Returned earlier today from my first boxtrip up into the Rockies, and I have to say that I'm very pleased with the way my box handles grades. Somewhere between the electronics, the fat torque curve, and the gearing, it did very well, and I never really felt a lack of power. Denver to Georgetown via I70, up over Guanella pass (very steep, lots of switchbacks) down the other side to Bailey on US285, a bunch of sidetrips on gravel roads, circle back to Denver. 164 miles round trip on a full tank of 87 octane. I had to really stuff the tank to get it to take an even 5 gallons- that's almost 33mpg with 2 adults, two kids, and gear... No A/C, it was a cool day...

It's weird how the guys in the giant SUV's just hate it when I pass...

 

Excellent! I'm glad to hear it. I'm planning on buying my box soon and it is my last concern. I haven't been able to test drive on a decent grade. Did you have a cold air intake installed for extra power?

 

Just the TRD air filter element in the stock airbox, and the TRD axleback exhaust. Mine's a 5-speed, so I really couldn't say about an automatic model... It wouldn't hold 5th gear on the steeper parts of I70, but rocketed along in 4th, and you'd have to be suicidal to go that fast on Guanella pass...

I'm planning a trip to the Western slope in a couple of weeks, which means climbing up I70 to the Eisenhower tunnel, a really long, tough climb for any econobox- i'll post back on that afterwards...

I have to say that fwd kinda sux on gravel roads- with rwd, you can cross it up, power your way deeper into unexpectedly tight turns. No way with fwd- giving it power with the steering wheels crossed up is a ticket to disaster... the car just goes in the direction the front wheels are pointed... wider in the turn... yipe!

 

reminds me of my trips up to tahoe in light snow. 5th gear the whole way. only cars that passed me all day were two subaru's both wrx's.

 

Love my xb in the snow... stock tires suck but the thing is like a little tank.

 

I cannot complain either i have an 05 5 speed and it did really well during my move. i drove from columbus ohio to my new home here in amarillo tx. not too many big hills but i was doing about 80-85 a/c full blast and almost 1,000 lb of cargo and i had no problems on any grade in 5th gear. my car has an aftermarket header, axle back exhaust. air box is standard with o.e.m. air filter. oh and by the way my mpg was never below 31. highest was 34. not bad for the conditions. oh also, it rained about half of my trip. just my 2 cents.