V6 vrs V8 towing and mileage

I have a 4 cyl Tacoma and know I will need to upgrade to tow a 17 or 19, however I find it amazing what folks claim to tow with 4 cyls. Living at 5000 ft takes it toll on power, so I'm wondering if makes sense to think about a Tundra or Titan with the small v8 vrs the Tacoma or Frontier with the v6. Anyone towing with v8's? Ideas on mileage of v6 vrs v8?

Thanks

Dave

[escape artist]

Hi: davel... Can't comment on 8's vs 6's. Because our truck is a daily driver I went for the torque numbers vs cylinder #'s. Although I haven't experienced the big mountains yet if the going requires it I gear down...out of OD which raises the revs. to better utilize the torque curve of the Frontiers V6. No matter which gear I'm in I can usually tug along very well at 2000-2200 RPM's. My take on the bigger trucks is just that... they're big!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[fudge_brownie]

I think Escape Hatch said it right when he states you need to compare torque from vehicle to vehicle, horsepower is not a good measurement for towing. In the 4Runner family the V6 produces less torque than the V8 and surprisingly does not get more than a mile or two better in miles per gallon.

That said, the other consideration, is the Gross Combined Weight Rating . This is a combination of the trailer, trailer contents, vehicle and vehicle contents. If you haul lots of extras like bikes, canoes, grills, people, food and water you can exceed a vehicle GCWR. The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating is another measurement to watch. You should research these measurements and find what the manufacturers limits are for each vehicle you are considering.

[captmath]

We drove down to Florida from Va. yesterday and today. Averaged 18.6 with 4.0 6 cyl Nissan Frontier. Drove 57 mph or less the entire trip. We get 19 - 20 not towing, so I was extremely pleased. When we drove back from Chilliwack at 60 - 70 we got only 15 mpg.

Dick

Thanks for the replys, had not considered torque but is a very important consideration. I sure do agree about the full size trucks being full size!! How does one determine the rear end gear and is that much of a consideration? Thanks for the reminder about weight, that is probably the most important factor other than towing speed effecting gas mileage. Hope I can get as good as mileage as you are Dick, what size trailer are you pulling?

Dave

[JeffZ]

When we we're towing.. I actually got better mileage towing with my V8 F150 5.4L than my V6 Toyota Highlander.. The F150 gets great gas mileage and has the tow/haul feature that automatically handles the downshifting when going downhill and keeps it in gear longer when climbing as well. Felt rock solid all the time, especially in the Colorado Rockies..

[Vermilye]

I think one important consideration is how much time you are going to spend not towing. A V8 doesn't usually take anywhere near as much of a mileage hit when adding a trailer compared to a V6. In my case I tow with a RAV4 V6. 24MPG (US) by itself, but 14-15MPG towing. Since at least half my mileage is unhooked, I'm happy with the combination.

Good point to consider the non towing aspect of the vehicle. That is why I now own a 4 cyl Tacoma, as I wasn't considering towing anything in 2007. The 4 cyl works very well for everyday work needs and gets very good mileage.


Dave

[Jim Bennett]

I got a V6 for the same reason as Jon, but I actually do probably 85% of my driving not towing and the fuel savings then is appreciated. Most smaller V8's will not take much of a hit when towing, and actually compare to a V6 in economy, it is the time not towing that can make the decision for you.