Gas mileage

tlbramel
tlbramel Member Posts: 2
in Tips & Tricks
i am towing my t@b with a Toyoya Highlander and my gas mileage drops from 24-25 mpg to 11 when I tow the t@b.  I do have to go over a mountain, but it seems even in the flats it's not better than 12 mpg.  I don't carry much extra weight in it.  Is this normal?  Would some sort of wind deflector help?
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  • Nomad
    Nomad Member Posts: 7,209
    I normally get 20-22 with my Jeep Wrangler but only 14 or less pulling the T@B.
    There's been 2-3 mileage discussion threads recently you might search for - one mentions deflectors and one has a bunch of responses as to what people are getting with various tow vehicles.
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  • Cyclonic
    Cyclonic Member Posts: 1,232
    It is very normal, my Escape runs at about 27 MPG normally, 13-14 towing.  I have not found really much of a way to improve upon it :perturbed: 

    States the T@Bpole has camped, so far ;)
    Nathan & Becky... 2013 Ford F150 FX4 TAB HLR... 2012 LG T@B T@Bpole.
    Sterling, VA
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  • Normfun
    Normfun Member Posts: 285
    edited July 2015
    Speed and wind resistance is everything when towing.  The less you have the higher your mileage.  With our Pilot we get 24 not towing and 15-17 towing. Actually got 20 towing a few times.
    Norm & Pat. 320 S Outback Utah or somewhere else.

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  • ChanW
    ChanW Member Posts: 3,165
    edited July 2015
    Yep, we got 18 or so, on the long down-hill from Albuquerque to Kansas, with a tailwind... Tacoma 4cyl. Normally while towing @ 60 mph it's 15mpg average.

    There's been a study about wind deflectors, it's somewhere on the web. The study's results made me think it wouldn't be worth the effort. The Tab itself is shaped well for wind flow, I think.
    Chan  -  near Buffalo NY
    2014 S Maxx
    2011 Tacoma 4cyl ... edit: 2022 Tacoma 6cyl - oh yeah! 

     A_Little_T@b'll_Do_Ya
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  • USWildflowers
    USWildflowers Member Posts: 177
    Toyota Sienna, 22-26 not towing; anywhere from 11 to 15 towing. Headwind makes a huge difference. I think I  seem to get better mileage if I'm amongst a bunch of semis - surfing the draft, I guess.
    gerry - Flintstone, GA - 2015 T@B S - 2012 Toyota Highlander

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  • Rad
    Rad Member Posts: 516
    edited July 2015
    My f150 only gets 17 or 18 normal driving and about 12 pulling the T@B.  I think the big V8 does not have to work as hard as the smaller motors when pulling so my drop in mileage is not as extreme.  However, I still end up down in the 12 range.  

    Sometimes I start to think about another tow vehicle with better mpg, then I check what one would cost me.  I could just about buy gas for life if I did not buy a new one considering how much I would have to spend to get a new tv.  

    I also like like the fact I can pull almost anything with the f150, in case I moved up to a bigger rig.  I'm also lucky that the truck is an extra vehicle, I need it for nothing more than to haul things.  
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  • mash2
    mash2 Member Posts: 584
    Ford Escape.  24-26 without t@B, about 18 with T@B
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  • source3
    source3 Member Posts: 144
    edited July 2015
    1997 Toyota Land Cruiser (slightly modified) - 15 mpg w/o trailer.  10.5 mpg with.  Flats - 63 mph.  Hills - 45 mph and locked in 2nd gear.

    FYI: Engine is a low horsepower, high torque inline 6 cylinder.  Completely different than what most people here on the forum are driving.  V8 Engine swap is in the future.
    Andrew P. 
    Durango, CO
    2015 S Outback

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  • Verna
    Verna Member Posts: 6,876
    mash2 said:
    Ford Escape.  24-26 without t@B, about 18 with T@B
    I only miss my '12 Escape for that gas mileage. 
    Verna, Columbus, IN
    2021 T@B 320S  Boondock “The T@B”
    Towed by a white 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 Supercab, 3.5L V6 Ecoboost “The Truck”
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  • Deltaboy59
    Deltaboy59 Member Posts: 315
    2011 Honda CRV...4 cylinder...29mpg...14mpg towing...
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  • Spruce1
    Spruce1 Member Posts: 100
    Hi tlbramel:  Our tow vehicle is a 2013 V6 Toyota Highlander.  The first 3 or so 100 mile long trips we got 11-12mpg.  Our most recent trips (traveling the same route) have yielded between 14 and 17 mpg.  So, yes mileage does take a hit as I get 24/25 without the T@B.
    2014 T@B-S
    2019 Honda Ridgeline, AWD, V6, 5,000 lbs towing capacity
    Minnesota
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  • sabel
    sabel Member Posts: 283
    2011 Toyota 4Runner... 15 mpg towing
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  • SweetlyHome
    SweetlyHome Member Posts: 336
    2012 Toyota RAV4...6 Cyl...20-22 Avg...10-14 Towing depending on speed, terrain, and wind direction.
    Jupiter, Florida~T@B 400, with 2018 Toyota 4Runner

       
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  • JandJ92010
    JandJ92010 Member Posts: 304
    2014 Ram C/V ( commercial version of the Dodge Grand Caravan),25 solo, and about 16 towing.
    The HobbiT@B, 2015-L, towed by a2014 RAM C/V
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  • DennisHemingway
    DennisHemingway Member Posts: 37
    2015 Jeep Cherokee V-6 auto trans, 25 Solo 18 Towing 2013 T@B S, 2012 Jeep Wrangler V-6 auto trans, 20 Sole, 18 Towing T@B S.

    2015 Jeep Cherokee tow Vehicle. 

    Barstow, CA

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  • vito
    vito Member Posts: 181
    Haven't taken my new T@b out yet with my 2011 Subaru Outback 3.6R. I normally get about 26 mpg on the highway so if I drop to 13 it will mean fill-ups at more than 200 mile rides. I'll post after my first trip. Anyone else using an Outback as a TV?
    2016 T@b S Maxx
    2011 Subaru Outback
    Rockford, Illinois
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  • vito
    vito Member Posts: 181
    I meant "at no more than 200 mile". 
    2016 T@b S Maxx
    2011 Subaru Outback
    Rockford, Illinois
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  • larrygon
    larrygon Member Posts: 255
    vito said: Anyone else using an Outback as a TV?
    We are using our 2014 Outback 3.6R to tow the T@B. We live in Northern Arizona with a lot of mountains and hills. We will be taking the T@B on a trip to New Mexico soon and should get a good idea on what gas mileage is like on smooth terrain. Right now it is not what I would say is optimum!
    "Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds." Albert Einstein
    2015 T@B M@X S White with Grey trim | TV 2021 Ascent Touring | Flagstaff AZ.
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  • tabasco
    tabasco Member Posts: 23
    Have done a few long distance hauls this year, our Forester has done well on back roads because of lower speeds, averaging 50 mph and up to 20mpg but if we end up on the freeway
    one tends to go with the flow ,anything over 60 can lower cons. to 17 or 18 and headwinds make it much worse, down to 15 was our worst ever !
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  • BBchBum
    BBchBum Member Posts: 100
    tabasco - you get 20mpg at 50mph while towing the T@B? I have a 2011 Forester (last year with the higher tow rating I understand).  That's good.  What year is it and have you traversed western mountain areas?  Any problems?   Thanks!
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  • tabasco
    tabasco Member Posts: 23
    Hi BBchBum, our Forester is 2005 LL bean auto,  and yeah our tow rating is also 2400#. We live in Victoria B.C. but every time we go on a trip we end up  mountain pass driving or on back roads.
     
     Hot and high can certainly affect fuel consumption as can high speed, but the car has adequate power for most of our towing. The only thing the car needs is a trans cooler witch we fitted when we 

    got the T@B. So far we have had no mechanical problems at all, 4 years of towing and total mileage of 225000 K ( only 20000K towing) Sometimes more power would be nice, but theres no hurry

    By the way thats kilometres not miles! The highest climb was 6000ft. the hight is not a problem, just take things slow and steady. Have fun towing, cheers ,TABasco.
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  • wizard1880
    wizard1880 Member Posts: 442
    With our Jetta TDI we see about 25-27 mpg towing between 60-65 mph, but on flat with gentle inclines. We will see how it goes later this month when we take it up a mountain pass. I suspect it will drop somewhat.
    T@@bulous
    2014 T@B CS Maxx
    TV: 2015 Audi Q7 3.0 V6 TDI (diesel)
    Martha Lake, WA
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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 0

    At the end of July, 1st week of August, we took our maiden voyage with our new Outback towed by a 2011 Toyota Tacoma Prerunner (4cyl automatic, 3,500 # towing / 350# tongue weight), from AR to CO & back, 2,300 miles total.  Our mileage ranged from a little over 12mpg to right at 20, averaging 14.7 mpg overall.  The truck handled towing the trailer fine, although it was obvious you were pulling it as we gained altitude across OK and eastern NM and over the more mountainous roads in NM & CO.  Our 1st mountain pass, 9,800', between Eagle Nest and Red River in NM was tough, down to 30 mph by the time we got to the top, with rev's close to 5K. 

    That got me thinking about upgrading to a 6cyl Tacoma, as we see ourselves heading to the mountains a lot.  I've never been satisfied with the normal mileage the truck gets not towing, 16 to 18 mpg in the city and approaching 20 on the hwy. and have wondered if a 6cyl Tacoma would do any worse?  I know that there are a number of forum members with Tacoma's and was hoping some would chime in and let me know what kind of mileage they were getting and whether their trucks were 4 or 6cyl, 2 wheel or 4WD, and how happy they are overall with their truck's performance.  Thanks!

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  • mash2
    mash2 Member Posts: 584
    I've switched tow vehicles since, but I took a 10K+ trip across country with significant time in Colorado, Utah and Nevada and my Forester 2012 got mileage of 19 mpg over the entire trip (about half in western rockies and high desert), including several trips over colorado 10,000+ passes.  The characterization of more power would be nice is true (I switched to a bit more power last year), but it performed well.
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  • DurangoTaB
    DurangoTaB Member Posts: 754
    20-23mpg with our 2012 Tacoma TRD Off Road normal...13-15mpg towing the T@B, pulling her up our CO passes makes a big difference.  I'm sure any diesel would help...

    J.D. & Sue

    Durango, CO    2014/15 S M@xx :  "Dory's HabiT@B"  Keep on swimming...

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  • jcfaber1
    jcfaber1 Member Posts: 318
    If you could find a used diesel Jeep Grand Cherokee would be fantastic.  We have the 6 cyl gas and does well but I am confident the diesel would be much better.

    2007 T@B

    Rockford, IL

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  • source3
    source3 Member Posts: 144
    source3 said:
    1997 Toyota Land Cruiser (slightly modified) - 15 mpg w/o trailer.  10.5 mpg with.  Flats - 63 mph.  Hills - 45 mph and locked in 2nd gear.

    Just switched to an Lexus GX470.  With a V8 and driving through the mountains of Colorado for a week averaged 13.5 MPG.  W/O towing 19 MPG.
    Andrew P. 
    Durango, CO
    2015 S Outback

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  • CanuckTabber
    CanuckTabber Member Posts: 41
    Right around 18 mpg pulling at 65mph with our VW Touraeg TDI.  Small hole in the ozone later however.
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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 0
    DurangoT@B, thanks for the feedback.  Your normal mileage beats what I'm getting and the towing mileage is similar, all good to hear.  Doesn't sound like I'd miss much, if anything, in overall efficiency.  Still not as good as some diesel setups, but I do like my truck.
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  • jschemel
    jschemel Member Posts: 80
    We just got back from a 3 week trip. We went form the SF Bay area thru Northern Calif, Central Oregon, Southeast Washington with a final destination  of camping in a NFS campground near Superior, Montana and back home. Total of 2,532 miles and 15 mpg. We went over several high passes and had a couple of days with a good wind. Our speed varried with whatever state we were in between 55-65mph. 
    Jaynie and Larry - Palo Alto, CA - 2015 T@B CS-S - Expedition EL - Nights spent in "T@b Spirit of Holly" 97
    (9/22/19/
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