Most affordable, fuel efficient 4x4 set up

[plumber mike]

You can get a long bed Tacoma, build a platform above the wheel wells. My TRD off road V6 gets 20 MPG with a light foot.

No other truck will have better resale.

Toyota holds its value well, but a Cummins powered 3/4 ton can pull the same mileage and could quite possibly hold its value as good or better.

 

[Flhtruss]

Hey Everyone,

New to the forum from Alberta Canada, I currently just have a Mazda CX-5 that I have been exploring in for the last three years which has been ok. I am currently looking for a new set up and was hoping to get some suggestions for setups and the pros and cons. I am kind of leaning towards a truck and some kind of canopy (maybe custom (any suggestions on fabricators in Alberta?) Below is my criteria

- Affordable - about $40000 max Canadian
- Fairly fuel efficient as I typically have to drive a few hours to spots
- 4x4 for offroad and snow
- Be able to sleep in - Two people and a small dog
- Be able to keep most gear in it so i can hit the road any time
- Entire setup has to be under 7' as my only parking spot is in a parkade

Thanks in advance! Alsio if you want check out my instagram account @roveadventures

Hello Rove
First off live too far south to be able to speak intelligently about price in your area.
I have read your requirements, my first thought was a midsize truck. Fuel mileage in my opinion won't be much different between a 1/2 ton truck and a Tacoma or Chevrolet, Nissan mid size truck after you load it down. If the trails in your area would accommodate a full size, I would say the 1/2 truck for comfort, the ability to carry your gear. This will feel like a mansion compared to the cx5. A truck bed camper, even with the cab can't be over your parking requirements. Do some searching and read some of how creative others are doing overlanding with a truck bed conversion. Good luck let us know where you land.

Russ

 

[Sparky09]

I’ve often thought about doing just what your thinking about. Currently have a 2011 FX4 with the 5.0 and 5.5ft box. My opinion for what it’s worth;
2011 or newer F-150 with a 5.0 or 2015+ 2.7 Eco. Supercab with a 6.5ft box and whatever options you want.
Start with a canopy, possible high top with a sleeping platform. Try it out and make changes to suit your style and use.

 

[Explorerinil]

You can get a long bed Tacoma, build a platform above the wheel wells. My TRD off road V6 gets 20 MPG with a light foot.

No other truck will have better resale.

I agree, Toyota makes great products and all of their vehicles have geat resale. For a small truck I love the Tacoma, I just wish it had lockers as an option. If I were in the small truck market it would be hard not to get a zr2, due to several desirable options it offers vs Toyota which doesn’t offer them. Toyota better step it up with the zr2 in the game now.

 

[Rove Adventures]

Would the OP consider a small trailer? You could store your gear in there all the time and get by with a much smaller vehicle than what is being discussed.

I have thought about this, the main problem is I live in an apartment that only has one parking stall in a parkade so I would have to store the trailer else where otherwise I would have considered a trailer, this is the reason I am also limited to 7 feet clearance which makes things a bit more challenging to figure out a decent set up

 

[Rove Adventures]

As fellow albertian here who spends much to much time on Kijiji you just can’t touch the Fords right now on pricing. I’ve got both a 3.5 and a 5l super cab in my favourites for 33k and 32.5k respectively. Both with the 136l tank and the rear locker. Both 2018s new on the lot. Once in a while a tundra will come up just under 40 if you watch. Maybe waiting for “red tag days” or a special. Tacoma’s are 43~, gmc/ Chevy are 37+ by the time they have a 5.3l and the 2019 are a new model at damn near 50k. Same with Ram. You will be real tight getting a heavy duty into your parkade, and getting one new under 40k might be a dream. Nice but sure not cheap. Jeeps are 60k by the time rubicon is on the hood.

Also a colour matched canopy/ topper with a queen mattress make for a decent sleep. Let’s call that 2500$. So still a couple thousand under 40. There’s a reason f150 is Canada’s most popular selling vehicle. Cheap like borsch.

Agreed! This was one of the main reasons I am considering a F-150 because of the price. Also the range that you could get with the 4x4 3.3l engine and huge 136L gas tank and yeah it does come with the electronic rear locker. Was curious how well the electronic rear locker works?

 

[Rove Adventures]

Hello Rove
First off live too far south to be able to speak intelligently about price in your area.
I have read your requirements, my first thought was a midsize truck. Fuel mileage in my opinion won't be much different between a 1/2 ton truck and a Tacoma or Chevrolet, Nissan mid size truck after you load it down. If the trails in your area would accommodate a full size, I would say the 1/2 truck for comfort, the ability to carry your gear. This will feel like a mansion compared to the cx5. A truck bed camper, even with the cab can't be over your parking requirements. Do some searching and read some of how creative others are doing overlanding with a truck bed conversion. Good luck let us know where you land.

Russ

Thanks for the feedback! Yeah the more and more i think about and given my limited parking I am leaning towards a fullsize truck with just a truck canopy then build a drawer sleeping platform in the bed or something like that. Will keep everyone posted when I make the decision!

 

[Highlander]

Are not they say that an average mpg of ecoboost are 18-22?
Some guys even get more, I mean the guy like myself who always drives 10mph below the speed limit sure can get even 25 mpg.

Check out the taco forum. People are not getting more these numbers.

 

[Explorerinil]

Toyota holds its value well, but a Cummins powered 3/4 ton can pull the same mileage and could quite possibly hold its value as good or better.

I didn’t think about that... that’s true, my 1 ton ram cummins, running 37 inch tires and 900 ftlbs of torque gets better mpg than my father in laws stock tundra.

 

[Rove Adventures]

As fellow albertian here who spends much to much time on Kijiji you just can’t touch the Fords right now on pricing. I’ve got both a 3.5 and a 5l super cab in my favourites for 33k and 32.5k respectively. Both with the 136l tank and the rear locker. Both 2018s new on the lot. Once in a while a tundra will come up just under 40 if you watch. Maybe waiting for “red tag days” or a special. Tacoma’s are 43~, gmc/ Chevy are 37+ by the time they have a 5.3l and the 2019 are a new model at damn near 50k. Same with Ram. You will be real tight getting a heavy duty into your parkade, and getting one new under 40k might be a dream. Nice but sure not cheap. Jeeps are 60k by the time rubicon is on the hood.

Also a colour matched canopy/ topper with a queen mattress make for a decent sleep. Let’s call that 2500$. So still a couple thousand under 40. There’s a reason f150 is Canada’s most popular selling vehicle. Cheap like borsch.

Forgot to ask was also just curious how the real world fuel milage is on the 5.0l?

 

[Deleted member 9101]

What I have noticed is that the f150 is sort of a disfavored truck among the overlanders.
I wonder why?

Ignorance. You should see how much crap I get when I mention an EcoBoost.

 

[ulyist]

I just look at Fuelly.com seems to average out pretty reasonable. When ever someone says the get 25mpg in their Cummins/ Tacoma/ f150 I’m inclined to believe it happened once or that’s what the truck tells them it gets. Last time I looked for 2018 f150 it goes something like this. 2.7 ~ 12.4l/100k. 3.3~ 12.5l/100. Then 3.5 ~ 13.7l/100 then 5.0 ~14.2l/100. Tacoma was 12.6 l/100 in 2018 and 13.6l/100 in 2019 model year. None of this accounts for 4x4 vs 2x4 though.
I have a 2006 Cummins and lifetime average is 14.7l/100km, and I drive like an old man. It’s pretty well stock too, so I call bs on 25mpg Cummins. I’m sure someone will be around to correct me momentarily with their 30mpg Cummins but then I’ve only put 340000km so what do I know.
Tacoma or a full size your not buying for fuel economy. Both are similar shaped and weight just buying something different then everyone else or the same.
Yes the dodge is good on fuel for what it is, but it’s a big heavy truck and costs accordingly. Also with diesel being more costly then gas it doesn’t make sense unless you tow. A lot.

 

[Deleted member 9101]

I just look at Fuelly.com seems to average out pretty reasonable. When ever someone says the get 25mpg in their Cummins/ Tacoma/ f150 I’m inclined to believe it happened once or that’s what the truck tells them it gets

I get 24-25 mpg every single time I hit the HW and set my cruise at 70 in my F150. Every single person with an F150 set up like mine that I have talked to gets the same.

Also (in the F150 at least) you can enter in a correction factor to make the in dash display match hand calculations.

 

[ulyist]

So do you average 850 miles per tank? Or is this just while on cruise on the highway? Seems like the 4.7 million miles tracked on Fuelly averaging out to 17.19mpg is a lot different then 24 to 25mpg. Trucks are getting more fuel efficient and more powerful of course but I’m talking lifetime averages. 600 miles to a 35 gallon tank is great, just trying to give the guy realistic expectations.

 

[Deleted member 9101]

So do you average 850 miles per tank? Or is this just while on cruise on the highway? Seems like the 4.7 million miles tracked on Fuelly averaging out to 17.19mpg is a lot different then 24 to 25mpg. Trucks are getting more fuel efficient and more powerful of course but I’m talking lifetime averages. 600 miles to a 35 gallon tank is great, just trying to give the guy realistic expectations.

For me to go 850 miles on a tank I would have to get 36 mpg.

If I fill up and drive at 70 until the next fill up I get 24-25. In traffic I get 21-22 mpg. My life time average is 20.8. That is about 70% in town driving, towing a single axle utility trailer once or twice a month, and a 7500 pound travel trailer every three or four months.