Real World V8 4x4 Gas Mileage!!

[LandRvr Convert]

I just returned from a business trip to Florida and decided to see how much of a difference driving a little slower and airing up my tires a bit would effect my mileage.

I was impressed. I aired up my tires to 38psi (from my normal 32psi) and I kept the cruise control on 70mph. I also had the AC running the entire time. Anyway, I got 19.3mpg and got 407 miles out of one tank of gas.

It was all highway driving except the last 50 miles.

So the gas light is on and the onboard computer says 0 miles left when I hit 407 miles. I was in an unfamiliar place and didn't have an extra can of gas in the back, so I go and fill up.

I pumped exactly 21 gallons in, so it looks like I could have driven another 35 miles or so on those last 2 gallons after the light came on.

I think that's really good for a V8 4x4 :bigok:

 

[hamj2w1]

Wow thats awesome I can only get about 320 miles to a tank of gas in my V6

 

[speed junkie]

What Kind of fuel were you using? That is pretty darn good. Did you draft a semi or have a tailwind

 

[claytonb78]

Iclocked my V6 2004 4Runner cross country and averaged slightly above 25 miles per gallon. Within the city I average 22 to 23 usually. I've never been big of flooring it so much and just attribute my high gas milage to good driving.

 

[t_evan50]

I commute to work 5 days a week and usually average about 19mpg. Thats around 75% HWY 25% City. Very impressed for a V8 that will flat out scoot!

 

[LandRvr Convert]

What Kind of fuel were you using? That is pretty darn good. Did you draft a semi or have a tailwind

Oh, I forgot to mention, I also pulled the ignition wires off of 2 of the sparkplugs. It ran really rough....... so rough, in fact that my rearview mirror fell off the windshield; but hey look at what kind of mileage I got!!

Just kidding

I used 87 octane like I always do. I never drafted a rig on the entire trip.

By comparison, the last time I checked my MPG on a road trip, driving around 75mph on average and tires at 32psi, I got 17.5mpg.

 

[speed junkie]

Oh, I forgot to mention, I also pulled the ignition wires off of 2 of the sparkplugs. It ran really rough....... so rough, in fact that my rearview mirror fell off the windshield; but hey look at what kind of mileage I got!!

Just kidding

I used 87 octane like I always do. I never drafted a rig on the entire trip.

By comparison, the last time I checked my MPG on a road trip, driving around 75mph on average and tires at 32psi, I got 17.5mpg.

LMAO

I run 87 in mine also and can get that kind of mileage if I strap a tow chain to the truck ahead of me. j/k

 

[MAC4Runner]

I run 87 as well and got over 19 mpg on my last two fill-ups. Not bad considering my mods. :bigok:

Details below:

- 365 miles (GPS Verified) / 18.849 Gals = 19.36 MPG [50/50 Highway/Surface roads]
- 350 miles (GPS Verified) / 17.861 Gals = 19.6 MPG [80/20 Highway/Surface roads]

I just try and keep the RPMS under 2,000.

 

[CAD-Man]

I'm in the process of finishing a trip for a funeral from western Wyoming to Portland and back again. I just filled my third tank and have gotten .

23.06 mpg
20.92 mpg
19.997 mpg

Tank mileage was
448.1 Miles
410.0 Miles
335.0 Miles

Gas octane was
85 octane
87 octane
87 octane

Price per gallon was
$3.859
$3.979
$3.999

The reason for the 85 octane fuel is that what is available at the higher altitudes in the mountain west. I run 85 octane at home all the time with no problems. My home town is at 6900 feet in West Central Wyoming. I've still got one more tank of fuel to go before getting home.

CAD-Man

 

[GatorGreg]

I think that's really good for a V8 4x4 :bigok:

I agree, I've also gotten over 20 mpg on some highway treks in my GX. For the amount of torque this engine puts out and considering it's full time 4WD, it's not bad. I'm guessing your old Land Rover wasn't quite as good?

 

[Falls]

I run my Revos (265/70/17) at 40 psi.

In summer/months (blended fuel) I get 17.5 city and about 20-21 hiway.

In winter/months (blended fuel) I get 1.5 mpg less in the city , and hiway.

I personally am impressed with the v8 milage and the power for a full time 4x4 V8.

This is accurate to my manual calculations (the old school way) as well as my on board comp. which is always of about by .2 mpg , so I consider that accurate enough for me.

This is also NOT taking into consideration the adjustment for the add'l miles traveled but NOT recorded by the larger diameter tires.

Happy as a clam with my V8 and would buy another one in a heartbeat. To bad the 09 Trail Edition only comes with a V6 ( so I hear the rumor , because although I love both engine and both are capable good power plants I prefer the v8 )

When I was buying I was almost going to get the v6 and my wife wouldn't let me , she said your a gear head get the v8 or I'll have to hear you complain......lol.

 

[DaBoostCreep]

its important to note how many people posting 18+mpg live in flat areas. I live in the bay area and there is relatively no flats. Almost everything around here is a hill of some sort. Also, how long are the trips that are being taken. We drive the 4R about 8 miles roundtrip daily 50/50 mix of city/highway and get about 15.5mpg. All highway I get about 17.5 CornFed 3"/2" and BFG All Terrain 265/70/17s.

 

[charlier180]

I took the 4Runner on a trip last weekend from Eastern Pennslyvania to the Hagerstown area in Maryland.
Most of the trip was PA Turnpike and Route 15 with some two-lane back roads and up/down some good sized hills.
Total trip was 270 miles using cruise control most of the time.

Dash display showed 23.3 MPG. Calculated MPG came to 20.69 MPG.
Not bad for a 2004 4Runner, V8, 4x4 with the A/C running doing the posted speed limit +/- 5 mph.

 

[LandRvr Convert]

Re: Re: Real World V8 4x4 Gas Mileage!!

I agree, I've also gotten over 20 mpg on some highway treks in my GX. For the amount of torque this engine puts out and considering it's full time 4WD, it's not bad. I'm guessing your old Land Rover wasn't quite as good?

Ummmm......NO! LOL! I checked the mileage once on the highway in the Rover and it was geting only around 14-15mpg

I was never brave enough to check and see what the city mpg was.

 

[CAD-Man]

My average mileage for my V8 since ownership has been 20.73 that is for 18 tanks of gas. As a side note to DaBoostCreep, I lived in San Jose and commuted the roads of the Bay Area for 18 years. The roads in the Bay Area in no way compare to my commute now.

Home is at 7000 feet, I reach a height of 9687 feet and back down to 6650 feet at work. This is driving over Towgotee Pass in Western Wyoming between DuBois and Jackson Hole Wyoming. I drive this 5 days a week and average 42 MPG in the summer and 38 MPG in the winter driving my 2004 Scion xA. I average 21.5 MPG with the 4Runner V8.

CAD-Man

 

[MikesToy]

I don't know what my gas mileage is but i drove 135 miles (from Colorado Springs to Denver and back) going between 70-95 mph with a 1/4 tank. :driving: :dancin:

 

[DaBoostCreep]

Home is at 7000 feet, I reach a height of 9687 feet and back down to 6650 feet at work. This is driving over Towgotee Pass in Western Wyoming between DuBois and Jackson Hole Wyoming. I average 21.5 MPG with the 4Runner V8.

CAD-Man

I really don't know what to say except you're the rare exception.

The EPA rates the V8 4x4 4Runner at 14/18. I just don't see how you're getting 3+MPG over the EPA ratings.

I guess your vehicle is stock height with no oversized tires? Im running a 3" lift on 265/70 17's.

Also, I assume you're hand calculating your mileage. Miles driven divided by the amount of gallons to completely fill the tank?

Maybe the 4Runner pulls lots of timing and fuel out at high altitudes to compensate for thin air so it doesnt get pushed as hard.

I forgot to ask...are you full time 4x4 or 2x4 or 4x4 selectable.

A side note: You're also smashing the EPA rating for the XA by over 7mpg if your calculations are true. EPA rates it at 35mpg all highway you claim 42mpg average.

Interesting indeed.......

 

[NDRYDEN123]

I was getting 12 to 13 mpg highway in my explorer and now im getting 18.5 to 20 mpg city with my v8 4Runner and about 25 mpg highway. So anything over 13 mpg is a huge improvement to me and the explorer had the 5.0L V8 as well. I even get better gas milage then my stepmom's lexus RX 330 with a vvt-i 3.3L V6!

 

[DaBoostCreep]

im getting 18.5 to 20 mpg city with my v8 4Runner and about 25 mpg highway.

Once again....I simply don't know what to say. Sounds like you guys are cookin' the books.

 

[CAD-Man]

DaBoostCreep, All figures for my mileage are hand calculated and are accurate. I fill the Scion every other day. I driver 750 miles a week, 150 miles a day. If you go to the following WEB sites SCION and 4Runner you can see the actual data for the 2 vehicles. The 42 MPG is figured for about the last 20 tanks on the Scion total average for 136 tanks of gas is 40.07 mpg.

The altitude has a lot to do with these mileages. All newer vehicles with OBD II have what essentially is a barometric altimeter sensor that adjust fuel flow for varying altitudes to compensate for the thinness of the air. We had the Scion when we lived in California and it never got over 35 mpg in the year we had it there. One of the things I do is watch my take off from a dead start and don't speed. The trip from DuBois to Jackson is almost always at 55 mph, the road is way to windy to get much above that speed, so this alone contributes greatly to the gas mileage that I'm getting. Also because of the way the road is laid out I am able to do a lot of coasting even though I still have to do a lot of climbing.

One more thought, I have also owned a Saturn Vue, a Ford Range and a Jeep Wrangle Unlimited since living in DuBois and all of the vehicles have gotten above average gas mileage. The only vehicle I have that no matter what I do, or where I live gets poor mileage and that is my 34 foot 21,000lb Class A motor home. It gets, on a good day, 7.75 MPG with a 8.1l (496 cid) V8 gas engine.

CAD-Man