Small Pickup MPG

Do any small full frame pickup trucks get 25-30 mpg on the freeway?

30 is pushing it.

You can hit 25 with a 4 cyl. 5 speed.

Small trucks don't get anywhere near the fuel economy they should.

I know a guy who claims he gets in the upper 20s with a ('99 or '00 or so) superduty 7.3 tuned for mileage. It was confirmed by his father-in-law. But for some reason I'm still skeptical. His truck is extend cab, 6.5' box, and slightly oversized tires. Don't know if what transmission he's running though...

Not small, but...

Yes, it's possible with a 7.3L.

That's not too small though.

http://www.fuelly.com/driver/brokeback/ranger

2005 ranger, 2.3l duratec with 5 speed manual, camper shell, average over the last 30k miles was 28.5 mainly highway.

Some towing of a 1500lb single axle trailer in there. I tend to stick around 65 mph and get 30 mpg at that speed. 75 mph = 27-28 mpg.

My Ranger got 25 on the one time I calculated. 1996 4-cyl 5-spd Lima 2.3L. I've heard more from the 2.3 Duratec.

when i had my s10, i rocked a 2.8 TBI with an ECM from an auto after i converted to a 5 speed. 3.42 rear gears. 5 speed from a 92 4 cyl, no egr, no air pump, no cat. flipped air cleaner lid. truck was an 89. also bumped the timing a few degrees till it ran right, and airflow modded the TBI unit.

lowered 3/5, with 245/50/16 tires. reg cab short bed.

i regularly got 29-32 on the highway. the speedo was GPS operated, so i know the number is accurate.

hope this helps.

The turd of a motor in my S10 let me hit 26-27 on the highway averaging about 70mph. 'Course it couldn't maintain speed in the hills of PA...

I had a 2011 2.3 A/T Ranger as a company vehicle when I was a field service engineer. With a heavy cap, and a bed loaded with tools and parts it would get 24MPG in about 90% highway driving.

I'm guessing empty and capless, it probably would've done over 25. Maybe even better with the 5-speed.

My old 95 Dakota would break 25 if you were real careful. Hills would knock that down considerably, as would a headwind or crosswind. 2.5 5-speed. Gutless.

"My" old hardbody would get right at 30, but it was a bit of a penalty box.

My 1994 toyota pickup with 22re and 5 speed returns 26mpg faithfully

early 90s ranger extended cab 5 speed and 2000 chevy s10 auto both got 25 on the road at 60-65. Both were 4 cylinder and basically empty.

2.3, 5 speed Ranger, I could never break 24 when I babied it. Usually I didn't.

SVreX wrote: 30 is pushing it. You can hit 25 with a 4 cyl. 5 speed. Small trucks don't get anywhere near the fuel economy they should.

This. The only vehicle I ever owned that would not beat the EPA ratings were my 2000 Sonoma 2.2L/5-spd. To add insult to injury, it was dogE36 M3 slow as well.

The BEST I ever achieved out of it on pure highway driving around 5mph over the limit was 27mpg. Normal was 24. Town driving and romping, 20. I get that with the fullsize, crew cab V8 truck I own now.

So let's sum up a mini-truck: limited capacity, can't tow much, can't haul much, gets mediocre mileage (poor for it's size), isn't very comfortable and is easy to park. I guess 1 out of 6 isn't too bad.

Since you weren't very specific...

In the early '80s, Toyota, Datsun/Nissan, Ford Ranger, Chevy LUV/Isuzu P'up, and Chevy S-10 all offered Diesel engines.

As an example, the 1984 Isuzu Pickup 2WD Diesel was EPA rated at 29city/35highway. Actually, that's the "modern" EPA rating. The window sticker said 34/38.

Now, good luck finding one :)

Bobzilla wrote: So let's sum up a mini-truck: limited capacity, can't tow much, can't haul much, gets mediocre mileage (poor for it's size), isn't very comfortable and is easy to park. I guess 1 out of 6 isn't too bad.

I guess it depends on what you use it for. I kind of just "claimed" a '92 2.3/5spd Ranger that my Dad had laying around in my High School/College days. It was inexpensive and over a 12 year period, it needed a set of tires and a leaf spring among regular maintenance done very infrequently. I think it got an oil change once every 2/3 years...

It was perfect for what I used it for: -DIY projects around the house and yard -Trips to the U-pull junkyards -Hauling scrap away -Hauling 4G63's and other DSM parts -DD when my other cars were broken

It also got me free meals and gas money from friends who seemed to always need help hauling or picking things up.

When it wasn't being used, it was small enough to tuck in on the side of the garage without being obscene. It would sometimes sit there for 6 months untouched, and would fire up immediately when called upon.

I miss it. :(

drive 65mph on the highway then.

EvanR wrote: Since you weren't very specific... In the early '80s, Toyota, Datsun/Nissan, Ford Ranger, Chevy LUV/Isuzu P'up, and Chevy S-10 all offered Diesel engines. As an example, the 1984 Isuzu Pickup 2WD Diesel was EPA rated at 29city/35highway. Actually, that's the "modern" EPA rating. The window sticker said 34/38. Now, good luck finding one :)

The folks had an 83 Isuzu P'up with the diesel 5-spd. It would get 42mpg around town, short trips staying in the 40-60mph range. Once you put it on the interstate at 60-65mph, that mileage would drop to a consistent 40. It would never be confused as a fast vehicle, butit was a great little critter while they had it. Too bad the frames all rusted in two behind the cab.

My Hardbody is averaging 24.5mpg (Imperial) over three years. A best of 29mpg. And ZERO power to show for it.

A modern full-size with a diesel will match or beat that mileage, and actually carry/pull something.

I like the convenience and maneuverability of a mini truck though...

'86 Toyota 4x4, 22R, 5 spd, regular cab with a cap (which helped the MPG). It would get around 30 mpg on the hwy. A bit of research shows the EPA hwy was 22 mpg and it has a 17 gal tank. I had a g/f with a co-op job in Niagara Falls and could make the trip home to PA (425 miles, mostly down-hill) on one tank with a bit to spare, which calculates out to a bit over 25 mpg, but I know I never put a full 17 gallons in the truck to fill it, ever.

My info is old but I once owned an '89 Ford Ranger. It was the "extra cab" version with air, 2.9L V6, 5 speed 4X2, with 3.73 rear gear. I towed a 2 axle trailer with a 2000# car with no problem. I only sold it when I bought a Mustang to race and I thought the extra weight would be pushing it. I had a bed cover on the truck and on the highway I regularly got 24-25 mpg. My best was 27 mpg. Towing I got as high as 17 mpg.

I don't think my carbed '85 Toyota Pickup never got a tick over 23MPG. I've gotten that in my diesel Suburban. The fuel economy was always disappointing in the small truck.

1999 Tacoma 2wd 2rz 5-speed. 26.3 average, best tank 29.4, worst tank 23.1

http://www.fuelly.com/driver/twolittlebroncos/tacoma

Ian F wrote: '86 Toyota 4x4, 22R, 5 spd, regular cab with a cap (which helped the MPG). It would get around 30 mpg on the hwy. A bit of research shows the EPA hwy was 22 mpg and it has a 17 gal tank. I had a g/f with a co-op job in Niagara Falls and could make the trip home to PA (425 miles, mostly down-hill) on one tank with a bit to spare, which calculates out to a bit over 25 mpg, but I know I never put a full 17 gallons in the truck to fill it, ever.

You do realize that's not how fuel mileage is calculated on any planet, right?