New Tacoma trailer capacity

[Wolfy]

My F.I.L. bought a new Toyota Tacoma pickup. He loves it. At a birthday party we were discussing the truck. I questioned it's towing capacity, and, since he never tows anything, he did not know. But now I am curious. Any Tacoma owner's tow? Also wondering on the mpg. His V-6 gets 18-20mpg combined driving. I do not know if there were several engines available, or just the V-6.

 

[Nightforce]

The trucks specs should include towing maximums for both tongue and pulling...

 

[s219]

I seem to remember it's around 5000-6000# tow capacity with about 500-600# on the tongue, but I'd suggest looking up the specs on Toyota's website for solid numbers. They are nice trucks, but I'd have a hard time choosing a small pickup that only gets 18-20mpg when full size V8 pickups are available that do as good or better. After 4000 miles, my GMC Sierra crew cab is averaging a touch over 19mpg.

For whatever reason, even Toyota's full size Tundra pickups get mediocre gas mileage. A comparable Tundra to my Sierra (albeit with shorter bed on Tundra) is rated a good 4-6mpg less on paper. Seems uncharacteristic of Toyota to me (I have owned several of their cars over the years, and they were always tops with mpg).

 

[Wolfy]

Cant be mad at 19mpg in a full size. I heard the Tundras are powerhouses but heavy drinkers.

 

[Nightforce]

From the 2014 Toyota Tacoma Brochure V6

Tongue - 650
Tow - 6500

 

[Eric102]

Yup, my Tundra 5.7L V8 averages 16mpg non towing but is crazy powerful. Tows my 8,000lb boat like its not there but towing mileage really suffers with the hills around here, about 8mpg. Fortunately only use the boat about a half dozen times a year. Had a diesel (non-turbo) F250 before the Tundra and it struggled on the hills with the boat and only averaged 12mpg non towing.

 

[Wolfy]

Thanks for all the responses. Eric, we used to have a 7.3NA mason dump in our family business. I agree with everything you said. It got 12 running empty. Pushing heavy snow would get it down to 8mpg. I liked it though, reliable and ran like a bear. The 2 worst things... A-the hex shape brake pins in the front end that constantly fell off and B- the auto transmission could barely hold up to 185hp. Is there a 6cyl Tundra?

 

[Eric102]

Thanks for all the responses. Eric, we used to have a 7.3NA mason dump in our family business. I agree with everything you said. It got 12 running empty. Pushing heavy snow would get it down to 8mpg. I liked it though, reliable and ran like a bear. The 2 worst things... A-the hex shape brake pins in the front end that constantly fell off and B- the auto transmission could barely hold up to 185hp. Is there a 6cyl Tundra?

When I bought my Tundra in 07 I think there was a V6 and a smaller V8 option, not sure about now. I needed the big V8 to get the 10,000lb towing capacity.

 

[crazyal]

I think Toyota stopped making the Tundra with a V-6. They said that their customers want a V-8 with lots of power so that's what they make. It also seams like Toyota values reliability over fuel mileage.

 

[Eric102]

I think Toyota stopped making the Tundra with a V-6. They said that their customers want a V-8 with lots of power so that's what they make. It also seams like Toyota values reliability over fuel mileage.

I agree, its certainly been reliable over the last 7 years. Haven't spent a penny on repairs and the few minor issues it had when it was new were covered under the warranty. The old Ford was a constant money pit since I purchased it used at 3 years old.

 

[Wolfy]

The Tundra wouldn't be any better on gas than my Ford is now. Maybe I should keep it and get a Corolla gas sipper and alternate.

 

[handirifle]

I owned a 2006 Tundra with the 4.7L gas engine. SUPER reliable truck in every way. I sold it because we want to RV more and there was not enough oomph to do the job. I personally do not like the layout and design of the newer Tundra and I wanted to go diesel anyway. I am glad I did, but I get it that diesels are not for everyone.

No way would I ever advise someone to get a new Tundra with the V6. Too big of a truck for that small motor, period. If you do not want a truck for at least medium power, why get a truck???

The first new truck I ever bought was a 1975 Datsun, (pre-Nissan days) and even then the Datsun got better MPG than my friends Toyota trucks, same year. I got 20-21 highway with a 2.0L 4cyl, 4 speed. No OD transmissions for them then. The friends Toyota 4cyl with 5spd and OD got 18. Toyota has always been that way.

My Tundra was rated for 7000 but frankly if you pull 7000 like I was, when you climb a 3 mile climb, at 4-5%grade, nothing huge, and you top out doing 35 mph, foot to the floor, and slowing, I tend to have little faith in their ratings. Through rolling hills it was fine, if you don't mind a lot of shifting.

If it were MY Taco and I was pulling with it, I would not go over 5000, but that's just my experience. The new Tacoma is almost as powerful as the old Tundra was, on paper, but I don't put a lot of faith in their numbers.

 

[Wolfy]

Thanks for the info Handirifle. I can see your point on the V-6 being too weak for a big truck. Ideally, Id like to retain a 9,000 lb tow rating, but not having to have a F350 to get it. My F.I.L. did look at the Nissan version of the Tacoma, he said it looked of excellent quality. He went with Toyota only because they had his truck on the lot.

 

[s219]

Ideally, Id like to retain a 9,000 lb tow rating, but not having to have a F350 to get it.

That's a cinch -- all of the big three's 1/2 ton trucks can tow 9500-12000 lbs depending on how they're equipped. And there are V8 models that give you decent gas mileage (18-23mpg) too. They make it pretty easy to buy a truck that meets a wide range of needs now. Heck, I think my 2014 Sierra rides quieter and smoother than our Acura MDX, purportedly a "luxury" SUV. And the Sierra does as good or better for gas mileage. I bought the Sierra for truck stuff and towing, but it's a darn good daily driver. All the recent model 1/2 tons from GM, Ford, and Dodge are.

 

[Wolfy]

I can see your point. Id likely feel cramped in a Tacoma anyways.