In my opinion if you are getting say 13.8 mpg with your current rig, day in and day out. and are running say 62 mph, you can mirror the efficiency with a newer rig by dropping down to 58 Mph, being more judicious in your startup acceleration and refraining from passing on uphill grades where yourvehicle has to downshift a couple gears to pass and maintain a new higher speed. Also lowering your overall weight helps too.
In short “easy does it”.
Our 2018 Highlander 8 speed 295 HP pulling the
2013 21 is as good as or better than the 2012 Highlander with 6 speed transmission and 269 HP pulling the 2010 19. I drive a little slower, carry less weight, keep inflation on the tires accurately where I like the ride,. My wife Rita keeps the trailer surfaces especially on the front clean and waxed with a polymer “wax” called Rejex. The mantra
YMMV (Your Milage May Vary) is never so true. It all hinges on a very large number factors some of which you can control and some you can’t.
Over 60 years ago when I took drivers education our instructors gave us the Thanksgiving math problem of what the elapsed driving time was if your dad drove 70 mph or 60 mph to grandma’s house, x number of miles from your home. When we came up with the answer they asked what your dad did once he got to the destination. Nobody indicated that any important work was done. Only “had a drink” had a smoke” “relaxed in a chair in front of the
TV” were predominant answers.
Then the teachers went on to example out the increased fuel costs, tire wear, possibility of an accident, stopping distance in a tight situation etc. The minutes saved were just not worth it.
Things have changed a lot since 1964 but physics, and personal behavior, not so much.
Iowa Dave
