Last week, I had my first experience towing a small trailer weighing about 1,200 lbs. Here is what I found about fuel consumption that surprised me.
65mph: 15mpg
70mph: 12mpg
Conclusion, the wind resistance appears to be the single factor affecting the fuel efficiency for a small trailer. By reducing speed by 10mph, you can really conserve fuel and minimize the need for frequent refueling.
- At low speed in the city, towing the trailer doesn't affect the fuel consumption at all, with about 20 mpg, almost the same with no towing.
- On highway, the fuel consumption varied hugely depends on the speed. I did a test on a straight flat road, in different cruise speeds:
65mph: 15mpg
70mph: 12mpg
Conclusion, the wind resistance appears to be the single factor affecting the fuel efficiency for a small trailer. By reducing speed by 10mph, you can really conserve fuel and minimize the need for frequent refueling.
