Fuel efficient tow vehicle recommendation?

sherndon1
sherndon1 Member Posts: 2
in Trailer & Towing
Hello Group!
Looking for recommendations for a fuel efficient tow vehicle.  Currently towing our T@B with a 2014 BMW X1.  It is a perfectly capable tow vehicle - just drops from 24mpg to 12mpg when towing.  Looking for the perfect tow vehicle that is a fuel efficient daily driver and tow vehicle. 
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  • ChanW
    ChanW Member Posts: 3,165
    edited November 2016
    It seems most people here get between 13-18mpg when towing.
    One that someone had that surprised me with over 20mpg, was a diesel, probably a VW.
    You might search for VW diesel mileage.
    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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  • ScottG
    ScottG Administrator Posts: 5,655
    I've gotten the same impression as Chan. The smaller vehicles--while more fuel efficient to begin with--seem to take the bigger hit in MPG while towing.
    2015 T@B Max S (320)
    2015 Nissan Frontier SV V6 4x4
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  • Photomom
    Photomom Member Posts: 2,217
    ScottG said:
    I've gotten the same impression as Chan. The smaller vehicles--while more fuel efficient to begin with--seem to take the bigger hit in MPG while towing.
    My 3.5L V6 goes from 24 to 15 when towing. The only vehicles I've heard of that don't take a big hit are trucks with big V8s.
    John and Henrietta, Late 2016 T@B S Max in Western New York
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  • jcfaber1
    jcfaber1 Member Posts: 318
    If you're in the market, check out the Jeep Grand Cherokee with the diesel engine.  We have the JGC with the standard 6 cylinder gas engine.  I wish I had the diesel.  The VW diesel engines are all tied up with cheating scandal.  Our other car is one of those guilty vehicles.  I really like diesel technology.
    John 

    2007 T@B

    Rockford, IL

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  • ChanW
    ChanW Member Posts: 3,165
    John, what mpg do you average when towing?
    jcfaber1 said:
    If you're in the market, check out the Jeep Grand Cherokee with the diesel engine.  We have the JGC with the standard 6 cylinder gas engine.  I wish I had the diesel.  The VW diesel engines are all tied up with cheating scandal.  Our other car is one of those guilty vehicles.  I really like diesel technology.
    John 


    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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  • mickietucs
    mickietucs Member Posts: 720
    I considered a diesel but my budget didn't allow it - so I ended up with an F150 (V6) - I've been surprised I've averaged about the same mpg towing or not towing (~16mpg) so not really a hit. Of course a bit less when the mountains but the average is as stated - but I also drive between 55-60mph. 
    Michele, Tucson, AZ. TV - '13 F150 & '16 T@Bitha special order.


    You never really travel alone. The world is full of friends waiting to get to know you!

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  • Nerdy1
    Nerdy1 Member Posts: 60
    I have a Toyota Highlander that gets around 20-21 mpg towing when I am not climbing mountains.  Love the ride as well as the control.
    T@BOO - 2016 Outback Max S in New Mexico towed by 2016 Toyota Highlander (soon)
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  • mickietucs
    mickietucs Member Posts: 720
    Nerdy1 said:
    I have a Toyota Highlander that gets around 20-21 mpg towing when I am not climbing mountains.  Love the ride as well as the control.
    Something like what you have was my second choice, however an SUV wasn't within my budget either --- I'd love to get 20-21!
    Michele, Tucson, AZ. TV - '13 F150 & '16 T@Bitha special order.


    You never really travel alone. The world is full of friends waiting to get to know you!

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  • Nomad
    Nomad Member Posts: 7,209
    I count on 14.5 in the low flatlands with my Jeep Wrangler. Suprisingly I get over 16 in mountains. Got 17.8 in the high altitudes of western NM, eastern AZ this last weekend.
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  • jcfaber1
    jcfaber1 Member Posts: 318
      I have the gas engine.  We get between 12-16 depending on the wind, terrain and my lead foot.  I tend to tow close to 70 so it drops rapidly above 60.  The diesel engine would also work at lower RPM's as there's so much more torque.  I don't have the diesel because of cost.  However they have been out now for a while and you could find a good used one for less.
    John 

    2007 T@B

    Rockford, IL

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  • Nomad
    Nomad Member Posts: 7,209
    Doesn't the gear ratio of ones rear axel also affect mileage?
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  • Ramrod
    Ramrod Member Posts: 164
    12 mpg Acura MDX at 70 mph
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  • mash2
    mash2 Member Posts: 584
    Ford Escape 2.0 ecoboost -  17-19 towing (24-30 non towing).  Tend to drive at 55 however so this helps.
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  • bryce0lynch
    bryce0lynch Member Posts: 5
    Ford Escape also. 3500# towing capacity and just above 19 MPG towing, with, as previously stated, around 24-30 when not towing.

    I'm looking forward to the advances in hybrids. Moderate towing under gas power and great electric mileage during the 99% of the time not towing.
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  • Floridaloha
    Floridaloha Member Posts: 68
    I just bought a 2013 Toyota Highlander with tow package. Max towing capacity is 5K compared with my last vehicle which was 3.5K. Will be interested to see how the mileage changes. I won't have it until next week. Highway mileage was 22. 

    Anyone else towing with a Toyota Highlander? I'm sure there are folks here.
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  • dmerzbac
    dmerzbac Member Posts: 289
    Ford Escape 2.0 is my TV of choice also.

    2017 T@b 320 - 'Smokey'  2017 Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport - 'B@ndit'
    Dave - Tuscaloosa, Al






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  • wizard1880
    wizard1880 Member Posts: 442
    My old tow vehicle, a Jetta TDI would get 24-26mpg towing.  But mountain passes are out of the question as it overheats the manual transmission (and I would never recommend towing any thing with an automatic Jetta).

    Our new Q7 with the 3.0 TDI will get low 20s if I keep the speed sane.

    Due to thermodynamic principles and fuel density, diesel will always get better mileage than a gas powered one.  Just depends if the price difference is worth it to you.
    T@@bulous
    2014 T@B CS Maxx
    TV: 2015 Audi Q7 3.0 V6 TDI (diesel)
    Martha Lake, WA
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  • Estancio
    Estancio Member Posts: 243
    My diesel-powered Land Cruiser drops from 24 to 13 when towing. My gas-powered FJ Cruiser drops from 22 to 15 when towing. Since gas is cheaper here, I mostly tow with the gas engine. Landscape seems to have minimal impact, but speed has major impact. So I drive around 60mph, even though everyone passes me. 
    Stancil Campbell
    2011 T@B
    Rockingham, NC

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  • Homebodyatheart
    Homebodyatheart Member Posts: 2,516
    Floridaloha, we just picked up a 2015 Highlander a few weeks ago. Since our trailer comes in February, I have no idea what MPG we will be getting. I just figured out tonight how to reset the gadget that gives us MPG on the current tank. They just finished installing the tow package and brake controller that were all hardwired in when we bought it, including both 4 and 7 pin hookups. Our previous 4cyl had a 2700# tow limit, and we feel more comfortable with 5000# and a 6cyl. Let us know how yours does!
    2017 T@B 320 Max S silver and cherry red, L@dybug ("Bug" aka my esc@pe pod), TV 2015 Toyota Highlander aka Big Red
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  • pthomas745
    pthomas745 Administrator, Moderator Posts: 4,528
    I have a Touareg TDI (diesel) and it got 20 mpg on the 400 mile relatively flat drive from Phoenix to LA last week.  65 miles an hour or under.

    2017 Outback
    Towed by 2014 Touareg TDi
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  • Fergie
    Fergie Member Posts: 143
    Because of our business, I keep pretty good milage and gas records for our towing vehicle which is also used for doing work for the business.

     Since we are planning a long trip to move from Minnesota to Alaska next spring with our T@B S Max, last year we bought an used 2009 Ford Expedition in pretty good condition with a V8-330 5.4L engine to assure we had were not underpowered for our long trip. Obviously we didn't acquire it for gas economy!. Previously I had a Montana Van that got close to 20 MPH on trips.

     Around town without a trailer I get 13 to14 MPG and on the highway I get 15 to 18 MPG. However, on a long 3600 mile trial round trip towing the T@B this summer to the east coast to visit relatives in New York State and Massachusetts, we averaged between 12 and 14 MPG depending on average highway speed, mostly between 60 and 70 MPH. Thus while towing the trailer, it sounds as if we are in the range of many other T@B owners regardless of their TV except for those with diesel power.

    The other advantages are our tongue weight capacity is 700 lbs. and we seem to have plenty of generator capacity. Based on this I mounted the spare tire in front of the propane/battery box and we had no problems with stability. In fact I had to develop a habit of reminding myself we were towing a trailer! Also we had no problems with charging power at any point during the trip. This included putting the Norcold on 12 volts while we were in transit and even during brief rest stops.

    MN Fergie
     
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  • USWildflowers
    USWildflowers Member Posts: 177
    Floridaloha said:
    I just bought a 2013 Toyota Highlander with tow package. Max towing capacity is 5K compared with my last vehicle which was 3.5K. Will be interested to see how the mileage changes. I won't have it until next week. Highway mileage was 22. 

    Anyone else towing with a Toyota Highlander? I'm sure there are folks here.
    I've got a 2012 Highlander with tow package. I get 22-24 on the highway while not towing. We recently returned from a 7,000-mile cross-country trip, and averaged just under 15 mpg. My towing speed varied, but 60 was probably average, although I ran a few days averaging 65 mph. Had a really bad day crossing Texas into nearly a headwind - struggled to maintain 13mpg. Net elevation change seems to have a notable impact - 16.3 mpg was one of the better days on the 318 miles from Stillwater Campground at 8,500' in Colorado to the 4,000' elevation in Moab, Utah. It also seemed to me that we got lower mpg using the gasoline out west - I noted that the CA, AZ, NM, TX gas was 86 octane, AR and TN (maybe OK?) was 87 octane, so it's formulated differently, and I sure got better fuel economy in AR/TN than those other states.
    gerry - Flintstone, GA - 2015 T@B S - 2012 Toyota Highlander

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  • wizard1880
    wizard1880 Member Posts: 442
    Just beware parts of Idaho and Utah, you'll only find 85 octane!  It's OK as long as you stay high in the mountains.
    T@@bulous
    2014 T@B CS Maxx
    TV: 2015 Audi Q7 3.0 V6 TDI (diesel)
    Martha Lake, WA
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  • Nomad
    Nomad Member Posts: 7,209
    Ok, try to beat this...



    Actual reading earlier today...
    6% downhill grade fo 20 miles. Coasted in 4th gear. Didn't last long once I was down in the valley :-(
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  • StephenCarnes
    StephenCarnes Member Posts: 3
    Nice.
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  • ericnliz
    ericnliz Member Posts: 4,437
    Pretty impressive stuff there PXL.
    2016 T@B MAX S-aka: WolfT@B
    TV: 2006 Chevy Avalanche LT Z71 aka: WhiteWolf, or 1972 Chevy Custom10 P/U aka: SnarlingWolf
    Spokane, Wa.
    Eric aka: Lone Wolf  


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  • Photomom
    Photomom Member Posts: 2,217
    Floridaloha said:
    I just bought a 2013 Toyota Highlander with tow package. Max towing capacity is 5K compared with my last vehicle which was 3.5K. Will be interested to see how the mileage changes. I won't have it until next week. Highway mileage was 22. 

    Anyone else towing with a Toyota Highlander? I'm sure there are folks here.
    We have a 2013 V6 4WD. Our average when towing has been around 15mpg. That's here in NY and a bit in VT, NH, and ME. I would expect less if we were someplace with more significant mountains.
    John and Henrietta, Late 2016 T@B S Max in Western New York
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  • Nomad
    Nomad Member Posts: 7,209
    Photomom - I get much better gas mileage in the mountains ... 14.? Flatlands, low altitudes ... 16.? in the higher altitudes even with the climbing. 19.2 yesterday.
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  • rfuss928
    rfuss928 Member Posts: 1,181
    PXLated said:
    Ok, try to beat this...



    Actual reading earlier today...
    6% downhill grade fo 20 miles. Coasted in 4th gear. Didn't last long once I was down in the valley :-(


    Similar situation as yours in the Canadian Rockies a while back.

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  • Nomad
    Nomad Member Posts: 7,209
    Crazy :-)
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