country roads (with AC on almost always). I have not removed the front air dam, and I have a soft tonneau cover. stock tires and rims. In the winter, this drops to about 17/18MPG. I should add I never engage ECT, and when going up serious inclines, I will move the shifter from D->S, and if 4th gear I start to slow, I will pull the shifter back to put it in 3rd gear, then when I top the hill, move the shifter back to D. HTH

 

You could try adding the air dam. There has to be someone around who has one they want to get rid of. That might not gain you many more MPGs tho. More trips to the gas station gives you more opportunities to pick up beef jerky.

 

You know, it could be the gas at the station you frequent.

 

i drive mostly two-lane roads at 45-65 MPH. that's the sweet spot and i average 22-23 MPG in the summer on the stock toyo A30 tires and about 10% less in the winter on AT/3PMSF tires. my truck is stock except i have an ARE canopy and carry an additional 150 pounds or so of tools and supplies for work.

i run 87 octane and saw no difference with other octane ratings. my fuel mileage has been fairly consistent since new.

fuel mileage was one of the reasons i purchased this truck. for those that might be triggered by this, i needed a truck with a 6-foot bed and in terms of fuel mileage, the tacoma advertised fuel mileage was decent and competitive. had i been able to find a chevy colorado access cab with the V6, i likely would have chosen it instead because the real-world fuel mileage seems to be a little better than the tacoma.

if i was not averaging at least 20 MPG, i would be driving something else. a 1/2 ton full size averages about 20 MPG.

to the OP, if fuel mileage is important, leave the truck stock.

 

Thanks everyone for the helpful feedback. Everything I’m hearing is pretty much what I had expected the truck to do. I really do not drive aggressively for the most part, but I do go 70 to 80, and the upgraded tires are probably more aggressive than the stock ones. I’m guessing those two factors are playing in.

I have used cruise control quite a bit, so I’ll try to stop using that. I know from my last Tacoma that their cruise control really isn’t very good. It tries too hard to keep it at the speed and doesn’t take advantage of inertia and momentum. IMHO.

I’m also wondering how much the 4x4 system factors in. I can definitely feel more mechanical spinning under the truck that I used to on my 2WD SR5. I’m not engaging four-wheel-drive though.

 

14-17 mpg indicated on my 50/50 highway/city commute, stock '18 6MT Sport, usually doing about 80mph on the highway part. Steady cruising at a reasonable speed, an indicated 21-23 mpg. I don't bother doing the math to check it, as the actual number is not the point to me, it's just about knowing what kills mileage and what doesn't.

 

I filled up for 3rd time yesterday took a road trip avg. Speed 65 maybe a lil more
I have a sr tss off road 6 cylinder. Filled back up when I got home got 23.4 mpg 17"tires came on it. If it stays lime thos I will be happy.
Now pulling my lawn mower trailer it goes to 16 . Thank goodness that's twice a month.