MPG loss with roof rack and awning?

Hello! I am a solo traveler driving from Austin, TX to southern Utah (about 20 hours, 1300 miles) for a camping trip. I read online that using the cargo basket that comes with the Trail Edition will lessen my mpg (even just by having it attached could cost up to 5mpg) so I’m pretty sure I’m not going to use it for storage. I’m also planning to install a ROAM awning, but now wondering how that will affect my mpg as well.

For any road trippers with attachments installed on their 4Runners: is this something I should be worrying about?

With gas being so expensive I’d like to save as much as I can, but don’t want to make things difficult for myself if using the cargo basket and awning won’t even make that much of a difference on savings.

Thanks!

 

Remove the basket.

First air up the tires 35-40psi(the more air the stiffer then ride), and if you can drive slow and enjoy the drive.

 

Nothing you will notice. 5mpg loss for a roof rack? Must have had a wall on the roof.

 

All things being equal.....driving speed.....makes or breaks gas mileage. Allow yourself an hour or two more driving time.

 

I have gotten 20+mpg with my awning/basket. Unless I'm towing my average is 17-18.5mpg. That's with a lot of traffic, stops, and hilly driving. My basket/awning are always on since I use them too much to take them off.

 

I took the roof basket off mine. At 65 mph it didn't seem to have much of an effect, 1 mpg maybe.

This wasn't a long term test. I drove it 3hrs on the highway home from the dealer and took the basket off. That's it. I remember it getting around 18mpg.
On a 5 hr trip with an hour of that closer to 70 mph I got 19 mpg. First trip had more hills.

 

Leave it on and utilize for storage, these things are not suburbans.

 

For an empty cargo basket, you're really only losing 1mpg based on my experience at highway speeds. If you load it up with tall boxy stuff, you'll lose a little more.

 

Yeah I agree with the others. It won't have the big of an effect by itself. If you want to make up the difference, apply some cool offroady stickers and some Meso Customs lights. They add like .5MPGs each. At least that's what I've learned on the forum.

 

If you even remotely think you will need the basket and or the awning, keep them on.

 

I have the Yakima Megawarrior basket, and I actually tested this. I drove the same route at the same speed in similar conditions with and without the basket. The difference was about 10%.

As @Moon Landing mentioned, your driving habits will have a bigger affect on fuel economy than the basket. As I tested the basket, I've also tested different cruising speed. I have seen a ~25% decrease in economy going from 65 MPH to 80 MPH in the same conditions.

So, leave the basket on, and drive slower.