Realistic gas mileage?

I recently bought a 2015 Tacoma, DCLB, V6, auto, 4x4, 97k miles, no lift, 265/70R17, with a topper.

What kind of gas mileage should I expect with this set up?

I was under the impression that gas mileage would be similar to my old 89 ext cab, v6 4x4 (I've gotten as much as 22mpg with that one), but after driving it home from 300 miles away, I'm wondering. I'm think that the old yota would have done a couple of mpg's better, but not sure.

Before starting the trip, I did just a little bit of driving around town, then got on the highway. When the trip odometer read 70 miles, I decided to slow down and drive with the CC set to 55. I stopped for gas when the trip mileage was around 200. I calculated my mileage to be about 17 mpg. I expected a little better than that, even under the conditions. I was bucking a noticeable head wind most, if not all the way. Temps started out at about +15F, and got colder as I went north, I believe it was -25 when I got fuel. I was not using 4wd much.

Maybe the headwind impacted mileage more than I expected. I just thought I would see what others are getting with comparable rigs.

BTW, I did search. I found a number of threads on the subject, but a lot of people chimed in with rigs that were not comparable ie: lifted with big tires, not 4wd, different engine, etc.

 

Tire type matters a bit. You'll get less if E-rated tires as they are heavier. Also tire size if you have larger tires than stock, which for me is 265/65R17. Your trip meter will be showing less mileage than you have traveled. With my 265/70R17 tires, I have to multiply the miles on the trip meter by 1.035 to get actual miles traveled. I calculated my formula using two GPS devices. I drove to 100 miles on the GPS trip meter and the truck showed 96.7 miles (times that by 1.035 equals 100.08 miles). My actual is 15-16 in city; 16-17 mixed; 17-20 highway depending on how fast I go and on the terrain. Mine is lifted 2.5", but no topper, and I have E-rated tires.

 

17 on the highway in freezing temps with a headwind is actually pretty high haha.



17-18 average can be expected

 

In my experience, two things have a huge negative impact on MPG. Wind and winter grade gas. I think those were your two biggest factors IMO.

 

17 mpg is expected and acceptable.
20 mpg is doable, but not under “normal” driving in hill country.
You can probably do 18.5 mpg if you drive it right.

 

I have the same truck with a few less miles. Same wheel size, Les Schwab Back Country A/T2 tires, Leer cab height canopy, no lift, I don't tow things.

Average has been 17-19 MPG it's whole life, city or highway.

 

Sounds about normal to me, mine is always around 16-18 total average with about 30% city/70% highway, speeds 65mph or less. Mileage tanks quickly to 15.5 or less over 70 and on hilly roads, mine does best (20-21) in the 45-55 mph range on flat road.

Autos tend to do slightly better but with the slightly oversize tires your likely eating up that difference, plus your speedometer will be about 2 MPH slow uncorrected so your also counting slightly fewer miles than actual.

 

drive it and find out

 

I always found it amusing. My 92 ACLB MT 4wd gets the same exact mileage as my 13 DCLB 4wd despite being 21 years older and
my 06 DCLB 4wd Tundra got the same exact mileage as the 92 and the 13.

 

Thanks for the replies. I will see how it goes over time, but it looks like my expectations were high.

 

Welcome to tw btw. Stick around now.

 

Thanks Steelhead Bum. I've been a member for a little while. I'm not very active, but I do find the site very useful. I try to research before I make a post, in an effort to not ask a question that's been answered many times. I've found good information on here regarding problems with my old Toyota. Recently I've been looking at info on lights. Thanks to a number of members on here, I am going to remove the LED lamps that are in the headlights and go back to Halogens. I've also been looking at driving lights on this site, right now I'm leaning toward Auxbeam 9" round pods. Lots of different opinions on things like driving lights, but it helps. I think it's a pretty good site.

 

Had a little bit of a scare tonight. I removed an LED bulb from the driver's side headlight, installed a Halogen bulb, and went for a drive to try to compare the lights. I turned onto a side road, turned around, got back out on the main road and was just getting up to speed when I saw a swamp-donkey in the middle of the road. I hit the brakes, it really wasn't that close, but it startled me. Moose don't show up very well in headlights. I got both bulbs changed out and then I could see for sure that the headlight aim was messed up ( I thought it was). I think I've got it fairly well dialed in now. I think I can see better far away, less well closer. I do miss the cool white light.

 

I'd add tire choice as well. My Access Cab has 265/70R17's (stock is 265/65R17) and, since speedo's read a bit high with stock tires, the added diameter has my speedo/odo spot on. I typically see a 2-3 mpg drop with "winter" gas but highway mileage can fluctuate between 17-20 depending on conditions and speed.

 

I checked my speedometer against GPS. I was impressed at how close it was, about 1.5 mph off at 60 mph. Speedometer read low compared to GPS, IIRC.

 

You can always look in to Diode Dynamics replacing the "driving lights" with ACTUAL driving lights, so you can turn them on when you need and they offer some really bright versions. https://www.diodedynamics.com/elite-series-fog-lamps-for-2012-2023-toyota-tacoma-pair.html

 

My 2007 is equipped about the same. For my normal everyday driving which is a mix of rural 2 lane and some small town driving I'm 16-17 mpg. The truck has been on multiple cross country road trips, (currently at 253,000 miles) I usually get 20 mpg on the road. It can vary +/- 1 mpg depending.

I've done as well as 22-23 once on gently rolling terrain where it wasn't safe to drive over 55-60 mph and long downhill stretches meant I could coast downhill and halfway up the next. I've also gotten as little as 16 mpg on the road when driving into a strong headwind for hundreds of miles.

Mine came with 38 lb P265/70/16 All Terrain tires. But I moved to 265/75/16's which are the same width but about 1" taller. I had 53 lb E rated tires in the same size for a while. My fuel mileage never changed from new even with the slightly larger and heavier tires. The truck didn't accelerate as quickly with the heavier tires but once up to speed it doesn't take any more power, or fuel, to keep them moving.

Wider tires and tires with aggressive mud treads greatly increase rolling resistance. That means you have to keep your foot on the accelerator more. Going to a 285 width or wider tire or a mud tire, even a skinny mud tire, will cost you about 2 mpg. Even though I've gone to a slightly taller and slightly heavier tire I always stayed with a mildly aggressive All terrain tire.

Speed is what matters most. 70 mph with any truck I've driven is like hitting a wall. Keep it under 70 and I feel like that is a good balance between getting where you're going and decent fuel mileage. Driving 73-75 or faster and fuel drains out of the tank pretty fast. Driving 55-60 mph is really optimum, but I'm willing to pay for more fuel to get where I'm going a little sooner than I can do it at 55.

My truck's speedometer was closer to being accurate after moving to larger tires. Remember, tires get smaller as you use them. Those numbers will change slightly. You won't get the same numbers from new tires as you will when they have 40,000 miles on them. They are approximately one size smaller when you wear them out.

 

winter grade gas is a killer for sure
i used to think engines ran better when colder outside, true, but the grade of gas offsets any efficiency gains. wonder if an octane booster or running 93 octane in winter helps or offsets higher fuel cost???

 

I have the same year truck as you minus the rack(with 50,400 miles). I get 20-23 on the highway at 70 mph on cruise.
Town driving, 17-18 w/ moderate driving

 

Quality ethanol free 87 > 93 for no reason in these old engines.