3rd Gen mileage

Planning on long trips with the Tacoma pulling #2800 trailer. Any thoughts on actual mileage open road between 2wd & 4wd.

 

Are you thinking about towing in 4hi? I’d recommend against that on dry pavement.

 

I pull a 1500 # boat and get 15-16 in 2wd.

 

I have a 6x12 enclosed trailer that weighs 2000lbs. At 60-65 I can get between 13 and 15mpg. At 70-75 I'm at anywhere between 10 and 15, mostly depending on wind direction. With an enclosed trailer wind is my biggest enemy when pulling that light. An open utility trailer should get probably 15 to 17.

Edit: these are numbers in 2wd. If I need 4wd I'm certainly not running 60... usually more like 40. At that speed the mpg differences are negligible.

 

Let me more clear. I'm meanly going to be pulling a 2800# camper x country. Would it worst me buying a 2wd versa 4x4 for just a few time it may be needed. The saving in gas mileage. wondering what the real different is.
I have a 2004 DCDB 4x4 and love it. I meanly use it for camping and carrying canoe and kayak.

 

I would imagine the 2wd truck and the 4wd truck will get similar mileage while towing in 2wd. Unless you plan on towing through snow and mud you shouldn't need the 4wd while towing. At least this what has always been taught to me.

 

If you only go a few times it will make hardly a difference . Keep the 2004 for camping and fun , and buy a econo model (Rav4 or Prius etc)for every day to save gas the other 50 weeks of the year .

 

No significant difference between the two. I've towed with both 2WD and 4WD. MPG gap narrows quite a bit with a load in the back. And if you ever have to tow up a steep, slippery hill, 4WD is worth its weight in gold.

I had a 1st gen DC as well. I miss it at times, but I love the 3rd gen more. You will like the change.

 

I towed a 2400lb trailer (an a-frame popup camper) about 2500 miles in January, from Texas to Florida and back, mostly on I10 at 70MPH.

I got 14-15MPG most of the time. I did have one tank hit 17.5MPG for some crazy reason. The trailer is wider than the truck by a few inches, so I had clamp on mirrors. It's also not as tall as the truck, so I'd expect a taller trailer would likely encounter more drag.

The truck had PLENTY of power. A few times I had to nail the throttle to pass, and the truck would downshift to 3rd and haul ass up to 80MPH easily.

What I would do most of the time would be to start with ECT Power ON, in 4S, then when up to speed on the freeway, turn ECT Power OFF, and shift to d. The truck would often stay in 4th or 5th gear. It was winter and cold, so I wasn't too worried about the transmission overheating. In the summer time, I'd probably want to fire up Torque on the phone and watch the trans temps.


(will note for OP that my truck is an SR5 4x4, but 4WD was never engaged on the trip. Fuel economy is probably NO DIFFERENT in a 2WD Taco)

 

Not much of a hit in MPG. Stay in 4 hi when neccessary and be safe! You should see 14 -16 mpg in 2wd anyways. Not sure about 4wd tow as my 3500 lb camper was aummer only

 

He's debating between a 4wd truck and a 2wd truck and towing differences between them. Not towing with a truck in 4wd vs being in 2wd.
You are going to get slightly better milage in the 2wd truck as it will weigh less and have less spinning mass still move. You might save 1-2mpg.