Tundra MPG

Dude I go off road at least once a month and when younger it was every weekend. Now after 40 years I can truly count on both hands the times I have needed a locker lol.
Remember this truth: 90% driver and 10% vehicle determines a good day or a bad day. Learn to drive. Start easy.

 

My last truck was a Tacoma TRD Off-Road, so it had a locker. I knew from past experience it wouldn't be necessary, but figured it would be nice to have. Had the truck about 3.5 years before I traded it for my Tundra. I never once used the locker. Never did any real serious off-roading, but I was on trails and farm roads frequently.

 

Tires have a massive determination on MPG.

Going from P rated to E rated tires both in the stock size dropped me from 18 freeway to 16

 

As for my MPG, really varies a fair amount by the type of driving I'm doing. My Tundra is a weekends and evenings vehicle. I have a long commute so I have an Impreza for that. The Tundra does a mix of long trips and lots of short local trips, some towing. I'm averaging around 15 mpg right now in general. If I'm making more longer trips at a faster pace I'm averaging around 17, sometimes 18. On a trip to North Carolina back in the fall was the best I've had. Three tanks total on that trip, 18.93, 19.86, and 20.12 mpg hand calc.

 

I’m perplexed, I’m getting 8.5 MPG!!!!!! I got about 280 miles out of last full tank full. I have a 2018 SR5.... only have about 1500 miles on it. As far as mods go, Im Currently running Eibach coilover 3/1.5 with shackles in rear, Zone UCA, and 295/70/18 Cooper ST Maxx, TRD Pro wheels.... I know I can change air filter, 4.88/5.29 gears etc.... but it sounds like other guys are getting several more MPG with similar set ups.

 

Is your speedo corrected? If no your mileage per tank is low

 

No I haven’t done a calibration, but even doing the math with fuel out in and mileage travelled it’s still just over 8 MPG. I should be getting at least 400 miles out of a full tank fill.

 

moto0916. that is terrible. i mean the research ive done you should be getting 8 while towing heavy.

 

Lifted on 35s.lots of idling. Mostly city driving. Usually less then 5 miles at a time about 9.5 or 10 mpg per the truck computer. However, tank of fuel will last me about a month, unless I'm going camping or something, then obvs less time per tank. I get somewhere about 400 or 410 before I fill back up 38 gal tank.

 

Mpg isn't that different unless you compare a 4cyl. My tacoma is on 285s w/4.56 and manual trans v6. Best it ever did stock was 21mpg. Now avg about 17mpg but it's slow. Tundra lie-o- meter has been 15.5-18mpg on the first 3 tanks of fuel, its only got 1k miles so it may improve some once it breaks in. My advice would be pick the truck that suits your needs over mpg. If you ever plan on towing I would go tundra all the way, it's miserable towing anything over 2500lbs with the taco unless it's flat

 

Yeah I’m not sure what’s going on. I have a vehicle for work so I mainly drive the truck on weekends, city/highway about 50/50.

 

I was having the same concerns. I ended up going with the Tundra because I do driving for boy scout events. I wanted the cab space, more than the MPG. I will only drive the truck on pavement or very light offroad, improved dirt roads to a campsite etc, and mostly use the bed for boys gear, and occasionally tow the scout gear trailer, which isn't huge. I got a 2019 Tundra SR5 4.6L 2WD because it seemed to fit best how I would use the truck. Yes, when I do use it as a daily driver I get less MPG, but that was worth the trade off for the ability to do the light hauling and fitting more kids in the cab. No complaints so far.

 

Lots of guys will say you need a Tundra if you have a family but someone I know just bought a Tacoma and he, his wife and both their kids are all over 6'. Then again, I found the interior of the 2016 Tacoma to be tiny and I'm very average in size; not sure if they've changed at all for 2019. I would say the Tacoma will be better for off roading, though it's admittedly a lot less truck than the Tundra for pretty much the same price. If you're hauling anything big and heavy or towing anything that's a decent size, you need to go to the Tundra. Tundra will also be nicer for long trips but not as nice for daily driving.

Also, maybe consider posting this same question on a Tacoma forum to ensure you're not too biased?

 

I came from 2017 tacoma , was averaging around 22 mpg driving conservatively .

2019 tundra so far have only 2400 miles , it’s been giving me average of 17-18. It’s worth the scarfice for more power and tourqe. And family comfort, more leg room for kids et all.

 

Test drive them both. If you do that, I'd be utterly shocked if you still went with the Tacoma.

 

Definitely get some seat time in the tacoma before buying anything....this new gen tacoma is damn disappointing. From the seating position to the bullshit powertrain it.

 

2018 Tundra 4x4 SR5 DC, I have a very light foot, keep it under 2000RPM. I have 1600 miles and have an average of 10.3mpg 90% of my driving is around the village I live in. Work is 1 mile away. I traded in my 10 year old Tundra, it was averaging 12MPG city, drove it the exact same way.....I can't make any sense of it???

I struggle to get 17mpg on the highway, let alone an average of 17-18??. If I keep it at 65, it's doable. How you all are getting the mileage you are is making me question the logic in my truck? Maybe it needs to be calibrated?

 

I completely agree. California with all the compact spaces sucks. I feel like a dick sometimes double parking but I have no choice or Ill get cornered in. On top of that, I have to back in about 90% of the time.

 

Shorter trips yes mileage sucks. But that’s true for any vehicle.

My round trip from from work is 74 miles , state hwy.

 

2018 4x4 Tundra limited crewmax, stock, no mods at all 16 to 17 average MPG. 9500 miles on the truck. I have own both Tundras and Tacomas, Theirs not much difference in the MPG . compared to the comfort of the bigger Tundra. I would get tundra for the extra comfort and room. just my two cents

 

Short trips and stop and go kill mpg. I live in a rural area so it's mostly highway miles with very little sp and go. Funny thing is between the tacoma, tundra and f350 I have the powerstroke doors the best mpg albeit at a higher fuel cost 18.2 mpg on summer blend, 17.4 on winter blend

 

One mile trips to work, yeah, that'll kill your mileage pretty bad. Truck hardly gets a chance to warm up at all.

Your truck is all stock? When you say 'if you keep it at 65', is that with cruise or no? I see people a lot of times talk as if cruise control should give them the best mileage. But an intelligent driver trying to get decent mileage can do better than cruise can.

 

Me as well. I lose more below 50 degrees. If it's warmer than 50 I can see 14mpg on the computer. Not on cold mornings (30-40) I only see 11-12mpg weird.

 

Still looks pretty stock

 

Using fuelly.com figures, the difference in mpg between a Tacoma and Tundra is about 4 mpg. Depending upon set-up [stock or lifted with bigger tires] that could be a bit more. Here's the deal. If you average 15,000 miles per year, at $2.50 per gallon, it will cost you $50.00 more per month to drive a Tundra: or $12.50 more per week at the gas pump. Buy the truck you actually want, regardless of mpg, unless you're on a tight budget: in that case, find a later model Tundra with higher mileage to save a little more money on the front end [initial purchase price].

Here's the deal. You save money on a Toyota because of reliability: low cost of maintenance over time saves you much more than what you lose on gas mileage.

If you like it, it's easier to make the monthly payment, I notice.

 

An Apprentice and a Journeyman are working on a project. The apprentice asks the journeyman, "Hey Ron, what kind of mileage do you get with that S-10 Blazer?" Ron loudly replies, "WTF difference does it make, you have to fill it up when it's empty!"

 

Haha so true. If a few mpg made a difference to us, we wouldnt drive big trucks.

 

Here are the stats for the tundra. Last tank was 7 mpg due to the cold and remote starts.

 

This may be a little off subject, as I do not yet own a Tundra, but will in the next few weeks. That's why I joined the tundras.com community, to explore and see what members had to say. First, as a previous Taco owner and 4-runner owner, the gas mileage on these size vehicles are nothing to get excited about. They do get better, but not by much. I prefer the room and power, so Tundra will be my choice. Gas mileage , IMHO, should be checked on any vehicle the "old fashioned" method, filling up, running it, then filling up again comparing miles driven to gallons used between fill ups. The computers do a somewhat decent job, but like my current truck, it uses the level of fuel in the tank to do the calculation. Ok, but not actually a real good method. Good luck with your decision, BUT GET THE TUNDRA.

 

There are numerous members on this forum that off road very heavily. The 4WD system is extremely capable without a locker from what I've seen. In fact, from the videos that have been posted and where they went it made me question why one would ever need a locker.