Which truck is better suited to tow a 5,760 lbs box (horse) trailer down the highway? Can the 2016 Chevy Silverado with the big and powerful 6.2L V8 be more efficient than a 2016 Toyota Tundra 5.7L V8 at moving the trailer at 70 MPH down the highway?
We ran the Chevy on the same highway loop the same day with the cruise set to the same speed of 70 MPH. We used the same refueling station and method.
The Chevy has a couple of tricks up its sleeve. It has an 8-speed automatic transmission (versus the 6-speed in the Tundra). It also has the MPG-minded 3.23 rear axle ratio. We expected the Chevy to be more efficient, but we were not sure exactly by how much.
| 2016 Chevy Silverado | 2016 Toyota Tundra | 2016 Toyota Tacoma | ||
| Model | CrewCab HighCountry 4×4 | CrewCab TRD Pro 4×4 | DoubleCab TRD Off-Road 4×4 | |
| Engine | 6.2-liter V8 | 5.7-liter V8 | 3.5-liter V6 | |
| Transmission | 8-speed Auto | 6-speed Auto | 6-speed Auto | |
| Power (hp / lb-ft) | 420 / 460 | 381 / 401 | 278 / 265 | |
| Axle Ratio | 3.23 | 4.30 | 3.91 | |
| EPA mpg | 15/21/17 | 13/18/15 | 18/23/20 | |
| Trailer lbs | 5,760 lbs * | 5,760 lbs * | 5,600 lbs | |
| GCWR lbs | 12,000 lbs | 12,140 lbs | 10,740 lbs | |
| Result MPG | 10.1 | 8.15 | 8.4 |
- Trailer weight was increased approximately 160 lbs for the Chevy and the Tundra to compensate for not having technical editor Brian (as was the case with the Tacoma).
The Chevy came up with a result which was nearly 20% better. The low rear-end ratio in the Tundra did it no favors. Watch the video to see all the details.
