How to increase Tacomas gas mileage ? 16 mpg highway

I just bought 2022 Tacoma SR5 V6 5’ bed with lift kit 17” wheels. The best I could do is 16.9-17 mpg
This is so unacceptable to me. I get 34 mpg in my 2017 Ridgeline.

 

That's the way it is. Unacceptable is the wrong word.

 

You bought a lifted truck and you're upset about getting the expected fuel economy?




Depending on your cruising speed, you can improve the fuel economy by slowing down. My Tacoma got its best fuel economy around 60-65 MPH.

 

Friday posts have started, not sure if this is parody or lack of real world knowledge. There is a myriad of things different between the Ridgeline(built on mini van chassis/not a truck) and Tacomas. You’ll never see more than 20MPG(on flat terrain at 60 MPH) with an unloaded factory Tacoma. As you stated, yours is lifted with larger wheels(maybe tires too?), you’ll likely keep MPG around 15-17 average. Should have stuck with the Ridgeline if you’re concerned with MPG, Tacomas have never been known for fuel efficiency.

 

What I'd give for that kinda mileage!!! I average around 11-12!

 

keep the rpms under 2k and stay at or below the posted speed limit...

 

I can easily hit 20+ doing 70mph+

Of course I'm not 'lifted' and running larger rims either.

I ease up to speed, steady as she goes, never 'punch it', and maintain under 2000 RPMs at all costs.

I was doing 70+ most of these miles when I recorded this. It can be done.

 

I'd suspect you didn't do much research on Tacomas before buying it.
TW is a good resource - should've perused here before committing to the purchase if fuel economy is a primary consideration.
I own a '21 TRD OR auto - my MPG record looks like this:

It's easy to see the seasonal variation.
Mine is essentially stock with the only mod being a Leer cap.
Your lift & tires are probably the greatest detriment.
Peak MPG starts after the engine & trans are fully warmed up. Driving habits have a tremendous influence on mileage. When you drive like there's an egg between your foot and the pedals AND keep the speed under 60 MPH you'll see better fuel economy.
Payload can also affect MPG. If you pack your truck with all the goodies you'll think you'll ever need or want to have handy your MPGs will suffer.

 

I have taken my stock-height, standard-size tire, stock suspension Tacoma on trails that would kill a Subraru Legacy. Skid plates protected the engine where it skated-over deep-embedded-in-dirt pre-Cambrian rocks. My 2007 Corolla only needs new suspension bushings and shocks to ride better on-roads than the Tacoma.

It does things that other vehicles cannot, takes me places that I want to go instead of "sipping gas riding in shopping mall parking lots".

Besides ... in 100+ years of engineering engines people still cherish having 35 MPG vehicles. But we have reached the moon and a major problem for us in just 70 years of satellite usage is that we have a target rich environment for training space-combat pilots just inside our orbital space. I am not a tin-foil-hat kind of person but seems we could have done better than doubling 18 MPG to 35 MPG.

 

Lower your truck! Install the front air dam if yours is removed.

Slam it, and stay under 65mph, and you will easily get 22 mpg! ON REGULAR gas. ;-)

 

My wife's diesel cruz gets 55 mpg on the freeway on a BAD day. Best 50 mile stretch ever was somewhere around 65.x. Of course they discontinued that car... lol.

 

The Ridgeline is a car with a small bed on the back, not a truck. You truck has a frame, unlike the ridgeline. Also, with oversized tires and a lift, you begging for yardage, not mileage.

 

I use a 2 step process to manage MPG anxiety

1. I turn off the screen that gives me real time updates as I drive

2. As I turn off the truck, I look away and quickly open the door

Honestly, it kinda is what it is

 

I had a Nissan Altima as a rental ... never held above 30 MPG even when I tried.

I do not complain about the difference between 22 and 17. Technology must change for a better baseline. My best defense is better driving habits. My Corolla had 32 MPG driving cross country full packed, but dropped to 27 when I tried to to run it at 80 MPG (that was the limit) in west Texas desert space.

 

Troll post

 

try folding the side mirrors in when you drive. should help

 

True ... OP just got back from the newly-legal dope-shop and wanted to be cute.

But maybe the advice offered will be read by some who would otherwise ask the question again.

 

I average 10.6 computed and 12.0 calculated. I'd love to get 16!!

 

I warned you about -35 offset 40 inch tires! Listen to me next time!

 

-12 and 35's...just wait till I go 37's and keep stock gearing because I'm a rebel!