Fuel Milage

[sharp4runr]

It is in Microsoft Excel format. I'm averaging 17.059 MPG over the course of almost 2 years.

I've also driven in 4WD and 2WD and from my results 4WD mode for the V6 doesn't affect gas mileage significantly. Also premium makes no difference (No suprise there).

My drive is stop in go mostly as I have to commute through I95 in the direction of Washington DC. You can guess traffic is horrible...

 

[Jeff Kleb]

My drive is stop in go mostly as I have to commute through I95 in the direction of Washington DC. You can guess traffic is horrible...

Roger that! I drive on I-95 three or four days a week to Northern VA (Woodbridge, Dumfries, Manassas, etc.), but I am in my company truck and don't have to pay for the fuel. It burns diesel - a lot of diesel. It gets 7 mpg, sometimes 8 if I drive it easy.
:bash: (Thankfully, it holds over 100 gallons!)

Tomorrow, I only have to go as far as Stafford. Still, it can get kind of hairy in that area near Garrisonville.

As for my 4Runner, I get about 16 to 17 mpg around town. My best in-town driving was 18, and my worst was 13.5. On the highway, it can get 20 mpg on a long trip if I can keep my foot out of it. It burns a lot more fuel as soon as you get above 70 mph. It will get 20 mpg if you can keep 'er steady at 65 to 70 mph, but the average highway traffic flow around here is 75 or better.....and the 4Runner is so darn stable and smooth when cruising at 80 or even 85 on the Interstate.

I drove it to upstate NY last spring and to Michigan last summer, and my best highway mileage was 21. The worst 'long trip' scored me 19 mpg, but I was moving quite quickly on that trip. Not sitting in stop-and-go traffic will certainly help your numbers improve.

Don't go by what the trip computer says, though. It tends to be optimistic. I use it as a guideline only, and it does help me to drive a little more conservatively - because I can see the mileage dip if I let my foot get too heavy. I write down my odometer reading whenever I fill up the tank and then divide by how many gallons I use. That will give you a more accurate measurement than watching the trip computer (which you should reset whenever you top off your tank).

As for premium fuel, I have tried it a few times and have found no difference at all. It seems to accelerate a bit smoother with the 91 to 93 octane than with 87, but the difference is negligible. Methinks the extra $$$$ for every tankful is probably not worth it, unless you want to play Jackie Stewart at every stoplight or have to tow a huge trailer.
:awais:

 

[fjc32]

V8 Vs V6

I had a 2003 v8 2wd. With michelin cross terrain, I can get 17.5-18 MPG. With dunlop, I could only get 15.5-16.5.

Let's say you drive 30000mi at $3 per gallon, the difference is 185 gallons or $555. assuming you can get 19 mpg with the v6 and 17mpg with v8.

There is so much toruqe on the v8 that I really enjoy driving it. The engine does not have to downshift all the time to get power.

I sold the v8 to get a sienna becasue I need a bigger vehicle. I have been regreting it ever since. The sienna only gets 15.5 mpg for a v6 and it is gutless and it does not feel as strong as the 4runner.

I will get another 4 runner v8 when the new style comes out. (need to drive the sienna for a few years to average out the big loss of first 3-4 years of a new car)

 

[charlier180]

I showed you mine, who wants to show me theirs? See my mileage in my signature...

FWIW here is some of my MPG data for my V8

MPG

16.13 - C
14.30 - C
18.30 - H
14.62 - C
15.58 - C
15.73 - C
14.33 - C
12.46 - C (Snow Storm)
16.26 - C
15.05 - C
17.23 - C
15.82 - C
14.90 - C
16.10 - C
16.93 - C
20.01 - H
12.11 - C (Snow Storm)
13.22 - C (Snow Storm)
17.13 - C
18.96 - H
16.81 - C
17.01 - C
14.19 - C
19.97 - H
14.22 - C
16.49 - C
15.58 - C
17.33 - H
14.94 - C
19.95 - H

C= mostly my 16 mile commute to work
H=Highway with 55-65 mph and Cruise Control

Be advised to make the comparision more meaningful I omitted MPG figures when I was towing my 5,400 lb car trailer.
My 4Runner is used primarily from December to April for winter driving and for towing on summer weekends.

The MPG is all calculated using actual miles traveled and actual gallons used. Not too bad for a V8.

 

[Northof49]

I showed you mine, who wants to show me theirs? See my mileage in my signature...

I've posted my mileage on here more than enough times.....in fact, we all have.

 

[sharp4runr]

I've posted my mileage on here more than enough times.....in fact, we all have.

Oh i'm talking about hard numbers. To me, "oh I get about 15-17mpg" means squat. If I wanted numbers like that, I'd look at the "estimate" on the sticker that was stuck on my truck when I got it.

I want to see numbers from anal retentive people such as myself.

Charlier180 - I averaged your numbers and you're getting about 16.05533333 MPG. As you put it, not bad at all.

 

[Northof49]

Oh i'm talking about hard numbers. To me, "oh I get about 15-17mpg" means squat. If I wanted numbers like that, I'd look at the "estimate" on the sticker that was stuck on my truck when I got it.

If I cared about fuel economy numbers THAT much.....I sure as shit wouldn't own ANY 4Runner, as I'd have a heart attack everytime I visited the gas pump.

I get an easy 20+mpg on 8 hour+ trips through the mountains while driving well over the speed limit. I've driven 4R's with 4.0 V6's for 1000's of miles and V8's and 3.4 V6's for 10,000's of miles. The difference between the 2 current engines with the same driver is a couple mpg at best, and that's that. No reason to complicate it further; that's all it ever has been, and all it ever will be.

 

[charlier180]

I want to see numbers from anal retentive people such as myself.

Charlier180 - I averaged your numbers and you're getting about 16.05533333 MPG. As you put it, not bad at all.

Sharp4runr, some of my friends have told me my middle name is anal.

Thanks for doing the AVG MPG for me, I forgot to include that.
It does appear that your V6 and my V8 are about 1 MPG (on average) apart.
Having a LOT more data from both V6s and V8s would give a much more accurate answer for this question.
At least you and I seem to be comparing apples to apples when it comes to numbers from two anal retentive people.

 

[Hank]

Not to spark any further debate over the mpg difference, the non-vvt-i V8 4wd are rated at 15/19mpg city/hwy, respectively. the vvt-i V8 4wd get 16/19. All V6 4wd get 17/21mpg. I don't see where the 1mpg difference comes from other than the city rating on '05+ V8 vs the V6 city rating. Everyone's talking about 1mpg difference, which is true if you compare a 2wd V8 with a 4wd V6. The 17/21mpg rating for the 4wd V6 should be in 4wd mode. The 2wd V6 fare better gas mileage. I don't think the added weight of the 4wd system is that significant to drop anymore than 1mpg.

Regardless, the difference in the epa mpg ratings aren't that great. Fuel economy in the real world is a different story. I got 15.x mpg on my worst tank and 22.5 mpg on my best. I usually get around 17-18mpg (90%hwy/10%city) while driving fast. Nowadays, I still get the same mpg, but doing 25%hwy/75%city. Basically, my point is a V6 paired with a lead-footed driver won't have much advantage in mpg over the V8.

Final comment: more power is always better, unless you really don't have the need for it

 

[GRIMACE]

Speaking of selling V8's


North ................... is that your silver V8 4runner for sale in the CDN auto trader?

 

[Northof49]

Speaking of selling V8's


North ................... is that your silver V8 4runner for sale in the CDN auto trader?

PM'd you

 

[Falls]

PM'd you

That must be a yes ....lol

 

[azskyrider]

You also might want to consider the amount of people in your household. If you plan on moving the family with the 4runner quite often then the V8 might be a more economical approach as far as MPG. I do not have real world figures on this but just a thought if you haven't considered it.

Cheers,