MPGs - Many People Griping - A Foundational Knowledge Primer To Assist in Better Efficiency

[ultane]

I drove my GF to a miniature donkey show in Shelbyville, Tn. Miss Daisy got 24.2 MPG calculated at the pump for the trip over, which included two days of driving around town for meals, to and from the motel from the arena, etc.

Didn’t think that I had enough gasoline in the tank to get us home, so I used the Pure-Gas app, and found a station very near a lake (one the best chances of finding E0) just outside of Shelbyville that had 93 octane Chevron E0 fuel. Filled up there, and drove straight home, two lane highways (45-55 mph) to the interstate, then 60 mph (with some stop and go traffic) on cruise control (with traffic jam assist) until we had to get off onto a two lane highway to get home. We stopped at a rest area for pee break on the interstate, but left MIss Daisy running as we took turns going into the restrooms, then stopped at the BP station that we use locally when we got back into town, and filled up again with 93 octane E0.

Fuel economy, pump to pump, using 5.739 gallons of 93 octane E0, calculated at 29.44 MPG!!! The trip computer said we got 27.7 MPG… (picture before the one above with 12931 miles on the odometer).

Miss Daisy did good today!!!

 

[Blue Sky]

Considering this thread is dedicated to the fuel efficiency of our LCs. I would be interested in the mpg data coming from the 6th gen 4rnr I-force max operating a full-time drive.
I’m wondering if the 2 year lag on the roll-out has yielded any interesting improvements?

 

[teghogh]

That is not combined 26 by the way.

Of course it is

 

[TakaraLC]

Of course it is

No because average MPG of two trips of equal distance is not a simple average of each MPG value. You need to calculate gas spent in each trip and devise the total distance by that number. In your case, it comes back to something like 25mpg.

 

[GrayBeard]

I drove my GF to a miniature donkey show in Shelbyville, Tn. Miss Daisy got 24.2 MPG calculated at the pump for the trip over, which included two days of driving around town for meals, to and from the motel from the arena, etc.

Didn’t think that I had enough gasoline in the tank to get us home, so I used the Pure-Gas app, and found a station very near a lake (one the best chances of finding E0) just outside of Shelbyville that had 93 octane Chevron E0 fuel. Filled up there, and drove straight home, two lane highways (45-55 mph) to the interstate, then 60 mph (with some stop and go traffic) on cruise control (with traffic jam assist) until we had to get off onto a two lane highway to get home. We stopped at a rest area for pee break on the interstate, but left MIss Daisy running as we took turns going into the restrooms, then stopped at the BP station that we use locally when we got back into town, and filled up again with 93 octane E0.

View attachment 43645

View attachment 43646

Fuel economy, pump to pump, using 5.739 gallons of 93 octane E0, calculated at 29.44 MPG!!! The trip computer said we got 27.7 MPG… (picture before the one above with 12931 miles on the odometer).

Miss Daisy did good today!!!

That first line hits so different than when I was in the Navy!

 

[teghogh]

No because average MPG of two trips of equal distance is not a simple average of each MPG value. You need to calculate gas spent in each trip and devise the total distance by that number. In your case, it comes back to something like 25mpg.

I guess you are correct per my math

 

[jedyxu]

Good tire. Make sure you get the Goodyear wrangler rt that comes on 2025 broncos . They are much quieter and you can buy from ford dealer for 220

wow, you are right, they do ship it with the new broncos, it looks better than the old MT version. How do you buy it from the dealer? I also can't find its spec online

 

[teghogh]

wow, you are right, they do ship it with the new broncos, it looks better than the old MT version. How do you buy it from the dealer? I also can't find its spec online

Call ford dealer. They are much quieter on the old ones as well. Much much quieter

 

[TrailWhale]

I guess you are correct per my math

Yeah, the easiest way to think about it is the gallons consumed for each leg
so you did 20 miles at 29.7mpg and 20 miles at 22mpg, sum up that total fuel used then use that for your total mileage (40mi)

40mi / (20mi /29.7mpg + 20mi /22mpg) = 25.28mpg


I did this math in my head one day when I went up the mountain at 14mpg and down the mountain at 60mpg and felt cheated that my average MPG wasn't 37mpg

 

[teghogh]

Yeah, the easiest way to think about it is the gallons consumed for each leg
so you did 20 miles at 29.7mpg and 20 miles at 22mpg, sum up that total fuel used then use that for your total mileage (40mi)

40mi / (20mi /29.7mpg + 20mi /22mpg) = 25.28mpg


I did this math in my head one day when I went up the mountain at 14mpg and down the mountain at 60mpg and felt cheated that my average MPG wasn't 37mpg

The math is 2BA/(B+A) where a and b are each legs gas mileage

 

[TrailWhale]

The math is 2BA/(B+A) where a and b are each legs gas mileage

Yup, exact same math, yours is reduced to a convenient formula while mine was not reduced to spell out the reasoning.

 

[RithPrado]

This is what we get in Middle East. My FE shows 80L ( Main Tank) +30 ( Sub Tank)

THere is a subtank in Prado ? I have the adventure version does that have this too ?

 

[imann777]

THere is a subtank in Prado ? I have the adventure version does that have this too ?

Yes, The Toyota LandCruiser Prado 250 Gulf Models comes with a standard total fuel capacity of 110 litres, a configuration that's remarkably similar to the LandCruiser 300 Series. This total capacity is split between an 80-litre main tank running down one side of the vehicle, and a 30-litre sub-tank on the other side. If you raise the vehicle and observe under chassis the split tanks.

 

[RithPrado]

I see, i refueled my LC250 today and filled around 80 liter while the odometer showed around 70km range that means around 7 litre of petrol is left. If there was a sub tank with 30L capacity then the over all range should have been more than.

I am not sure if i am missing something here.

 

[BlueCruiser]

Keep trying! It is definitely possible to achieve 29 mpg's on the highway. I did it at sea level on flat terrain in normal mode without much difficulty. The LC had 20 inch OEM wheels and a crossbar but otherwise unmodified.

Below is a summary of information that may be useful if trying to maximize fuel economy.

Background
First, It helps to understand the design philosophy as described by Toyota because the I-Force Max 2.4L hybrid is different than traditional combinations of twin turbos, superchargers, hybrids, or AWD EVs. It uses a standard inline four cylinder turbo as the ICE, mated to a standard 8 speed transmission (less gear searching vs a 10 speed), and with an electric motor (EM) sandwiched in between.

This combination has produced the highest power, highest torque, and highest fuel economy ever in this class of its vehicles (LC and Taco). Other than the electric system, it leverages standard, well proven, and readily available light truck components for the engine, transmission, drive train, suspension, and brakes. It also has the promise of extending the longevity of the vehicle because it has fewer moving parts, and reduces the load on the ICE, transmission, and braking systems over its useful life. Only time will tell.

It is important to understand this architecture because in order to maximize performance the driving technique is counter intuitive. For fuel economy, it should be operated as a very low revving four cylinder vehicle rarely going above 2K RPMs. To do this, the driver must focus on leveraging the electric engine and induce its use as much as possible. Some call this "pulse and glide". Others describe it as driving by RPM vs MPH. Either way, the objective is use the electric engine more and the ICE less.

Driving tactics
1. The electric motor can sustain speeds up to 15mph on its own. RPM is zero and electric sound hums.
2. The EM can solely maintain speeds up to 30mph on its own. Once at speed, RPM drops to zero and electric sound hums. Soft pedal the accelerator so the ICE never kicks in.
3. The EM can sustain highway cruising speeds up to 65 mph while keeping RPMs within the peak torque 1700 to 1800 range using the pulse and glide technique. This gives rapid power delivery and forces the EM to provide the boost rather than revving the ICE or spooling the turbo. RPMs remain constant yet you feel the boost/pulse of the EM to push faster.
4. Just a note. Although not moving, I have noticed the vehicle can run the AC and other systems for a relatively long period of time while parked before the ICE kicks in temporarily and then shuts of automatically. This saves quit a bit of gas compared to other vehicles that must sit there and idle the whole time.

When people complain that they are driving 75 mph and getting lower than expected MPG it suggests they are thinking about it backwards. For those who would complain that it is too much trouble to think about and just want to drive the vehicle, remember that this philosophy will keep you constantly in the optimal power band (about 1800 RPMS) and provide the most rapid power delivery. In sport mode, it is a total blast.

By understanding how this very clever and capable system was designed and re-training your driving instincts it is amazing what can be achieved for both fuel economy and driving performance. I fully expect someone with a little time and practice can break the 30 mpg barrier soon.

Good luck

View attachment 42537

Adding one more observation. Cruising on the flat highway at 1,500 RPMS and about 62 MPH consumes about 28 MPGs.

It is as simple as that. The ride is smooth, quiet, and you can instantly boost ahead on battery whenever needed.

29+ is achievable by manipulating the consumption of the battery in what I call "super cruise". It is indicated by maintaining the 60 MPH with the engine RPMs at zero.

Quite a strange feeling but very impressive when you can do it. The tactic takes a little intervention but will squeeze a few more MPGs out of it.

 

[COSmurf]

Adding one more observation. Cruising on the flat highway at 1,500 RPMS and about 62 MPH consumes about 28 MPGs.

It is as simple as that. The ride is smooth, quiet, and you can instantly boost ahead on battery whenever needed.

29+ is achievable by manipulating the consumption of the battery in what I call "super cruise". It is indicated by maintaining the 60 MPH with the engine RPMs at zero.

Quite a strange feeling but very impressive when you can do it. The tactic takes a little intervention but will squeeze a few more MPGs out of it.

I think it’s also worth noting that the old adage “What gets measured, gets managed” applies here. One of my default dash views is to have the electric boost on one side and the turbo boost on the other because there are times when you don’t even need to be in boost to maintain a steady speed that the engine is in the boost and you wouldn’t know unless you can see it and back off for a second and see the turbo boost drop and steady speeds able to be maintained easily.

It’s also useful because watching the gauges for some period as you drive helps to calibrate pedal pressure and learn some less intuitive things if coming from a non hybrid… such as sometimes a quicker but somewhat shallow jab of the pedal results in the electric boost kicking in fully vs the turbo because its ability to kick in is immediate vs having to spool up. So it sort of runs counter to driving super steady and smoothly but figuring out the right amount of pressure to elicit that electric motor boost in place of gas turbo boost becomes somewhat intuitive after a while. It’s fun to figure out how to drive it and experience all the mid-range torque on tap constantly and also see your mileage increase.

 

[teghogh]

Adding one more observation. Cruising on the flat highway at 1,500 RPMS and about 62 MPH consumes about 28 MPGs.

It is as simple as that. The ride is smooth, quiet, and you can instantly boost ahead on battery whenever needed.

29+ is achievable by manipulating the consumption of the battery in what I call "super cruise". It is indicated by maintaining the 60 MPH with the engine RPMs at zero.

Quite a strange feeling but very impressive when you can do it. The tactic takes a little intervention but will squeeze a few more MPGs out of it.

Your speedo is off by 7 percent btw . Check with radars speed checks . Every lc I’ve seen reads 4mpg or so higher at 65, meaning your mpg is impacted by that amount as well

 

[aggiejet]

Keep trying! It is definitely possible to achieve 29 mpg's on the highway. I did it at sea level on flat terrain in normal mode without much difficulty. The LC had 20 inch OEM wheels and a crossbar but otherwise unmodified.

Below is a summary of information that may be useful if trying to maximize fuel economy.

Background
First, It helps to understand the design philosophy as described by Toyota because the I-Force Max 2.4L hybrid is different than traditional combinations of twin turbos, superchargers, hybrids, or AWD EVs. It uses a standard inline four cylinder turbo as the ICE, mated to a standard 8 speed transmission (less gear searching vs a 10 speed), and with an electric motor (EM) sandwiched in between.

This combination has produced the highest power, highest torque, and highest fuel economy ever in this class of its vehicles (LC and Taco). Other than the electric system, it leverages standard, well proven, and readily available light truck components for the engine, transmission, drive train, suspension, and brakes. It also has the promise of extending the longevity of the vehicle because it has fewer moving parts, and reduces the load on the ICE, transmission, and braking systems over its useful life. Only time will tell.

It is important to understand this architecture because in order to maximize performance the driving technique is counter intuitive. For fuel economy, it should be operated as a very low revving four cylinder vehicle rarely going above 2K RPMs. To do this, the driver must focus on leveraging the electric engine and induce its use as much as possible. Some call this "pulse and glide". Others describe it as driving by RPM vs MPH. Either way, the objective is use the electric engine more and the ICE less.

Driving tactics
1. The electric motor can sustain speeds up to 15mph on its own. RPM is zero and electric sound hums.
2. The EM can solely maintain speeds up to 30mph on its own. Once at speed, RPM drops to zero and electric sound hums. Soft pedal the accelerator so the ICE never kicks in.
3. The EM can sustain highway cruising speeds up to 65 mph while keeping RPMs within the peak torque 1700 to 1800 range using the pulse and glide technique. This gives rapid power delivery and forces the EM to provide the boost rather than revving the ICE or spooling the turbo. RPMs remain constant yet you feel the boost/pulse of the EM to push faster.
4. Just a note. Although not moving, I have noticed the vehicle can run the AC and other systems for a relatively long period of time while parked before the ICE kicks in temporarily and then shuts of automatically. This saves quit a bit of gas compared to other vehicles that must sit there and idle the whole time.

When people complain that they are driving 75 mph and getting lower than expected MPG it suggests they are thinking about it backwards. For those who would complain that it is too much trouble to think about and just want to drive the vehicle, remember that this philosophy will keep you constantly in the optimal power band (about 1800 RPMS) and provide the most rapid power delivery. In sport mode, it is a total blast.

By understanding how this very clever and capable system was designed and re-training your driving instincts it is amazing what can be achieved for both fuel economy and driving performance. I fully expect someone with a little time and practice can break the 30 mpg barrier soon.

Good luck

View attachment 42537

I’m new to LC and hybrids. We (my wife primarily drives this car) are getting terrible MPG (like 15 mpg) so I figured we must be doing something wrong.

So here is first thing that caught my eye reading your informative post. Our LC rarely uses the electric motor. I cannot drive over 5 mph before the engine starts. So I came to the conclusion that the electric motor was only for Offroad/rock crawling.

So what do we need to do different or what are we doing wrong. We’ve read the OM a fair amount, as there is just a lotta cosmic stuff in this car. But apparently we can’t even get the basics correct.

Thanks

 

[RideWithYanu]

I’m new to LC and hybrids. We (my wife primarily drives this car) are getting terrible MPG (like 15 mpg) so I figured we must be doing something wrong.

So here is first thing that caught my eye reading your informative post. Our LC rarely uses the electric motor. I cannot drive over 5 mph before the engine starts. So I came to the conclusion that the electric motor was only for Offroad/rock crawling.

So what do we need to do different or what are we doing wrong. We’ve read the OM a fair amount, as there is just a lotta cosmic stuff in this car. But apparently we can’t even get the basics correct.

Thanks

Just a bit of background info to help understand the drivetrain; you may already know most of this, but in case it’s helpful:

The i‑FORCEMAX hybrid system in the U.S.‑spec Toyota J250 Land Cruiser pairs a 2.4‑liter turbocharged 4‑cylinder engine (T24A‑FTS) with a single electric motor integrated between the engine and an 8‑speed automatic transmission. It’s a full hybrid, but unlike Toyota’s hybrid systems in models like the Prius or RAV4, it’s designed primarily to enhance torque delivery and drivability - especially at low speeds - rather than to provide extended electric-only driving.

The electric motor draws power from a 1.87 kWh nickel‑metal hydride battery located beneath the rear seats. It can technically move the vehicle on electric power alone, but only for very brief moments at low speeds or during light coasting. There’s no EV mode or user-selectable control over electric drive. In most conditions, the motor’s primary role is to supplement the engine, filling in torque during launch, reducing turbo lag, and smoothing stop-start transitions. The electric boost is most noticeable from a standstill or when climbing at low RPMs.

This setup uses a parallel hybrid architecture rather than the power-split design found in Toyota’s Hybrid Synergy Drive. It retains a conventional automatic transmission to maintain familiar driving characteristics and is optimized for durability and performance rather than maximum fuel efficiency. As a result, drivers shouldn’t expect silent electric cruising or the kind of EV-like behavior seen in Toyota’s hybrid sedans. The system is tuned for torque, refinement, and modest efficiency gains in a rugged, body-on-frame platform.

All that being noted, assuming no modifications to your vehicle, you should definitely be able to get higher efficiency than you’re getting. There’s a lot of good information (sift through the nonsense) in this thread and in others where people have shared their practices on how to get as much as high-20s mpgs.

 

[jayce]

I can tell you what I do. First, I use ECO mode exclusively. This is not because I am some sort of eco-warrior. ECO mode reduces throttle sensitivity, allowing your right foot to finesse the switching between gas, electric and turbo activation. In ECO mode the engine shifts into coasting mode (I.e. engine off) pretty much every chance it gets. If you maintain very light pressure on the pedal the vehicle will reactivate the gas engine when needed to maintain speed, but will operate at relatively low rpm’s. This is the formula for highest gas mileage. You can always apply the gas more forcefully to activate the turbo (e.g. to pass or go up a steep hill) but doing this a lot will kill the mileage. I also tend not to overbrake or brake unnecessarily. In addition, it helps if a lot of your driving is on back roads with no stoplights and moderate speeds.