Gas mileage towing a small trailer with an SUV

[RobE]

Hi all.. Just thought I would share my experiences concerning gas mileage while towing a trailer.

We use a 2017 Santa Fe XL to tow a Jayco Jay Feather Sport 199. This is the long wheel base version of the Santa fe with the 3.3 l V-6 and six speed. The trailer weighs aprox. 4000 lbs loaded.

Santa fe mileage without the trailer is typically 8.5-10 litres per 100km (27-23 mpg US)

Towing the loaded trailer reduces this to 19-23 litres per 100km (12-10 mpg US)

Gas mileage decreases with speed as well.. If I can keep the speed below 90km (55m), I get the higher mileage.. I also find that if I change the drive mode to Sport, the transmission runs in a higher gear, lower rpm at cruising speed.

Hope you find this helpful.

Regards,
Rob

[GarlicDude]

About what I get towing a similar weight trailer with our Toyota Tacoma V6 PreRunner.

[Sport165]

My Lexus GX470 tows JayFeather 165, avg 11-13mpg, at around 55mph
And w/o towing-- just 12-14mpg... but around 70-75mph

[WeRJuliian]

There's an old saying that applies here, I think:

"If you have to ask, you cant afford it " :-)

[Pauls72]

When we bought our 23RB we has a 2015 Dodge Durango 3.6L V6+8 speed auto with tow package, 3.45 rear axel. Towing the trailer on the highway 65MPH/105KPH we average 10MPG. Without trailer 26MPG.



We replaced the 2015 Durango with a 2016 Durango 5.7L V8+8 speed auto with tow package, 3.09 rear axel. Towing the trailer on the highway 65MPH/105KPH we average 10MPG. Without trailer 23/24MPG.



We recently replaced my wife's car with a 2017 RAM 1500 Crew Cab 5.7L V8+8 speed auto with tow package, 3.21 rear axle. Towing the trailer on the highway 65MPH/105KPH we average 10MPG. Without trailer 21MPG.



At 55MPH/88KPH and slower, the gas mileage increased with all of them.

[pbois34]

2018 GMC Sierra 1500 5.3 motor towing x213=10mpg

[cekkk]

It's amazing how many set ups get ten miles per gallon. Everything from whatever the small ones are, 6 cylinders I guess, up to diesels pulling fifteen, twenty thousand pounds. 10 miles a gallon.

[DocBrown]

Yep, that's pretty normal for towing any full height travel trailer.

Physics. Ain't science grand!

[michael.g]

Our first trailer was a Rockwood Roo Hybrid. It had a 19' box (23' when beds open). We towed it with a first generation Nissan Xterra (3.3l V6, 170 HP, 210ft/lb torque). It towed great, but lacked power for steep hills and bridges. If we kept it at about 60 mph, we'd get 10 mph. Over 62 mph, we'd get worse.

-Michael

[RobE]

The trend seems to be about 10mpg regardless of the tow vehicle..

Its like no vehicle comes tuned for towing.. I would have thought that modern computerized cars would have a 'tow mode' that would help with the mileage..

Come on car makers, do better!!

[DocBrown]

Originally Posted by RobE

Its like no vehicle comes tuned for towing.. I would have thought that modern computerized cars would have a 'tow mode' that would help with the mileage..

!

This is why I mentioned physics. That's the limitation, wind resistance, or lack of it. There's only so much that can be done. If there was an easy fix to this trucking companies would have done it a long time ago.

You can test this for yourself. Carry a small box and run into the wind. Now take a 3x3 sheet of plywood, hold it flat in front of you and run into the wind. Not so easy now. That's whats you are doing when you hook up a travel trailer. Going slower reduces drag and increase mileage. I can get 15/16 mpg at 35 mph towing my trailer. But that's not realistic for getting to most destinations.

[Macaw]

Here is a quick youtube video showing wind resistance while pulling travel trailer

https://youtu.be/0wr2vht7J_8