Poor gas mileage

[WyoMike]

I previously owned 2003, 2010, and 2017 Tacoma TRD Off Road, Double Cab models, and recently purchased a 2025 Double Cab, TRD Off Road. I have just over 1300 miles and have been shocked at how poor the gas mileage is so far (16.3 mpg; as calculated by hand upon fill-up). I was wondering if anyone out there is seeig similar results? Also, being an old, non-tech geezer I am a bit overwhelmed by all the electronic gagdetry and was wondering if that rather constant pushing and pulling in the lane assist mode actually affects gas mileage? I'm about to try turning it all off to see if that helps.

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[32spoke]

When I drive from Petaluma, Ca to Green Valley, Az… highway travel only- if I don’t push over 65, I can get average of 26 mpg… this depends upon wind conditions as well, I can get much higher mileage if I draft a tractor trailer… city driving, the truck does suffer. Pushing 70mph+, truck mileage suffers greatly. Slowly adding throttle to achieve a
Speed increase at highway speeds will help with mileage. Keeping the turbo out of the equation helps.

 

[SilverSurfer]

I didn’t buy a pickup truck to get good gas mileage. I get what it gets based on how I drive. Try changing up how you drive it. It may or may not help, but I wouldn’t handwring about a few mpg. This taco makes so much more power than earlier versions, that power comes with a price, despite all the “better mpg” talk. It’s more of a”better mpg under specific conditions” reality.

 

[Sagebrush]

being an old, non-tech geezer I am a bit overwhelmed by all the electronic gagdetry and was wondering if that rather constant pushing and pulling in the lane assist mode actually affects gas mileage?

I'm an old geezer who embraced the tech in my truck. I use the Lane Assist 95% of the time and don't understand what you mean by "constant pushing and pulling." I'm quite certain that feature doesn't affect mileage, but turn it off for a few tanks and find out. Maybe I'm wrong.

Me? I'm getting 23-24 MPG on the highway, and that's slightly better than my 2016 Taco. But I drive like an old geezer.

 

[EastonTaco]

I’m traded in my 2021 TRD Sport on a 2024 TRD Sport. I am guessing that I may be getting slightly better mileage with the OEM Sport tires over the OR OEM tires, but as far as the Sports go, I am getting 19.5 MPG combined daily driving which is about exactly what I got on the 2021, maybe .5 MPG better with the 2024. I don’t drive aggressively in town at usually set my highway cruise at 80. I don’t think lane assist would impact mileage to any measurable degree. I have gotten up to 22 MPG on PA to FL all highway runs. One thing I found that does impact MPG is a hard tonneau cover. I found that cutting the wind resistance swirling around in the bed also improves handling on windy highway trips.

 

[oxi]

My Corolla SE is sitting at 38.2 mpg overall with 39,000 miles. Enduring both summer and winter setups with rims/tires and an impressive 500-mile range.

That is what I drive when concerned about fuel economy. The TRD Sport 6MT Tacoma, I just drive with no worries.

 

[SilverSurfer]

I get 11mpg out of this. I don’t complain about my Tacoma.

 

[TacoFreak]

Yeah - I got 12 mpg in my Tundra, so my Taco seems more like a Prius to me.

 

[tacorancher]

When I drive from Petaluma, Ca to Green Valley, Az… highway travel only- if I don’t push over 65, I can get average of 26 mpg… this depends upon wind conditions as well, I can get much higher mileage if I draft a tractor trailer… city driving, the truck does suffer. Pushing 70mph+, truck mileage suffers greatly. Slowly adding throttle to achieve a
Speed increase at highway speeds will help with mileage. Keeping the turbo out of the equation helps.

This is such a good answer -I can get super good gas mileage being gentle on the throttle and driving under 65. When I punch it and just drive the truck with a modestly aggressive style it plummets. I don’t mind it. When I drive long distances and I need good gas mileage, as long as the wind isn’t too bad, it does very well. I think this truck just has a wide range of gas mileage performance based on how you drive from really good to really bad. My overall mileage is upper 18s. I often get as high as 23-24 and as low as 15 depending on what I’m doing. I feel like it isn’t much different from the third gen in this regard. Tacomas will never get great gas mileage if you drive even slightly aggressively. It’s just something about how they are engineered. Not sure what it is. But great gas mileage is low on my list of priorities with a truck.

 

[AnotherRandomWhiteGuy]

It's a pickup truck. It's literally a heavy brick on wheels. It is not designed to maximize MPG. Better MPG Is nice but You can't have a vehicle that is capable of truck towing and truck utility and expect amazing MPG. At this point in time it is impossible.

Go look at a Prius. Drive it. Look at the shapes of it, the clearance, the amount it can tow. Then drive it and see how it feels. A Prius Is way more geared towards MPG but is a completely different vehicle with a lot less capabilities. You cannot have your cake and eat it too.

 

[32spoke]

It's a pickup truck. It's literally a heavy brick on wheels. It is not designed to maximize MPG. Better MPG Is nice but You can't have a vehicle that is capable of truck towing and truck utility and expect amazing MPG. At this point in time it is impossible.

Go look at a Prius. Drive it. Look at the shapes of it, the clearance, the amount it can tow. Then drive it and see how it feels. A Prius Is way more geared towards MPG but is a completely different vehicle with a lot less capabilities. You cannot have your cake and eat it too.

You are absolutely correct! When I drive rental cars, I am amazed of what’s possible with mileage- when it comes to owning a vehicle that has great utilitarian ability- that would not be a Prius… then trade offs are not only expected, but … there is a reason why Toyota has not released a Prius El Camino, right? We had a troll on this forum, and afort he/she “it” shyte the bed here, they purchase a hybrid ford maverick- to each their own… but at the end of the day, a truck is a truck

 

[Kielly]

It's not the fuel mileage that'll get ya, it's the stupidly small fuel tank.

I didn't expect good fuel milage, especially how I like to drive my vehicles, and I don't. I get 18L/100kms, or 13mpg for my American friends.

I wouldn't mind the horrible gas milage all that much if it wasn't for the fact that I have to top up my tank every tow days, god forbid if I got a roadtrip ahead of me.

I hear all my buddies talk about getting damn near 1000kms until empty on their full sized trucks and I can't even get past 350kms until empty on this Tacoma lol.

 

[tacorancher]

It's not the fuel mileage that'll get ya, it's the stupidly small fuel tank.

I didn't expect good fuel milage, especially how I like to drive my vehicles, and I don't. I get 18L/100kms, or 13mpg for my American friends.

I wouldn't mind the horrible gas milage all that much if it wasn't for the fact that I have to top up my tank every tow days, god forbid if I got a roadtrip ahead of me.

I hear all my buddies talk about getting damn near 1000kms until empty on their full sized trucks and I can't even get past 350kms until empty on this Tacoma lol.

13 mpg is not normal under any circumstances - are you constantly flooring it or driving very short distances ?

 

[Benny]

I’ve turned OFF MPG graphic on my dash. I’ve decided I really don’t care to adjust my driving habits to wring 2-4 more miles out of the engine.

 

[tacorancher]

I’ve turned OFF MPG graphic on my dash. I’ve decided I really don’t care to adjust my driving habits to wring 2-4 more miles out of the engine.

I like watching it as a game but don’t care that much - what I care about is that the engine provides smooth and powerful torque and the 3rd gen never did that - that was my priority bc the third gen drove like shit and could barely keep up on the highway

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