For the record, my close friend has had a first model year newer defender - drives 10k / year and has had 65k reliable miles.
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turbo8
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Didn't see these posted yet
That is what Rover fans say…”it’s been reliable for 65,000 miles!” Pretty much anything should be reliable for 65,000 miles. It’s the next 100k after that which determines whether a vehicle is reliable.
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I saw the TFL 60 mile highway MPG test last week. They got just over 24mpg highway in the non-hybrid and 23.4 IIRC on the same 60 mile out and back highway run with the front snow plow removed. I was pretty impressed with those numbers for the non-hybrid. EPA on that truck is 23. Given the slightly better aerodynamics of the SUV form over the truck, 27mpg highway seems like a pretty realistic number. 22/27/24 is reasonably close I think. IMO - that's really good for what it is. It's a LOT better than current 4Runner with a lot better performance. It's not 27mpg combined thought like Toyota's marketing said initially.
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I'd expect this is for aero, similar to the little winglets on the sides of the 200 series taillights.
Those estimates (21/26) correspond to the SR5 2X4 model. That page is for the Tacoma as a whole, not the i-FORCE MAX specifically. Toyota hybrids would not have such a large difference between city/highway economy.
Ah, you're right. It being listed next to the 326/465 figures threw me off. I didn't notice the "max" part of those figures, and it lists 8auto or 6manual, which the hybrid will only have auto.
Really looking forward to these (and the GX) finally hitting the market.
Pretty sure the overall wind resistance between the Tacoma and LC/GX550 will favor the Tacoma. The LC/GX is taller and wider plus it will weigh more than the Tacoma.
Wind resistance is the factor that kills mileage the most. For reference, doubling a vehicle's speed equates to roughly 8 times the hp needed to move it down the road.
The original 27mpg estimate was a fabrication by Toyota. It takes a certain amount of hp to move a vehicle this size down the road (hp takes fuel) and the current battery pack only has about 3 minutes of work available at its advertised full 48 hp. The battery pack might help out a bit in city driving, but it's just about useless on the highway until it's time to pass or pull a steep hill for a few minutes.
I'd be happy with anything above the current 14-15 mpg I get in our 100 series, but I'd gladly buy another 14-15 mpg Toyota if I get the same reliability and toughness our 100 series has delivered after 326,000 miles and 20 years of ownership.
I'd wager that real world mileage at 65-70 mph will be closer to 20-21 mpg on a good day.
Wind resistance is the factor that kills mileage the most. For reference, doubling a vehicle's speed equates to roughly 8 times the hp needed to move it down the road.
The original 27mpg estimate was a fabrication by Toyota. It takes a certain amount of hp to move a vehicle this size down the road (hp takes fuel) and the current battery pack only has about 3 minutes of work available at its advertised full 48 hp. The battery pack might help out a bit in city driving, but it's just about useless on the highway until it's time to pass or pull a steep hill for a few minutes.
I'd be happy with anything above the current 14-15 mpg I get in our 100 series, but I'd gladly buy another 14-15 mpg Toyota if I get the same reliability and toughness our 100 series has delivered after 326,000 miles and 20 years of ownership.
I'd wager that real world mileage at 65-70 mph will be closer to 20-21 mpg on a good day.
The GX550 is rated at 21 MPG highway, you really think the 250 can’t best that? I don’t get the pessimism.
I do agree that the 250 won’t really be more aero than the Taco, and also has to deal with additional losses due to the 4WD system.
Whether you are dragging a wheel or powering a wheel, those are minimal relative losses in the AWD system. I'm not being pessimistic, I'm just being realistic.
If a 2wd Tacoma can barely eeek out 24 mpg, good luck getting 21 in a LC or the GX. I spent a few minutes reading up on how the EPA tests are done. Most of them are on a dyno and the average freeway speed is capped at 60 mph...also on a dyno. It's not clear how they handle the wind resistance portion, but bottom line is that EPA tests are usually pretty optimistic. How many of us would drive 60 mph on a highway with a speed limit of 65 or 75? And again, it's the wind resistance that kills you. On my 2019 Ford diesel going through Wyoming at 80 mph (a trip I've done too many times), I get about 12 mpg. At 70 I get 14 mpg. At 60 I can get into the high teens/low 20's. It pretty much comes down to physics.
If a 2wd Tacoma can barely eeek out 24 mpg, good luck getting 21 in a LC or the GX. I spent a few minutes reading up on how the EPA tests are done. Most of them are on a dyno and the average freeway speed is capped at 60 mph...also on a dyno. It's not clear how they handle the wind resistance portion, but bottom line is that EPA tests are usually pretty optimistic. How many of us would drive 60 mph on a highway with a speed limit of 65 or 75? And again, it's the wind resistance that kills you. On my 2019 Ford diesel going through Wyoming at 80 mph (a trip I've done too many times), I get about 12 mpg. At 70 I get 14 mpg. At 60 I can get into the high teens/low 20's. It pretty much comes down to physics.
They publish the Cd numbers. Gx550 is . 399. Can't find new Taco, but it's probably very close. New tundra is .36. Tacoma probably has lower frontal area at least in base trims. Possibly more in off-road trim? Usually trucks are a bit worse, but the tundra does really well. So Taco might be better. I'd bet they measured with the bed cover. The trail hunter is probably the worst just looking at all the farkle.
Anything over ~13mpg in a GENUINE Land Cruiser is hard to believe (gasoline-powered). 
Anything over 20 is a miracle. 
I love miracles.
Anything over 20 is a miracle. I love miracles.
looks good in the snow. based on the toyotausa reply, the LC250 is not delayed like the GX500 it would seem.
anyone else kind bummed the roof rack only covers about 60% of the roof and not the entire length of the roof?
And yet Toyota maintains 27 mpg for the LC250 on its Canada website.
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Are there any details shots of the roof? Wonder if the channels extend further, and might have additional mounting options if so for full length aftermarket racks.
turbo8
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