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Towing with 2023 Toyota Tacoma

Boatlife
Boatlife Member Posts: 5
in Trailer & Towing
I know there are several discussions about towing with a Tacoma, but will ask anyway.
Just finished a weekend trip along the Gulf Coast towing our 2016 TAB CS camper with my 2023 Tacoma (V6 engine, automatic transmission). Most of the terrain is flat or moderately hilly but felt like the truck was working harder than it should to keep about 70 mph highway speeds. I would be having to rev up to 3k rpm at times on the hills and my milage was between 13-14 MPG. 
I wanted to know if this is typical or if I should be towing at a lower speed or at least what other people's experience has been with a similar setup. The truck is rated for 6500lb towing capacity, I feel that a less than 2000 lb camper should be no problem.
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Comments

  • Gomers2
    Gomers2 Member Posts: 117
    IMO the weight is not the issue it's the drag. And, as discussed in another thread, aero drag increases by the cube of the speed increase. 65 to 75 is a speed increase of 15.5%.  If my math is correct that increase would incur a 54% increase in wind resistance. When it comes to mpg, speed kills. That said it doesn't sound like your mileage is too far off from other gen3 Tacomas. (FWIW the gen4 seems to have a ton of power with a 3000 lb trailer and gets a couple mpg better, although we try to keep it to 65. Not much help to your situation I realize)
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  • tabiphile
    tabiphile Member Posts: 470
    Tacos with that motor do not generate max torque or horsepower until they are running above 4,000 RPM. If you try to tow and are keeping the engine revs under 3K, you are not ever seeing the trucks power band. These 6's are decent motors, but paired with that 6 speed transmission, they will sound like they are blowing up when they are tapped for horsepower.
    Maximum Torque is attained at 4600 RPM
    Maximum HP is attained at 6000 RPM
    Further point, you should not allow the transmission to shift to over-drive. 
    That gas mileage is about typical. 
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  • Horigan
    Horigan Member Posts: 862
    Sounds similar to our Highlander, though our mileage is closer to 11-12 mpg.  In hilly areas I tend to shift manually to minimize the shifting that the auto mode would do.
    Rich
    2019 T@b 400
    2025 Toyota Highlander 2.4L Turbo
    Bellingham WA
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  • targ
    targ Member Posts: 86
    edited April 2025
    The 2024 Taco owner's manual says max speed is 65mph.
    But, like @Gomers2 said, the issue is the drag (although it's the square of the velocity, not cube).  I couldn't find anything in the manual, but for that size truck, the trailer's frontal area should be limited to around 30sqf or so.  I think the Tab320 is something like 50+ depending on model.
    FWIW, I get about 14mpg interstate (high speed) and around 16mpg (55 and under) with my Gladiator pulling a 320.  So you're in the ballpark for sure.
    Also FWIW, when I pull the 320 with my Dodge 2500 diesel, the truck doesn't know it's back there at all.  But the mpg still drops down into the 14mpg range.
    The capacity to learn is a gift; The ability to learn is a skill; The willingness to learn is a choice. | -REBEC OF GINAZ
    2019 T@B 320S BD Lite, Jeep TJUR, Jeep JT

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  • Gomers2
    Gomers2 Member Posts: 117
    @targ you are correct: Aerodynamic drag increases at a square rate (proportional to the square of velocity) 
    and I could have worded that better, but:
    The power needed to overcome drag is the product of the drag force and the object's velocity. Since drag is proportional to velocity squared, and you're multiplying by velocity again, the power needed to overcome drag increases as the cube of the object's velocity. 
    It's a remarkably complicated subject, mostly above my head, but either way, it's a real drag!
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  • Maxcamp
    Maxcamp Member Posts: 352
    edited April 2025
    @Boatlife, your towing experience seems representative.  
    Also towing a 320s with a 2023 v6 Sr5 4wd longbed tacoma automatic, heavily loaded with gear.  11-13 mpg towing 70 to 75 mph.  14-17 mpg without tow.  87 octane efuels.

    3000 rpm is about 70 mph in 4th gear.
    You are hopefully in manual "s" mode not automatic.  We never use fifth gear overdrive except long steep downhills.
    I never use sixth extra overdrive, period.  You'd have to be doing 85 untowed to not lug the engine rpm.

    I recommend getting a Scangauge III that plugs in OBD port and can be setup to show actual gear you're in, transmission temps, oil temp.

    If you haven't beefed up leaf springs they are negative and bottomed out on all stock tacomas carrying 400 lb or more.
     You need add a leaf (AAL) helpers, bigger springs, or I recommend Firestone airbags which are adjustable with one press of a bicycle footpump.
    8 to 10 psi out of option for 40psi levels us out.

    Just put in a transmission aftercooler and did transmission flush at 30k miles of which 25k has been towing.  Also pinned the transmission thermostat open for towing season.  A big job overall.

    12 to 20 degree F reduction in transmission fluid temperature.  194F is median oil temp.  Transmission fluid is no longer in that range but 168 to 174 full day highway drive.  Fluctuates higher with hill climbs.

    Lots of good info on Tacoma World forum.  I've put several hundred  hours into mechanical and electrical mods related to towing camper and construction trailers.  







    2021 T@B 320S Boondock/ 2012 Tacoma 4 cylinder truck / 2023 Tacoma 6 cyl. truck

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  • manyman297
    manyman297 Member Posts: 1,433
    2020 Off Road…worst mpg ever was 9mpg on the way to Oregon from Utah (maybe in Idaho somewhere). It’s the wind resistance. Stay at 60mph and it’ll be somewhat happy. Tacomas are no tow masters. It’ll get the job done but it won’t be happy doing it.
    2021 400 BD
    2020 Tacoma TRD Off-Road 
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