Horrible mileage while towing

[Mitch-BTHS]

Buck99: Your mileage is good at 14mpg at 65mph.

I tow a 1998 Grady-White 18ft Sportsman center console with 60 gallon fuel tank and 150HP F150 Yamaha 4-stroke and single axle Shorlandr trailer. This package is heavier than your Boston Whaler. I have no problem with the Pilot Touring model especially on very steep boat ramps.

I owned a 1996 Ford Explorer with V6 24-valve engine, 1999 Ford Explorer with V8 AWD (horrible vehicle) (3) Honda Pilot Touring models, and most recently a 2010 BMW X5. My average with any of these SUV's is about 12MPG with a lot of stop and go driving with hills on average 1.5 hour trip. My main complaint was brake fade on my Pilots, and I plan to replace brake pads with aftermarket performance pads on my new 2013 Pilot Touring model.

If you want better towing performance check out any SUV rated 6500 lb towing or more. But your mileage may not be any better. This includes Dodge Durango, BMW X5 3.5i (but you can do road racing with trailer and boat in tow owing to the 3.5 liter 300HP 300ft-lb. torque engine).

Also check your trailer tire inflation and brakes for drag. I found bias ply trailer tires improved handling compared to radials.

[castman]

I find the Pilot does great pulling my trailer! I am ok with getting 15mpg. With all the stuff and 5 people that is what I want the Pilot for not mpg.

[stevorat]

I have a 2011 4WD and pull an 1800 lb trailer with a 2,500 lb car on it at 65 mph over the hills on I-85. Mileage is about 14 MPG and quite respectable for such a car. I used to pull with a Tahoe V8 and got 11 MPG. Also, I'm impressed that the V6 can handle the hills without losing speed with that load, although I press the D3 button on hills to unload the overdrive. The Pilot could use more torque, but overall I love this car and wouldn't trade it for anything else in the price range.

[klim86]

I dunno. When I drove from Colorado springs, co to Duluth, mn I averaged 22.5 mpg @ the pump doing 75-80 mph the entire way. On the way back I was towing a 6x12 enclosed trailer that weighted about 2000-2500 lbs and I averaged between 13-15 mpg at the pump doing 65mph. So all considering I think it did pretty good.

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[whizmo]

Originally Posted by klim86

I dunno. When I drove from Colorado springs, co to Duluth, mn I averaged 22.5 mpg @ the pump doing 75-80 mph the entire way. On the way back I was towing a 6x12 enclosed trailer that weighted about 2000-2500 lbs and I averaged between 13-15 mpg at the pump doing 65mph. So all considering I think it did pretty good.

I bet wind played a role here in this disparity. My experience on long E-W cross-country trips is that the winds tend to be much more on the nose heading E.

- Mark