Gas Mileage Drop While Towing

[MagnumSpade]

I have been using this forum ever since I bought my 2006 LTD 4Runner in Xmas 09. Always been able to find the info i needed using the search but this time no go. My fiance surprised me after work on Friday by telling me we were going to Red Deer (150km away) to pick up a 1975 15' Vanguard Trailer for camping this summer. Something about always being wet and cold in a tent and blah blah.....

Anyways, after an embarrasing situation with a Jeep having to pull this trailer our for me (Not because of power but its short wheel base) we were on the highway home. My usual highway mileage is 12L/100km (19.6MPG). On the way home it avg 24L/100km (9.5MPG). Is this normal, I have never towed anything with a SUV before but this drop in mileage seems extreme???

The info. 2006 V6 4Runner with factory mounted hitch, 15' Vanguard Trailer Weight is 2140lbs and averaged 110km/hour. The highway between Calgary and Red Deer features three turns and one hill, everything else is flat.

 

[ARK_SWAMP_RIDER]

It all depends on how heavy your foot is, trying to accelerate quickly or a lot of stop and go would easily explain it. With my v8 I get about 16-17 normally but drops to 13ish when I make a few trips to the lake pulling our 17ft bass boat. Even if only 100 miles out of the tank I'm towing, that's about what I get. If I were to go a full tank towing, I'm sure it'd be worse. The v8 would handle the load better than the v6, so I'd say it is fairly normal.

 

[SportRunner]

I tow my 6500lb trailer with my V8 and get that kind of mileage. It also depends if your driving into the wind, how areodynamic the trailer is, etc...

 

[jetboy1975]

A lot of factors to take into account such as size, weight, load balance, wind, tires, speed..... either way it's going to suck.

My old V6 averaged 12l/100km combined but dropped to 22 when towing my 19' hybrid. In a strong headwind once it got as bad as 30l/100km. My V8 burns less when towing. Keep it in 4th gear (higher RPM but less strain) and reduce your speed for the best mileage. The rest is the price you pay for luxury.