Towing mileage - Escape 17 vs 19

[vermilye]

Towing a 5000 pound 2017 21C with a 2018 3.5EB Supercab (not SuperCrew) 6.5 bed I average between 12 - 13 MPG. Current trip is the usual mix of interstates & state & county roads & as of today, 2,424 miles and 12.82MPG.

 

[Canuck44]

Hi - does anyone have a sense for how much worse their mileage is with a given tow vehicle on a 19 vs 17? I currently have a 17ft Casita and would like to upgrade to an Escape. My tow vehicle is an F150 (V6 EcoBoost TT 3.5L), I get about 13mpg pulling the Casita and I'm guessing that I would get about the same with the Escape 17. I would like the roominess of a 19 but I have no idea how the extra weight, height, width and road friction from 2 more tires (2 axles vs 1) might affect mileage.

Any thoughts or experiences would be much appreciated!

This may or may not help. I have pulled a 14' Randall with a Pontiac V8 sedan, and a Dodge 3/4 ton and avg 10mpg(IMP). I drove a 28' Motorhome V8 thru the rockies and get 10mpg(Imp). I am suggesting your mileage won't be any different. It takes so mu h energy to move so much mass at an avg speed. Just physics.





edan,

 

[brroberts]

You are adding 1000lbs and 1 additional axel which should have a very minimal impact on fuel mileage. You will add more surface area, from 6’8” to 7’ wide and a somewhat squarer profile. This will have an effect, but until you try it, an accurate number won’t be known. I’d guess about a mile per gallon less.

 

[iamunique127]

This may or may not help. I have pulled a 14' Randall with a Pontiac V8 sedan, and a Dodge 3/4 ton and avg 10mpg(IMP). I drove a 28' Motorhome V8 thru the rockies and get 10mpg(Imp). I am suggesting your mileage won't be any different. It takes so mu h energy to move so much mass at an avg speed. Just physics.





edan,

It may be physics until you've towed with a 5.7L Tundra. That is a whole other equation.

Joking. I couldn't resist.

 

[occer]

Your speed will affect the mpg more. The size of the trailer will affect the pleasure of your camping more.

Just saying

 

[GinoandLinda]

What I did not want to have happen.... I buy a nice roomy camper and then find I'm only getting 5 mpg. But it sounds like the big mileage hit is between towing nothing and towing something material, but as you go up from there the mgp differences are marginal. Good to know!

Hope to identify as an owner soon.

Thanks again to all.

I can pretty much guarantee that you will not drop from 13mpg to 5mpg when towing the Escape with the 3.5 Ecoboost. So no need to about that. I would say you will drop maybe 1mpg given you stay with your normal driving habits. That said, there is so much variability when towing, such as weather, terrain, road surface it really is hard to say. I will say, the safety and security of tandem axles and a roomy, comfortable coach out weighs any minor concessions regarding MPG.

 

[ChuckBC]

Last trip I towed a E19 with a 2.7 Eco boost supercab F150 for 5654 miles ( 9100km) to Yukon/Alaska. Average gas mileage was 13.8mpg (17 L/100km). For me this rate of consumption is excellent given that behind the truck I've got everything I need to spend 2 months exploring the great outdoors and sometimes mountainous terrain. The biggest plus was looking back on the twists and turns watching this dual axle small trailer tracking beautifully behind the truck. I would gladly jump from a single to dual axle trailer, especially given it is probably one of the "smallest" double axle well built and designed rigs out there.

 

[Mike G]

A 17 will track just fine also. I've towed both tandem and single axle trailers in this general size range for decades, probably more than 400,000 miles. As long as the tongue carries 10%-15% of the total trailer weight, they are plenty stable. The one time when I had dangerous sway was with insufficient tongue weight... on a tiny 4'x8' utility trailer (!) with a long piece of structural steel hanging out the back end.

 

[ChampPilot]

I would expect having a pickup bed covered might affect gas mileage a bit also? Although I have no proof of that. Axle ratio could as well.

 

[Lanark Camper]

I agree your milage is affected more by your speed. As an example of speed affecting mileage.

I drive a 2018 Silverado with a 5.3 V8 4/8 engine towing a 5.0
At 43 mph to 50 mph. 13/14 mpg. At 55 mph to 61 mph. 16/16.8 mpg. At 67 mph to 70 mph back down to 13/14 mph.
We just finished a 4K mile trip and averaged 16.1 mpg.

If you’re concerned about mileage watch your speed.

I agree. I also tow with a Silverado 5.3, I get a bit better mileage because our 17B is smaller and lighter. There is a sweet spot the engine seems most efficient. The continuous variable valve duration on these engines optimizes the engine torque curve depending on the load. This helps with gas mileage too.

Bob

 

[GinoandLinda]

16mpg pulling a 5.0 at 60mph? That’s impressive.

 

[Cablebandit]

3.0 Duramax for the win. It's probably better mileage towing then most vehicles are not towing.

 

[occer]

3.0 Duramax for the win. It's probably better mileage towing then most vehicles are not towing.

I hope you are correct. I just got a new Chevy truck with the 3.0 Duramax.
Will keep everyone updated once we start towing and camping this spring.

Empty the milage is in the Mid 20s Low of 23 high of 28, but diesel cost more so it kind of evens out.