MPG with & without air dam (removed) on 2025 4Runner TRD Off-Road (non-hybrid) 6th Gen -- Real world test

[E.T.]

Summary -

22.67 MPG vs 23.47 MPG: The minuscule difference (only about 0.8 MPG gain) between test runs with and without the air dam suggests negligible real-world fuel economy impact, debunking the myth about the air dam's importance.

 

[kekecarioca]

Great test there TFL. For a silly plastic thing, 0.8 mpg gain is quite big considering what manufactures have to spend on R&D to meet EPA across their lineup of vehicles.

 

[qtb007]

Great test there TFL. For a silly plastic thing, 0.8 mpg gain is quite big considering what manufactures have to spend on R&D to meet EPA across their lineup of vehicles.

Yea, that's what people don't seem to be getting. The air dam isn't so much there for the buyer. It helps, of course, but it isn't a large amount of money annually. It does help the manufacturer avoid significant fines so it is 100% worth it from the manufacturer perspective. They split the difference by making it easy to remove and reinstall.