Towing a 4500lb TT with an SUV
We currently tow our 17ft ultralight TT with a 2007 Honda Pilot. It is rated to tow 4500lb, we are 3500 dry and about 4350 loaded. We know we're near the top of our capacity, and had planned to tow cl...
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12-15mpg for towing?
Not gonna happen, just the nature of the beast.
Think of it like dragging a cement block the size of a billboard behind you.
Not even modern Diesels get that mileage when towing (pre emission Diesels often could get 15-19 MPG towing, newer emission Diesels are lucky to get 15 MPG empty.
Expect 9-11MPG for gas engine as a typical average, add in a lot of steep grades with heavy go peddle and you can be nearer to the 8-9MPG club.
Speed also will affect towing mileage, the faster you go, the worse it gets, lighten up on the go pedal, do not expect to drive it in a top fuel dragster mode and get decent mileage. You WILL drop speed and it WILL downshift going up grades and that WILL use more fuel.
To help make a comparision, one of my older trailer and truck combinations was a 97 Ford F250 with 5.4 and 20ft trailer (empty was 3,600 lbs and loaded was 5,800 lbs).. That combo gave me 9.1-9.9 MPG at 65 MPH.
My current combo, 2019 F250 6.2 gas engine, 26Ft TT (empty 5,000 loaded 6,200) gets me 9.1-10.1 MPG at 65 MPH for same route.
Just hooking up my 10K flat bead dovetail utility trailer with no load drags my mileage down to 10 MPG while towing and it only weighs 2,400 lbs empty.
Anyone that tells you they get 15 MPG with a gas engine while towing is lying and heck even the Ecoboost turbo F150 does the exact same thing, sure they can get 20-22 MPG EMPTY but hitch a trailer on and they drop down to 9-10MPG.
If you are seeking some off road type of adventure, a pickup truck with a fiberglass cap might work better for that.. You can setup a table/bed in the back, put some curtains in the windows and not have to deal with removing SUV seats although you would not have heat of A/C but some caps have windows which can be opened.. SUVs you would have to workaround seats that are not optimized for sleeping, carpeting and so on..
Not gonna happen, just the nature of the beast.
Think of it like dragging a cement block the size of a billboard behind you.
Not even modern Diesels get that mileage when towing (pre emission Diesels often could get 15-19 MPG towing, newer emission Diesels are lucky to get 15 MPG empty.
Expect 9-11MPG for gas engine as a typical average, add in a lot of steep grades with heavy go peddle and you can be nearer to the 8-9MPG club.
Speed also will affect towing mileage, the faster you go, the worse it gets, lighten up on the go pedal, do not expect to drive it in a top fuel dragster mode and get decent mileage. You WILL drop speed and it WILL downshift going up grades and that WILL use more fuel.
To help make a comparision, one of my older trailer and truck combinations was a 97 Ford F250 with 5.4 and 20ft trailer (empty was 3,600 lbs and loaded was 5,800 lbs).. That combo gave me 9.1-9.9 MPG at 65 MPH.
My current combo, 2019 F250 6.2 gas engine, 26Ft TT (empty 5,000 loaded 6,200) gets me 9.1-10.1 MPG at 65 MPH for same route.
Just hooking up my 10K flat bead dovetail utility trailer with no load drags my mileage down to 10 MPG while towing and it only weighs 2,400 lbs empty.
Anyone that tells you they get 15 MPG with a gas engine while towing is lying and heck even the Ecoboost turbo F150 does the exact same thing, sure they can get 20-22 MPG EMPTY but hitch a trailer on and they drop down to 9-10MPG.
If you are seeking some off road type of adventure, a pickup truck with a fiberglass cap might work better for that.. You can setup a table/bed in the back, put some curtains in the windows and not have to deal with removing SUV seats although you would not have heat of A/C but some caps have windows which can be opened.. SUVs you would have to workaround seats that are not optimized for sleeping, carpeting and so on..
