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Every Tundra owner I know in real life says the same thing...the mileage sucks> Every tundra owner on the internet gets 20mpg..go figure.

Whatever they called their little pickups back in the 80s (Hilux?), most wound up as rust buckets. Although they had pretty stout drivetrains.

And my response was in answer to the statement concerning 80s pickups, when Toyota was already in the wee pickup market here.

Datsuns became Nissans, so who gives a chit about whatever brand name something became later, if we're talking about the same manufacturer's product at an earlier point in time?

Sorry you had to get all bent outta shape there dupe. Just pointing out (for future reference) that the Tacoma didn't come out until '95. Since each model and generation has it's own strengths and weaknesses, using the correct names for vehicles seems kinda important.......at least to me.

I don't find the Tundra any worse than other 1/2 ton 4wd trucks in the fuel mileage department. I did not expect it to be a fuel miser when I bought it. I am actually pleased with the highway mileage on my Tundra. If driven with patience it is quite surprising. If someone chooses not to believe me that is fine with me.

Again, maybe in your neck of the woods they rusted away but that is not the case every where. A body shop told me the beds were more prone to rust, especially along a seam near the bottom of the bed. They would pull the beds off, paint both sides of the sheet metal, weld it back together and the rust problem in that seam was supposedly taken care of. They claimed they used to do a similar operation to 70's and 80's Chevrolet trucks.

I believe your claims VA, it's just that I'm not hearing anyone else claiming that kind of mileage also. I don't know if that means you just got lucky, or if everyone else has a heavier foot. I try to look at "trends" when possible. And you seem to be the exception to the trend.

My dad (70yrs) drives his '99 F250 7.3 PS like the proverbial old lady going to church, and only averages 18mpg on the freeway at 5mph over. He's barely cracked 20mpg a couple times on slower two lanes. Granted it's a long bed crew cab, so that's a lotta steel rolling down the road, but I've talked with enough guys running Dodges who can easily break into the low 20mpgs to know that the trucks are in fact different. The way my dad drives, I'm sure he'd get at least 25mpg with a Cummins.

Anyway, I'd love to hear from more Tundra owners who are driving with restraint and getting the kind of mileage I expect from Toyota.

Well, that wouldn't be me, then. I don't drive with restraint. My '11 Tundra has gotten 18 on the highway a couple times at the speed limit (65 up the Gorge and then 70 to Spokane) and it's gotten a hair over 8 --- pulling probably 6k# and with lots of headwind, especially in the Gorge. With a headwind, hills, or load, you can't drive with restraint, but that's what Tundras are for.

The more you tow, the more gas you use, but Tundras --- at least tow-equipped ones like mine --- will tow like there's no tomorrow.

I have 3 weeks off from work coming up(1 week in October and 2 in November) that I will be driving the Tundra quite a bit. I'll be hauling ATV's, hunting equipment and other things so hopefully I'll have a better idea of the Tundra's normal mileage.

Enjoy the time off.

Driving regular, with no trailer I consistently get 20 mpg with my Tundra. Pulling a camper and going up mountains kills the mpg, but that's expected. It's done 20mpg since the first road trip I took it on up until the last time I checked it a couple of weeks ago....

I have gotten as low as 8 mpg when pulling a camper and running 80-85 on the flats...mountains in between....

My experience is the Tundra is no worse than the Fords I've owned and the Chevys my brother has owned. Sheet metal does ding easily.

Expat

I have a 2007 Tundra and have to admit I don't drive that way either. If I remember right I got almost 18 driving empty to Spokane, WA once while driving the speed limit of 70 MPH with the cruise control set all the way. That is a rare thing for me. Driving around home I average right at 15. Whether this is good or bad I don't really know. I do know that a Chevy I had back in the 80s and 90s never saw 10 MPG so I feel the Tundra does pretty good.

I also love the way it tows our 8000 plus pound travel trailer. We drove around 4000 miles on a trip to Colorado and back this sumer and averaged just a tad over 8.25 MPG. That includes lots of mountain passes as well as 8000 ft highway elevations. I never felt under powered and actually never came across a pass I couldn't pull at least 60 MPH and usually 65. It also handled the trailer very, very well while coming down steep mountain passes. In short, I was very happy with its performance. Sure, less fuel consumption would have been nice but in talking with many other folks in various campgrounds, who were being honest about things, the only rigs doing much better were diesels and some of them weren't as economical as I thought they would be. I also found that Tundra owners in general were more pleased with the towing performance of their trucks than many folks with other manufactures were. Several folks mentioned they wish they had bought diesels instead, but I don't recall hearing that from any Tundra owners.

Bottom line is, if I was worried about economy first and foremost I would probably look for something smaller than a 5.7 liter engine or buy a smaller truck. Since I enjoy the power of the 5.7 Tundra and its ability to tow I accept the results. As was mentioned before I doubt there is much difference in the Tundra and other makes with everything being equal.

As far as the sheet metal being thin I haven't noticed it on my Tundra but do see it on my wife's 2009 Camry. It has a few "parking lot" scars and it does appear that the metal is thin, so I assume that my the metal in my truck is probably the same way. However it is something I can certainly live with.

Don't know what you guys are doing any different than we did, ours being all on relatively level ground, all with 5.7. 17 on hwy was best any of them would to, 13 in town. These were SuperCrew 4x4's.

Mine does a bit better than that but not a whole lot. It is a regular cab with long bed and topper. Don't know whether the topper hurts or helps the mileage as I have heard it argued both ways.

Here is a picture where we are getting ready to pull out of an rv park in Estes Park, CO.

Nice 25RKS Jayco, I have one as well. I have an 08 Chevy diesel that pulls mine.

Yes, it is a 25RKS and we do enjoy it. I'm sure your fuel consumption is much more pleasant than mine though.

One thing I have been impressed with this trailer is how well it tracks. I have yet to use the anti-sway bar because it just doesn't seem to move even at speeds as high as 70 MPH.

Does yours have the towing package?

I have a 04 Silverado crew cab 78K no real issues and like it 15 to 18 MPG in summer winter about 14 MPG. 5.3 engine.

Had a 81 Toyota PU and it was a lemon, I know unusual but influences my decision.

The key to getting the most out of any Truck (IMO)is the Motor OIL AND THE FILTERS.My 1995 Z-71 chevy has 425000 and still going . Put 150000 on a Tundra with no problems while my son drove the Z-71 to high school. I traded the Tundra and bought him a Tahoe for college. I kept the Chevy because the cost of repair when needed was less expensive. Bought a new 2011 Z-71 for travel. Just put 5600 miles out west and got 19.2 mpg.on it. I will put a new motor in the old Z-71 when it needs it. That will cost about 6 grand with a new Trans,radiator and install kit. They are both GREAT trucks if you use Mobil 1 synthetic and K&N air filters,with Purolater gold oil filters. Chevy milage is up, Older Z-71 gets 15, new Z-71 gets 18 avg. Tundra got 16 t0 17 which is not bad for a 4wd trucks , its your choice.

It is very interesting in fuel mileage. I traded a 3/4 ton with a 6.0 gasser to get this truck. Unfortunately the mileage isn't too different between the two, 3-4 mpg better. The main difference is I can put the cruise on the diesel and not have to worry. the gasser I would have to have my foot on the throttle all the time in 4th or 5th gear(6spdauto) while towing.