Gas Mileage - Alaska Trip

[Double Dubya]

I know there are lots of gas mileage threads so I guess I'll add one more.

I took a trip this fall from South Carolina to Alaska in my 2017 SR5. Right now it is bone stock with the original equipment Dunlop AT20 tires. I drove mostly highway and gravel roads with just a few off road miles in 4 wheel drive.

1. The tires were aired up to 39psi.
2. Rear seat bottoms were removed to provide extra storage space. With the seats folded flat I had a comfortable place to sleep.
3. I used regular unleaded 87 octane except for a few tanks of 85 octane in the mountains of Montana and Wyoming.
4. Total miles driven - 10,738
5. Total days of the trip - 22
6. Engine hours on the trip - 195.29
7. A couple of times I checked the odometer against the mile markers on the interstate and found it to be within 1%-2%.
8. I bought gas 31 times.
9. Cheapest gas $2.45 in South Carolina
10. Most expensive gas $4.45 in Yukon Territory
11. The most miles traveled on any tank was 466.
12. Highest elevation reached was 10,947 feet in Wyoming.

I reset the onboard gas mileage with each tank as well as calculating the actual mileage for each fill up. The largest difference between the two methods on any one tank was 1.9mpg.

These are the numbers from the same fill up.
Maximum mpg tank On Board Reading 25.0
Maximum mpg tank Calculated 24.7

These are the numbers from the same fill up.
Minimum mpg tank On Board Reading 20.0
Minimum mpg tank Calculated 18.1

The average of each of the on board readings was 22.16
The average of each of the calculated numbers was 22.15

The the total miles driven divided by the total gallons purchased yeilds 22.17

My conclusion from this is that there can be some variation per tank but the average over 10k miles is very close.

The 4Runner performed well and the only incident I had was a windshield crack from a rock kicked up by a truck in a construction zone.I have replaced the windshield with an aftermarket one and have not had any problems.

 

[AGS92]

Thanks for sharing, sounds like you had a great trip. Very good mileage for an SUV the size/weight of the 4Runner.

 

[BaddaBing]

Very detailed report

Sounds like a great trip. I have 95k miles on my 2015 stock LTD. I drive primarily highway and I average 17 mpg and have never gotten over 19 mpg on any tank. I average 75-80 mph. You did well. Enjoy your 4R.

 

[Double Dubya]

I guess my secret is trying to drive like an old man (except for that blinker thing). I accelerate slowly and usually drive no more than 2-4 mph over the limit. To each his own, but, I challenge myself to go for the best mileage. Maybe I'm just a penny pincher.

 

[NorthwoodsRunner]

4. Total miles driven - 10,738
6. Engine hours on the trip - 195.29

You were averaging ~55 mph (10,738 miles/195.29 hours), which explains your good MPG. When I went to DC last winter, I was getting no better than 16-17 MPG doing 80-85MPH. Alaska will be one trip I will do before I turn 50.

 

[jhmoore]

So how much did the trip cost you in gas?

Did you track other expenses?

 

[Redsoxx1918]

You were averaging ~55 mph (10,738 miles/195.29 hours), which explains your good MPG. When I went to DC last winter, I was getting no better than 16-17 MPG doing 80-85MPH. Alaska will be one trip I will do before I turn 50.

Your mileage is obviously linked to your driving habits. I put around 50 miles on the highway every day. If I keep it between 60-65 I will consistently average around 21.5mpg. At 70mph, I will consistently average around 20.5-20.9. Once I hit 80, my mileage drops off to around 19mpg.


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[Double Dubya]

You were averaging ~55 mph (10,738 miles/195.29 hours), which explains your good MPG. When I went to DC last winter, I was getting no better than 16-17 MPG doing 80-85MPH. Alaska will be one trip I will do before I turn 50.

The average speed was pulled down as there was some town driving, lower speed limits in Canada and in the hand full of National parks I toured, as well as the numerous traffic delays due to road construction. For the most part I drove the speed limit or slightly above.

I highly recommend this trip. I have wanted to do for many years. I am amazed at the story of the construction of the Alaska Highway. The local people, contractors and the Army faced many obstacles, mainly the weather. There are many monuments along the way telling the story of not only the construction but of the impact to the indigenous people and the area in general.

 

[Double Dubya]

So how much did the trip cost you in gas?

Did you track other expenses?

The total for gas was $1,528.06. I didn't track the other expenses. Most everything was more in the more remote areas. The most expensive part was lodging which I reduced by camping when possible.

 

[Double Dubya]

Your mileage is obviously linked to your driving habits. I put around 50 miles on the highway every day. If I keep it between 60-65 I will consistently average around 21.5mpg. At 70mph, I will consistently average around 20.5-20.9. Once I hit 80, my mileage drops off to around 19mpg.


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That sounds about right to me. In the western states with higher speed limits my mileage would drop. Speed is a big factor. We can't violate the laws of physics, as much as we would like to.

 

[1000MPH]

My experience with calculated vs. on-board is very similar. I’ve been tracking mine for about 90k miles.

 

[SCMountaineer]

Trip sounds like a blast! I didn't know there was an onboard MPG calculator. Where is it?

 

[zoomzoom]

Sounds like a great trip! Is the calculation based on a one-way, or return trip? How many gallons of gas was used for the trip?

 

[Double Dubya]

Trip sounds like a blast! I didn't know there was an onboard MPG calculator. Where is it?

Push the DSP button on the steering wheel and cycle through to the mileage screen. It will display the mpg since it was last reset. I reset mine for each tank.

 

[Double Dubya]

Sounds like a great trip! Is the calculation based on a one-way, or return trip? How many gallons of gas was used for the trip?

It was for a round trip and I used 484.4 gallons.

 

[jhmoore]

At first glance, I was thinking that you fared a lot better than I did on my 3-week trip this past fall, but looking closer, only by a little. You got about 1.5 MPG better than I did across the whole trip and your gas averaged about 15 cents per gallon less. I've been thinking about driving to the Arctic Ocean and the mileage is intimidating from San Diego! Both for the cost of fuel, but also for the sheer time behind the wheel.

 

[Double Dubya]

John, I know what you mean about the distance. On my trip I didn't get to the half way point until I was somewhere in Montana and it was a long drive from South Carolina just to get that far. I think I remember seeing that you can't drive all the way to the Arctic Ocean. You have to take a bus for the last part of the trip due to private property.

 

[1000MPH]

Might as well add mine here...

 

[thennen]

Gotta agree here. Slow acceleration seems to be a big part of it. I get a solid 21.5 mpg when I drive like an old man. Drops to about 21 or a bit less when I drive like my peers.

 

[lukkystrike1]

Gotta agree here. Slow acceleration seems to be a big part of it. I get a solid 21.5 mpg when I drive like an old man. Drops to about 21 or a bit less when I drive like my peers.

I can see 20+ MPG when I keep the ECO bar in the middle and never over that. But Chicago drivers tend to want to hit me, run me off the road, and honk if I do that...so i am stuck with my 17/18mpg.

Stop and go traffic we have here tends to kill my mileage too, for about 3mi i run 0-25mph, then 7mi at 60+ mph. So it just eats it. On the weekend, where there is no traffic and I maintain about 65mph, no issues, and running close to 20mpg.

Just wish this motor had about 30 more hp and 20 more tq. (yes, I will SC it someday)