SoCalMonty
Explorer
I'll throw in my $0.02 on the gas mileage in my Tacoma.
Some required background: My 2012 DC Tacoma is running a plate steel rear bumper, steel sliders, and an aluminum front bumper. Winch is a Warn Cti running synthetic line. Tires are Cooper ST MAXX - 235/85R16's on stock rims. Suspension setup is ICON front coilovers. I don't sit much higher than the stock setup.
On the highway, running 70-75mph, I get about 16.5mpg.
Around town I get about 15mpg.
Towing the teardrop at highway speeds (70-75mph), I get about 11.5 mpg.
My running average, since new, is currently 15.2 mpg. (clock is right at 40,000 miles) My running average MPG is a "blood, guts, and feathers number" which includes highway, city, towing, loaded, and unloaded driving.
I have corrected the speedometer for tire size and verified the odometer is correct against highway mile markers and speed verified against GPS.
I don't try to baby the throttle when I drive. I drive just like I would drive any other vehicle.
Good luck.
Nice, thanks for the data! Take this all with a grain of salt, and keep in mind that a lot of people reporting on Fuelly are either (1) hypermiler types, or (2) stupid and can't correctly calculate fuel economy. That said:
http://www.fuelly.com/car/toyota/tacoma/2012
...seems like your numbers are right in line with the Fuelly average given mods and driving style. Those people reporting 26mpg must have a hell of a tailwind.