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What kind of gas mileage to expect on highway

jaslon

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jaslon Enthusiast

jaslon

Posted
Posted

Hey guys.

 

Wondering what you all are getting for gas mileage on the highway. I would be looking at a Crew Cab-4 wheel drive truck,  with the 5.3 V-8.

 

Do these trucks get better mileage than the 2008 to 2013 model years?

 

Thanks.

SippiSierra Enthusiast

SippiSierra

Posted
Posted

I think you will get 1000 different answers to this. A lot of different parameters that can go into it, tire size, lift/level/stock, drivers right foot... As for me I run a custom tune (AFM turned OFF), have a 2.5in level, and 275/65r20 aggressive all terrain tires. I see 20-21 on the highway but I run the truck at 65-67mph. I am never in a hurry. If I was running 70-75 I would assume I would dip into the 18 mpg range or lower. 

 

All in all I think it really depends on you and how you drive. 

jaslon Enthusiast

jaslon

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I am not planning a lift or level or aggressive tires.

 

I am thinking a truck might be good for our expanding family, besides getting a SUV. Heck, they get about the same gas mileage.

aseibel Senior Enthusiast

aseibel

Posted
Posted

everybody who answers this will give you a different answer.

 

I drive a 2015 that matches what you are looking at, stock tires and suspension, 3.42 gears. If I set the cruise at 70 for a couple hours, I'm usually just over 20. If I'm on a 2 lane road going 60, my mpg might be more like 22. 

redwngr Senior Enthusiast

redwngr

Posted
Posted

Yes the new ones get better fuel mileage.

 

Mileage is very dependent on the speed you like to drive.

 

It's also dependent on how steady the speed is.  

 

Are you going to lift it and increase the amount of turbulence?

 

Are  you going to run skinny tires or fat?

 

How about lug.  Blocky or smooth?

Brianskeet Enthusiast

Brianskeet

Posted
Posted

2017 1500 Z71 double cab, 5.3, 3.08 rear end. A lot of highway miles recently with the cruise control set to 74 mph for several tank fulls. I use different brands of fuel, but try to stick to "Top Tier" listed brands and burn premium only. 21.6 mpg. A few weeks ago on a state hwy instead of interstate I had the cruise set to 65mph and the mileage was 23.2 mpg. These are taken from the trucks computer, but the reviews seem to prove the computer honest on mileage. 

Loco-diablo Senior Enthusiast

Loco-diablo

Posted
Posted

In my experience of my first 10k miles, it’s all about the speed. I travel the same 26 mile stretch of highway every day to work. The terrain has hills and valleys. When traveling 60/65,I was around 20 mpg..The same route traveling 75/80, mileage drops to around 16.5 mpg.


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pmhinatl Enthusiast

pmhinatl

Posted
Posted
I am not planning a lift or level or aggressive tires.
 
I am thinking a truck might be good for our expanding family, besides getting a SUV. Heck, they get about the same gas mileage.


I have a 2015 Sierra 1500 slt ccsb 5.3 z71 4x4 (don’t know the final drive), and it fits our family extremely well (5yo and 3yo, both in booster seats). Just picked up an extang solidfold cover on CL and I think we’re set for whatever hauling, travel, towing, and camping we might want to try. The boys love it, I love it, even my wife enjoys driving it. I personally think it is a better choice than a Tahoe or the like, it just seems more versatile and honest.

But to your original question, it depends greatly on speed and condition. City/short trips, maybe 16 or 17. Highway at 65 gets 22 or 23, push 75 and it’ll creep down to 21ish. I’m pretty light on the throttle and gentile on the brakes. I’ve teased 24-25 out of it a few times (26.4 is my record, downhill for 25 miles ;) , but I was being silly and trying to hypermile a big, flat nosed truck.

M.




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Western96 Enthusiast

Western96

Posted
Posted

I have a stock Double Cab 4x4 LT.  Driving at 65 mph with Cruise Control on I'll get around 22 mpg.  Driving at 80ish mph and varying my speed some I'll get 17 or so mpg, I'm usually not too light on the go pedal for what that's worth.  So it can vary a lot depending on your driving habits.  I think city driving is somewhere around 15 or 16? Not really sure on that.

 

I think the mileage is a little better on these newer trucks by maybe 2 or 3.  It's waaaay better than my old Ram, which got about 12, but hey at least it sounded pretty great.

 

 

Western96 Enthusiast

Western96

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, Brianskeet said:

2017 1500 Z71 double cab, 5.3, 3.08 rear end. A lot of highway miles recently with the cruise control set to 74 mph for several tank fulls. I use different brands of fuel, but try to stick to "Top Tier" listed brands and burn premium only. 21.6 mpg. A few weeks ago on a state hwy instead of interstate I had the cruise set to 65mph and the mileage was 23.2 mpg. These are taken from the trucks computer, but the reviews seem to prove the computer honest on mileage. 

Not sure if I'm reading this right but are you putting higher octane gas in your truck? Using a higher octane rated gasoline in a truck designed to use 87 octane is not actually good for your MPG.  It actually hurts it a little bit, higher octane gasoline needs more heat/precision timing to fully burn than the 5.3 has on tap.  Your engine cannot burn the 89/93 octane gasoline correctly so some of it goes to waste, plus your money does to.

Brianskeet Enthusiast

Brianskeet

Posted
Posted
28 minutes ago, Western96 said:

Not sure if I'm reading this right but are you putting higher octane gas in your truck? Using a higher octane rated gasoline in a truck designed to use 87 octane is not actually good for your MPG.  It actually hurts it a little bit, higher octane gasoline needs more heat/precision timing to fully burn than the 5.3 has on tap.  Your engine cannot burn the 89/93 octane gasoline correctly so some of it goes to waste, plus your money does to.

This subject has beaten to death for years so rather than any lengthy explanations of why I do what I do just let the OP take the information he asked for and make use of it as he wishes. 

Loco-diablo Senior Enthusiast

Loco-diablo

Posted
Posted
Not sure if I'm reading this right but are you putting higher octane gas in your truck? Using a higher octane rated gasoline in a truck designed to use 87 octane is not actually good for your MPG.  It actually hurts it a little bit, higher octane gasoline needs more heat/precision timing to fully burn than the 5.3 has on tap.  Your engine cannot burn the 89/93 octane gasoline correctly so some of it goes to waste, plus your money does to.

Is the 5.3 actually designed to run 87? That’s a good question.They say 87 minimum or higher in the manual. Some manufacturers will say this just so potential buyers aren’t scared off by the higher priced gasoline requirement.

I would like to know which grade is actually best for this engine.

 

 

 

3ed5fbe516b5e68a9c408b3e197ff42e.jpg

 

 

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Logan Lanfear Enthusiast

Logan Lanfear

Posted
Posted
20 minutes ago, Loco-diablo said:

Is the 5.3 actually designed to run 87? That’s a good question.They say 87 minimum or higher in the manual. Some manufacturers will say this just so potential buyers aren’t scared off by the higher priced gasoline requirement.

I would like to know which grade is actually best for this engine.

 

 

 

3ed5fbe516b5e68a9c408b3e197ff42e.jpg

 

 

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GM probably took into account that most people are going to put 87 into these trucks.  They recommended it probably because they had 87 in mind when they designed the truck lineup.  

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