gas milage with an Eagle/Tacoma

[joerc211v]

I have a 2007 long bed 4 door 4X4 4.0 liter Tacoma. I'm curious as to what kind of gas mileage I can expect? I usually get around 20mpg mixed interstate 75mph and lower speeds diving back roads of the Rockies.
Thanks,
Joe

 

[Stan@FourWheel]

I think we get around 15 mpg if we are going 70+ in our company Tacoma.

 

[ETAV8R]

When I go on trips with the camper I usually try to keep the cruise control at around 65-68 and get between 13-19. Wind is a factor where I travel along the 14/395. I also have a Yakima wind fairing to help.

 

[takesiteasy]

Wind and speed are the big factors. Our mileage has varied from 12 (uphill against the wind) to 20 mpg. But speed is the biggest factor. Going 55-60 on the back roads seems to allow 18-20 mpg. Going 70-75 on the freeway is more like 14-15 mpg. We have the Yakima fairing also but I don't think it affects the mileage much.

 

[BFH4N]

I will be going out to Wisconsin in the next week to pick up my new Fleet (a little heavier that an Eagle) for my 2007 Tacoma Access Cab (a little lighter than yours). I plan to keep track of gas mileage both ways, so I'll let you know...

- Bernard

 

[camper101]

My experience is pretty much the same as takeiteasy, but no wind fairing. My overall average is 16.8 (I use Fuelly to track it). The truck was brand new when I got it at the same time as the camper, and it seems like I've been doing better than that lately as the truck breaks in and I slow down a little. I have an access cab.

 

[RC Pilot Jim]

1000 pound shell mounted full time.
Empty
Around town - 14-14.5
50/50. 15.5
Freeway 16.5 ( under 70 mph)
With camping gear 3-day trip 2 people - loaded weight 5800-6000 pounds.
15-16 mpg
Best one way ( Truckee to Olancha, Ca). 18.3.
Recorded same mileage, same trip leg 2 years in a row.

 

[slus]

Those are pretty impressive MPG figures with a camper on the back! Are you all running automatic transmissions?

I don't have numbers with a camper since mine rides on an F350, but my dad and I drive basically identical 2013 Tacomas, except his is auto and I opted for the 6 Speed. He gets 20-21 on the highway and about 19 mixed, I get 17......everywhere, all the time.

 

[RC Pilot Jim]

Slus,
Are you surprised mileage is so low compared to an empty truck? Or so High?

. Our 2013 has 4 liter V6, 5-speed auto. With 3.73 rear gear (trailer towing pkg). We only burn chevron premium. There is Noticible performance difference over regular and mileage increased by almost 1 mpg. It is driven conservatively under 70 mph - mostly 60 - 68.

 

[camper101]

Those are pretty impressive MPG figures with a camper on the back! Are you all running automatic transmissions?

I don't have numbers with a camper since mine rides on an F350, but my dad and I drive basically identical 2013 Tacomas, except his is auto and I opted for the 6 Speed. He gets 20-21 on the highway and about 19 mixed, I get 17......everywhere, all the time.

I've got an auto V6 (2012) and the shell is on full time. Just filled up and got 19.8 since the last fill: from Del Norte, CO to Denver and a did a few trips around town. My wife drove most of that leg, and she is on the conservative side, but not annoying...

 

[lqhikers]

first tacoma 2002 reg cab inline 4 4x4 manual,eagle shell loaded with way to much crap
over gvw always kept total milage figures,included six pack hard shell at times.
total overall mpg when owned even 16 mpg.

2nd tacoma 2008 access cab 4x4 v/6 6spd manual with same eagle and six pack at times.
again total milage 16 mpg.

at times i also towed a off road trailer with dual sport mc.kayak,etc included in overall milage.

looking back the 2002 tacoma was the best of the two. wish i had not gotten the urge to up grade!

Les,lqhikers

 

[RC Pilot Jim]

Any vehicle gets better fuel mileage burning fuel outside Calif.
Calif uses a special blend to fight pollution that affects mileage. When we travel in Arizona , mileage increases 2-3 mpg.

 

[RC Pilot Jim]

I queried "Google" to see if altitude makes any or much difference between sea level and say 5,000 feet. Some say yes, some no.

I checked the altitude range between Truckee, Ca (5,817 feet) and Olancha, Ca (3,650 feet). Speed on that leg is probably 55-65 avg. That leg was some "coasting" and some "reduced speed". can be credited for the better fuel milege.

At sea level just driving around takes more gas pedal and freeway speeds.

When the truck was new, no camper, milege range was 18-22 mpg.

 

[slus]

Slus,
Are you surprised mileage is so low compared to an empty truck? Or so High?

. Our 2013 has 4 liter V6, 5-speed auto. With 3.73 rear gear (trailer towing pkg). We only burn chevron premium. There is Noticible performance difference over regular and mileage increased by almost 1 mpg. It is driven conservatively under 70 mph - mostly 60 - 68.

So high! You guys are pulling mileage with a camper very near what I get with my truck, empty.

If I had to go back, I would have got my Tacoma with an automatic, just for the MPG savings alone.

 

[takesiteasy]

We have the 4.0 V6 auto. I like it, never have wished I had the manual transmission.

 

[Timothy McGowen]

Jim,

Interesting observation about the use with premium gas. Sounds like it pays for itself and you get better performance.

 

[RC Pilot Jim]

Yes Timothy,
And at only 20 cents a gallon (about $3 bucks a tank) more than regular, so far it's been worth it.

 

[SLOwag]

Truck specs are in my sig line. I've been running premium as a test for awhile but I don't have definitive results yet. On my latest 1000 mile trip with a loaded 6k rig, I got 14.5mpg bucking a headwind at 65mph, and 16mpg with a tailwind or no wind at 70mph. I use cruise control as often as possible….

 

[RC Pilot Jim]

SLO, so about 15.25 average? Rig weight and roof storage affects mileage. How much does your Finch and Tacoma (rig) weigh loaded? Is it a shell or regular camper?

On our last 1200 mile trip (with the Truckee leg) we averaged - 16.5. Rig weight - 6300 pounds. Truck mileage then 13,600 ( still in breaking in period).

I have only run premium in this truck. I did the test in my 1999 4cyl Tacoma. At about 30,000 miles. Was so impressed with the results I just kept running it over the next 12 years and 162,000 miles of its life with me.

Fuel note: In the early '80's we ran the big 4-door Chev 454 v8 on regular - camper off. Ran it on premium camper on and pulling the boat for performance or engine would. "Ping". Fuel cost 75 cents per gallon so we didn't care that much about mileage, . Truck got 10 mpg empty and 8 mpg with camper, boat, 4 adults , food and lots of adult beverages for 4 days on Colorado river

 

[iowahiker]

As a retired oil refinery engineer who did thousands of gasoline blending calculations, I would not expect premium gasoline to increase fuel economy except: some regions blend premium without ethanol for boat engines which is very worthwhile since ethanol absorbs water (ethanol reduces fuel economy) or an engine operating outside the design point and so retarding (?) timing badly. Most engines using OBD (?) II computers will not move outside the design point to avoid pollution (OBD (?) I and older can). Sorry for not remembering the initials for the different automotive computer generations. Ethanol blending varies a lot station to station and grade to grade and causes a lot of mpg variation.
Currently camping in the Flat Tops, CO, so I can only argue these points when we are in town resupplying but many would disagree with a current generation gasoline engine getting better gasoline mileage on premium.