bkg
Explorer
Fanboys come in all shapes and sizes. There are just as many Toyota fanboys (apologists) as there are (insert brand here.)
Is the Tacoma enough truck?
- Thread starter leman
- Start date
Fanboys come in all shapes and sizes. There are just as many Toyota fanboys (apologists) as there are (insert brand here.)
jasmtis
Member
I think the point that we've effectively beaten to death and continually gotten side tracked on the way to:
Do you want a medium sized truck with respectable stock capability, a good aftermarket and don't plan on carrying more than a thousand pounds of stuff or tow more than a few thousand pounds on a regular basis? Yes! The Tacoma is probably enough truck for you.
Do you want to be able to carry and tow more than the Tacoma can and/or want more cab space and the ability to spec more luxury features than are available on the Tacoma? No.. The Tacoma is probably not enough truck for you.
battleaxe
Captain Obvious
If you're gonna take a dump on the Tundra, at least compare it fairly.
Avg econ:
Fuelly Data (no years selected, just V8 gas)
Tundra V8 (5.7) - 15mpg
Ford F150 V8 - 14mpg
Dodge Ram 1500 V8 - 14mpg
Sierra 1500 V8 - 16mpg
Nissan Titan V8 - 14mpg
*Before anyone jumps on the data, I do recognize that this is a ballpark. No filters aside from engines were used. If you observe some user error or manipulation, it's still a close race even at 10% discrepancy.
I'm just tired of hearing "The tundra is such a pig on gas" News flash... It's a full size, they all suck on gas.
Avg econ:
Fuelly Data (no years selected, just V8 gas)
Tundra V8 (5.7) - 15mpg
Ford F150 V8 - 14mpg
Dodge Ram 1500 V8 - 14mpg
Sierra 1500 V8 - 16mpg
Nissan Titan V8 - 14mpg
*Before anyone jumps on the data, I do recognize that this is a ballpark. No filters aside from engines were used. If you observe some user error or manipulation, it's still a close race even at 10% discrepancy.
I'm just tired of hearing "The tundra is such a pig on gas" News flash... It's a full size, they all suck on gas.
Buliwyf
Viking with a Hammer
I see 17 all day long on stockish 5.0, f150's. 19 with older 4.6's.
Even my 6.2L F250 Superduty does better than 15mpg. I calculate my vacation fuel allowance at 13mpg to be safe. Real safe. The problem with economy #'s, is they aren't quantifying load properly. # of stops, # of hills, # of cars interrupting my cruise control.
I wish they'd do a test on flat ground out in the desert for 50 miles on each truck. And then test again a week later for a repeatable result.
I think I can get 11-12 with my 11,000# gas F350 work truck! It's reporting 8.7 right now, and it has 4 hours of idle time on it today. LOlz.
Even my 6.2L F250 Superduty does better than 15mpg. I calculate my vacation fuel allowance at 13mpg to be safe. Real safe. The problem with economy #'s, is they aren't quantifying load properly. # of stops, # of hills, # of cars interrupting my cruise control.
I wish they'd do a test on flat ground out in the desert for 50 miles on each truck. And then test again a week later for a repeatable result.
I think I can get 11-12 with my 11,000# gas F350 work truck! It's reporting 8.7 right now, and it has 4 hours of idle time on it today. LOlz.
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DaveInDenver
Middle Income Semi-Redneck
Statistically then you're dragging up the mean @Buliwyf. If what you say is true then there must be some F150s getting 11 MPG. Both of you and the 11 MPG would be beyond the standard deviation and variance if the sample set is just 17 and 15 of them are within 12 to 16 the distribution would have to be otherwise equal to get a variance of 3. Given a normal distribution on 17 points statistically those are far outliers, which would be considered erroneous data.
Fuelly isn't scientific but it's decent. It lists 17.5 MPG for all models based on 8 million miles using the year 2008. They have 154 million miles tracked for 8,654 trucks used for all years of Tacoma and I believe the 1st gen would move that up to the 18.5 they show for all 1995-2019. When I filter it for just 2008 V6 (169 trucks) and Access Cab (brings it down to 30 trucks) it's 16.5 MPG and that's pretty much spot on.
Fuelly isn't scientific but it's decent. It lists 17.5 MPG for all models based on 8 million miles using the year 2008. They have 154 million miles tracked for 8,654 trucks used for all years of Tacoma and I believe the 1st gen would move that up to the 18.5 they show for all 1995-2019. When I filter it for just 2008 V6 (169 trucks) and Access Cab (brings it down to 30 trucks) it's 16.5 MPG and that's pretty much spot on.
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jasmtis
Member
I think the complaint with the Tundra is that the other half ton trucks have options for more modern turbocharged, hybrid and small-displacement diesel powertrains while in the Tundra you're stuck with two V8s developed over a decade ago. Yea it doesn't cost Ford anything to keep the 5.0 around for people who still think a truck needs to have a V8 but the 2.7 and 3.5 are much more popular options and the Tundra doesn't have anything to compare with those. I know that N/A V8s tend to exceed EPA estimates in the real-world and anything with a turbo usually fall short of estimates which is a whole separate discussion but the major complaint with the Tundra is the lack of an option for a more modern powerplant so it can't be compared fairly.
DaveInDenver
Middle Income Semi-Redneck
@jasmtis, you make a good point. I wonder why Toyota didn't keep the 1GR/manual option for the Tundra. That seems like it would have been good for CAFE numbers and gave a low cost work truck option, too.
Excuse me while I just say this.
DIESEL
It's already in the arsenal, I mean you can get Cruisers with the petrol V8s or the 4.5L V8 diesel and the Tundra shares some of the drivetrain stuff. If only I ran Toyota.
Excuse me while I just say this.
DIESEL
It's already in the arsenal, I mean you can get Cruisers with the petrol V8s or the 4.5L V8 diesel and the Tundra shares some of the drivetrain stuff. If only I ran Toyota.
jasmtis
Member
@DaveInDenver While we're finding Toyota more applications for their 4.5 diesel it looks to me like there's room for two more cylinders under the hood of my Tacoma..
DaveInDenver
Middle Income Semi-Redneck
Clutch
<---Pass
After swapping on some Cooper HTP's have been averaging 19.1 the last 3 tanks. And that has been loaded pulling my 5X8' moto trailer.
Speed has been 50-65 mph depending which road I am on.
Isn't much gain from the 17 I normally see...but that is a pleasant surprise.
For how small this truck it is...it "should" get closer to 30...but it is what is. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
That gain will go down here in about a month when I throw my winter studs on, and winter blend fuel.
Speed has been 50-65 mph depending which road I am on.
Isn't much gain from the 17 I normally see...but that is a pleasant surprise.
For how small this truck it is...it "should" get closer to 30...but it is what is. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
That gain will go down here in about a month when I throw my winter studs on, and winter blend fuel.
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The issue isn't that the Tundra is inherently less efficient than the other v8 gasoline trucks. The issue is that the Tundra only gives you a gasoline v8 option, while most of the other 1/2 ton makers are offering more efficient engine options, or are about to do so.
Truth be told, the Tundra's fuel economy isn't all that abnormal compared to the domestic v8's, especially when you consider that the truck's gearing (4.30) is noticeably lower than what's offered on the other 1/2 tons.
Clutch
<---Pass
Are you going to pay for it?
The days of "cheap" and "diesel" are long gone...
Whole point of wanting better fuel economy is to save a little money on fuel. And before anyone gets their lederhosen in a bunch and spouts off about "range" and all that non-sense. Range is simply un-needed in the US market. But, what about buying cheap fuel in one area so you don't have to buy more expensive fuel in another? May I refer you to "cheap" and "diesel" no longer go together, again...
DaveInDenver
Middle Income Semi-Redneck
Your position is noted. I'd buy a diesel, yes. I ran out of fuel on our trip in September (had 20L with me, just that I hate jerry cans). Your use model isn't everyone's. Well I guess maybe most people's since I'm clearly outvoted in the market. But I've known for a long time that I was born in the wrong place or wrong time. I'm not a contemporary American in many ways.