More than just getting rid of your lead foot is accomplished with this. You must practice driving as efficiently as you can. That could imply a number of things:
In This Article...
Hypermiling
I won’t go into all the specifics of hypermiling, but I urge you to learn more about it. In essence, it entails increasing your speed on downhill stretches of the road and letting your car drift up hills rather than slogging up them under throttle.
However, you don’t want to go too far with hypermiling, especially in congested areas. However, feel free to go all-in if you’re on the highway and there aren’t any other cars nearby.
Find the sweet spot
The fourth-generation 4runner appears to have a speed “sweet spot.” Depending on how yours is set up, it can be different, but it’s often between 90 and 100 km/h. It seems to start consuming gasoline much more when I exceed 100 feet in altitude. Be patient and aim to remain close to the sweet spot.
Plan your route with MPG in mind
The 4runner has significantly worse fuel economy in cities than on the highway due to its bulkiness. Therefore, whenever possible, try to use the highway or at the very least routes with greater speed limits.
The very worst for a 4runner’s gas mileage is stop-and-go traffic. Even if it takes taking a little longer path, try to avoid busy places. It will always be better for your car to be able to keep a constant pace than to constantly stop at red lights.
Are 4Runners worth the petrol they consume?
The EPA estimates that the Toyota 4Runner can achieve 17 mpg total gas mileage across all variants, with 16 city and 19 highway miles per gallon.
What 4Runner offers the best MPG?
Toyota 4Runner Fuel Economy
- SR5 Toyota 4Runner
- 4Runner SR5 Premium from Toyota.
- Toyota 4Runner TRD Off-Road: 18 MPG combined, 20 MPG on the highway.
- Premium Toyota 4Runner TRD Off-Road
- 17 mpg in the city, 20 on the highway, and 18 combined1
- Limited Toyota 4Runner.
- Toyota Limited Nightshade Edition 4Runner.
What changes result in a higher MPG?
You may improve the fuel efficiency of your car by making a few modifications. Some of them are straightforward and affordable, while others require a little more work. If improving gas mileage is the main justification for the update, it’s crucial to take into account how much of a difference they’ll actually make.
Think Aerodynamics
Our initial modification includes reevaluating how your car navigates its surroundings. It goes without saying that you want a large piece of steel and plastic traveling at 90 km/h to exert as little effort as feasible.
If your car has roof racks or a roof pod, it makes sense to take them off while not in use to save drag. You might be able to achieve a few more miles per gallon if you combine this with some other comparatively minor body modifications (such as removing the aerial and mudflap).
At the extreme end of the spectrum, you can decide to replace your bumper bars and mirrors with something more aerodynamic. But again, depending on what you want in your automobile, this is becoming a little more serious.
Consider your tire choice
Tires play a significant role in your vehicle’s fuel economy, even though they are not a novel or unusual modification. Choosing tires with less rolling resistance can be beneficial.
Here are a few things to take into account:
- Your favorite tire brand, the car’s size, your spending limit, and the use you intend for it.
- If you have a 44 that you use off-road, you should aim to select the tires with the lowest rolling resistance that still meet your needs.
- Maintaining the proper air pressure in your tires, along with choosing the right tires for your needs, is essential for your automobile to travel with the least amount of resistance.
Get Grounded
Unless you’re pedaling your automobile like Fred Flintstone and kicking a hole in the floor, there’s a good chance it has some sort of electrical system. Everything ages and becomes worn out. Any wiring and earth grounding terminals are included. Resistance can be produced by connections that are slack or that have been damaged.
Although it might not seem important, as resistance rises, all of your electrical components must work harder. Everything in your home, including your air conditioner and sound system, is grounded via a common earth point. For a little fee, maintaining this will help to improve your car’s fuel economy.
Oil Swaps
Switching to thinner oils is one of the simplest economy modifications. Gear-to-gear friction can be decreased by using synthetic oil in your differential and gearbox. Less energy is absorbed through heat as a result of this. Additionally, these lubricants may contribute to the parts’ longer lifespan. Synthetic oils tend to last longer than ordinary normal oils, while being a more expensive option.
Ditch The Belt
Although it is less frequent with cars anymore, a lot of older and some newer models still use belts to power radiator cooling fans and water pumps. The pulley that would drive these devices is being driven by the engine utilizing the engine’s own power or energy.
A smart approach to reduce the strain on the engine is to eliminate the requirement to run these on the engine’s own power by switching them from being manually driven to electrical.
Converting belt-driven things to electrical is a necessary modification for ardent “HYPER-MILERs,” but it is not among the most economical ones. You can save money by combining this with our previous grounding modification.
Catch up on maintenance
Maintaining what you already have properly is another simple and economical approach to stretch those gallons. Your fuel economy may be maintained and improved with routine maintenance. The replacement of worn-out spark plugs and confirming that your engine is timed properly are both excellent places to start if your car is in desperate need of a tune-up.
Regular maintenance items can have a significant impact on the amount of stress your engine experiences while operating. Imagine that all the dirt and other debris have partially clogged your air filter. The engine therefore has to use more effort to draw air into the head, where the combustion process occurs, through the filter, throttle body, and carburetor.
For the same reason that an air filter needs to be maintained, the same is true with gasoline filters. It will be much more difficult to keep things operating if your filter is blocked and not allowing the full amount of fuel to get through down to the engine.
Therefore, ensuring that your car has routine maintenance will go a long way toward assisting you in going above and beyond when it comes to fuel economy.
Increase performance
Contrary to popular belief, upgrades that boost horsepower don’t always result in higher gas consumption. As long as you aren’t continuously “enjoying the increased power with your foot on the floor,” anything that helps your engine breathe more easily will actually improve your fuel economy.
Depending on how fuel-efficient your car is out of the box, aftermarket headers, high-flow cats, and exhaust systems can all help you get more miles per gallon.
Tune the ECU
Another doable change that is reasonably simple to complete is near the end of our list. For a variety of cars, there are several businesses that provide personalized or plug-and-play tunes.
While some claim that these songs enhance power, many really recommend higher overall economy when in use. Another expensive modification, but depending on how much fuel you want to save, it might be right for you.
Many cars have been modified to run fairly rich both when they are idling and when they are traveling down the road. Your gas mileage can be greatly increased by leaning them out when the engine is not under any significant load.
Use your vehicle’s helpful features
Some contemporary cars come with an engine stop/start function, which isn’t always a modification. The engine is turned off when the clutch is released and the car is stopped to cut down on idle time. The engine restarts when the clutch is depressed.
In spite of the fact that this isn’t really a modification per se, if your automobile offers this option and you aren’t using it, you could be losing out on some significant fuel savings.
Why does my 4Runner use such a lot of gas?
I wanted to recommend a number of areas to look at, even if we are not addressing all of these today. We might discuss all or some of the other subjects in a later post.
- All-terrain vs. Highway Tires
- Cold air intakes and air filters
- Upgrades to the suspension and lift kits
- Roof Racks and Roof Rack Accessories
#1. Highway Tires Vs. All-Terrain Tires
The most comfortable and quietest tire for daily driving, particularly on highways and long commutes, is a street tire (Highway Terrain).
A smoother, more fuel-efficient ride is provided by the tread’s reduced aggression. It depends on the tread whether or not the grip is sacrificed. My own 4Runner fishtails when I step on the accelerator in the rain on smooth pavement because of the rear-wheel-drive system and the less-than-grippy tires.
On the other hand, a decent All-Terrain tire, which is rightly named, provides the best grip in all weather conditions. The comfort isn’t always compromised, but there is typically greater traffic noise and poorer mpg.
Tire companies like General Tire have created technology for its All-Terrain tires, including the Grabber ATX, to improve comfort and handling (All-Terrain). In my opinion, All Terrains’ improved grip makes up for the difference in petrol consumption.
Peace of mind in the dirt, rain, snow, etc. It might be difficult to find the correct tire for your needs, so do your homework before spending your hard-earned money on the wrong tires. Size matters as well because larger tires roll more quickly due to inertia but are also heavier and put more strain on the engine.
With the correct tires, good mpg and comfort are therefore possible, but what about handling?
It all comes down to the load capacity, sidewall rigidity, and tire rating. These elements may influence how comfortable the 4Runner will feel for the driver.
#2. Air Filters and Cold Air Intakes
Can horsepower and miles per gallon be increased with the correct air filter? Sure, but also no. The majority of product claims are frequently untrue.
Most Toyota cars come with a cold-air type air intake system by default. This means that a high-quality drop-in air filter, like those made by K&N and AEM, can increase airflow and make a system less constrictive.
For normal driving, a drop-in filter works just fine, but most trail-oriented enthusiasts will choose a Volant TRD Intake, TRD Intake, aFe Intake, even a snorkel or some other kind of aftermarket system.
I typically get 19 to 20 mpg on my daily commute, as was previously noted in this article. With the constrictive FRAM paper-based air filter I had previously, I didn’t get as excellent of results.
#3. Lift Kits and Suspension Upgrades
Vehicles with lifts have increased aerodynamic drag. This results in higher fuel usage as the engine must work harder to propel the car through the air.
Lifts are helpful in a variety of off-road scenarios, but not so much when traveling on the highway. When compared to the floaty factory setup that prioritizes comfort, handling may be improved depending on the quality of the suspension setup.
A lift occasionally makes the ride uncomfortable. It all depends on striking a balance and doing your research, just like in many other aspects of life.
Although you may always adjust your aftermarket suspension to a low level (to keep it near to factory), bigger lifts typically have an impact on your MPG.
Stick with a Bilstein lift kit, Falcon Suspension, or any suspension with a lower setting if you want to keep your 4Runner lifted and your MPG close to factory specs. Though it all depends on your unique physical characteristics and build. Based just on a lift, it can be challenging to estimate a major rise or fall in MPG.
The key is that everything adds up, therefore you should consider your lift and suspension. You become less aerodynamic as you increase in height and width, which could lead to a decrease in MPG.
#4. Roof Rack Accessories and Roof Racks
Cargo baskets, roof boxes, and roof racks have great aesthetic appeal and are also very practical. Do they, however, make sense for regular driving? Most attachments reduce miles per gallon, however certain roof boxes are aerodynamically constructed.
Parking garages should also be considered. Many parking garages might not be able to accommodate a raised 4Runner with anything on the roof. Your 4Runner might protrude from a standard parking space if it has a rear-mounted load tray, which would make parallel parking more challenging.
Safety and Overall Practicality
Currently being developed are some of the safest automobiles ever created. The 4Runner is large, has plenty of space, and can comfortably carry 5 adults.
While some models come with turn signal mirrors and parking sensors, Toyota omitted features like lane departure warning and blind-spot monitoring. These might be deal-breakers for some, but that only goes to show how straightforward and retro-chic the 4Runner is.
Conclusion + Final Thoughts
Whatever you are most interested in, whether it be cost savings, function, or form, it all boils down to your requirements, wants, and priorities.
So, yes, a 4Runner can be a fantastic everyday driver that you’ll be proud to own.
Martin here; I make videos and other content. I have a YouTube channel and like to create music, design websites, go hiking, and travel.
Does the 4Runner’s cool air intake enhance MPG?
When you boost HP, you typically lose MPG, therefore the cold air intake is meant to help. Typically, I’ve discovered that adding cold air to a car results in an increase in horsepower and, most of the time, a decrease in MPG. The 4Runner isn’t recognized for its high fuel efficiency; practically every one I’ve seen gets between 15 and 18 MPG. If you keep it tuned up and change the oil (5w30, helps a little). Additionally, the EPA and other independent tests have proven that all of those “fuel wonder mileage increase” add-ons are ineffective (Mythbusters even did a few shows on this subject). However, you may learn more about it if you go to http://www.fueleconomy.gov/.
Simply maintain it and keep up with the service. My brother’s 4Runner has been observed averaging just over 20 MPG on the freeway. I wish you luck.