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4.6 vs 5.7

189K views 51 replies 37 participants last post by  Tundergas 
#1 · (Edited)
ok guys i recently traded in a 2007 DC LB with 5.7 for a 2011 DC 4.6 SB and here is some honest comparison between the 2:

Power:
every day driving I barely notice any difference in power,I'm telling you this new engine got some power no doubt, now if you race from light to light yeah will be different but still i don't think you bought this truck for that purpose.In my case I have Infiniti G37 S and a Yamaha R1 in the garage so no problem there:D...

MPG:
Ok i'm commuting 30 miles a day and that is 90% freeway (65-70 mph) with a 5.7 i use to get around 17.5mpg and now with the 4.6 i get 20 mpg exactly so there you go, (please note that this would be manually calculated).

Conclusion:
overall i'm happy with my new truck and honestly if i was pulling something heavy like 7000 lb+ i would definitely go back with 5.7 otherwise 4.6 is fine for every day driving.
 
#33 ·
Most people that buy full sized trucks are not buying because of fuel economy. Of course all things being equal you want better MPG...but in this case you have to give up a lot of power for that. I'd rather have the 5.7 and not need the extra power than have the 4.6 and wish I had the extra power....it just gives you so many more options with your truck.

I personally use the 5.7 power and need it when I tow. I'm sure the 4.6 could also tow my travel trailer but it would not be nearly as competent. I'm not setting any speed records when I tow buy if I need to pass someone going really slow I got the power to do it aggressively enough to be safe...where with the 4.6 I may choose to just slow down and follow. And while towing the 4.6 would probably end up getting worse MPG than the 5.7 in many cases because it would have to work a lot harder.
 
#35 ·
Yeah when looking at just MPG and Power the ecoboost may have an edge on Tundra. But then again...they are still new and unproven...so reliability with the Tundra still gets the edge. Also there are going to be some opinion based feature you may like more on one vs the other. Also what about price...how much of a premium do you pay for an ecoboost truck...I heard they werent cheap so if you are paying more then you are not really getting the economy.

There is a good thread about a guy that has both.
 
#36 ·
ill stick to toyota's reliability.
 
#37 ·
Of course the 5.7 is a better towing vehicle as it should be. I still can't beat the $3000 price difference between what I got my 4.6L for compared to the same truck with the 5.7L. Resale value doesn't matter to me because the initial purchase price will outweigh whatever I "lose" when I sell the beast.
 
#38 ·
Does the 4.6 come with a transmission cooler?
 
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#40 ·
As long as you purchase a Tundra with the towing package, you will get a transmission cooler. With the 4.6L, the tow package includes towing hitch receiver, trailer brake controller prewire, 4.100 on 4.6L V8, TOW/HAUL mode switch, transmission fluid temperature gauge, supplemental engine oil cooler, supplemental transmission cooler, heavy-duty battery, 170-amp alternator and 7-pin connector.

That's all from Toyota's website. :lol5:
 
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#41 ·
if they had the 4.6 back in 2008, I would have definitely considered it versus the old 4.7, which to me was just the "cheaper" option
 
#43 ·
When my 5.7 crewmax was stock with alloy rims (non steels) and 255 70 18 I could get solid 19.2-19.3 at cruse of 69 mph and low 17s city.
Now with XD HOSS wheels AND even not that big tires of 275 65 18 IT IS 17-18 FWY AND 16-17 CITY. If TIRES WERE WIDER AND BIGGER that would kill mpg even more.
Put those rims on a 4.6 and see what happens.

What I am saying is that when we talk about mileage, all options have to be factored in.
When I was looking for truck in 07, I drove a 4.7 crewmax and then a 5.7. WELL YOU KNOW WHICH ONE WON, the one with almost 100 HP extra!

If the dollar savings is minimal 5.7,but if it is exceptional and you wont haul then the 4.6 sounds great.
 
#44 ·
I think the lesson to learn out of everyones input is buy what makes you happy. You are not buying a truck to make others happy. To be honest we don't really care because you are the one that's going to make the monthly payment.

My Tundra is my first V8. Hind-sight being 20/20, I think I would have gotten the 4.6L because I am used to my old truck a Nissan Frontier (4.0L V6- 6spd Manual) gas mileage. I don't pull anything like a boat. Just things for the house from Home Depot. I wanted more space in the back for the kids and the CM was the ticket, it just so happend they were all 5.7L's.

But I have the 5.7L Limited CM and love it everyday. It also helps that I have a Prius for the wifey in the garage. I avg 19.8 MPG on a 72 mile round trip from garge to parking spot at work and back to garage. 66miles freeway and the rest city.
 
#45 ·
I bought the 4.6 because it had more HP than my old F150 SuperCrew 4.6 and was rated at a higher mpg as well. My old F150 had plenty of power to tow my 19ft CC bay boat.

The 4.6 has more than enough power for the average truck owner and while the 5.7 is a beast of a motor there is no reason to rank it better or worse than the 4.6 or vice versa.

Hell the last thing I want to do is come on here and feel disparaged by other Tundra owners just because I have a 4.6 and not a 5.7.

I am amazed by some of the MPG claims made by 5.7 er's When by all accounts the 4.6 should beat out the 5.7 in MPGs????
 
#46 ·
I bought a 2012 4.6 DC to replace my 2003 4.7 with 113k miles. The 2003 was a great truck with plenty to power to tow my 2,400 lbs trailer. Last summer my old truck pulled the trailer at 75 mph with the AC on during 110 degree heat and never over-heated or even ran hot. That is why I stuck with Toyota. The bottom line is that you only need the 5.7 if you are going to tow a heavy trailer. My 4.6 turns only 2,000 rpm at 80 mph. Why would I need more than that for an empty truck, and with a trailer I don't drive that fast. Get the 4.6 if you are going to tow a trailer under 5k lbs.

The 4.6 can usually be ordered with fewer options; mine only came with the tow and convenince package - $28k before tax. Don't pay for more truck than you need.
 
#49 ·
I'm in the position of possibly trading in my 2004 AC Tundra with 100,000 miles for a '12 or '13 Tundra (DC or CM). I love my '04, and it's served me well. But, driving my new wife's 3 boys on a regular basis, and 5 when my two boys visit on the weekends, I'd like a tad more room. Only choice now is: 4.6 or 5.7?

Since I don't tow anything, and don't pack heavy loads on a regular basis, the 4.6 should be fine. Sure, the 5.7 is a beast. But, if I can buy it for a better price than the 5.7, plus get better gas mileage, that's a winner in my book! :p
 
#50 ·
It's something like a $1200 option to step up to the 5.7 from the 4.6. When I was buying, the difference between the dealers actual sale price and the MSRP difference was somewhere in the range of $3-$4K just for the engine swap. As far as gas mileage, it is almost negligible though. Maybe 1-2 MPG difference, but as everyone says, it's how you drive it.

Test drive both and make your choice wisely. Either way, you are in a Tundra! :thumbsup:
 
#51 ·
I have took a ride in a '12 4.6 double cab and honestly the 4.6 is a pretty darn peppy motor, of course not as peppy as the 5.7's but still impressive, I hear gas mileage doesn't really have a big difference between the 4.6 and 5.7 but then again it depends on how you drive.
 
#52 ·
For me it was pretty easy. I drive less than 8K miles a year. I have absolutely no need for nearly 400HP. But I have to say, it's nice when you want to play. I didn't buy a truck hoping to get good gas mileage. I wanted fun to drive and when I lift again, I wanted the power to turn bigger meats. At any rate. I had a 1989 Toyota 4X4 22RE. Let's just say, no power or not enough when you want it sucks. Not saying the 4.6 is a slouch. I had the 4.7 in my 4Runner and even that was fun. I just wanted as big as it got. I probably will not do the supercharger but damn.
 
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