Fuel Efficient SUVs
The most fuel efficient sport utility vehicles are popular with those who have people and goods to transport on a budget. Smaller SUVs and crossovers, those vehicles which seem to have features somewhere between an SUV and a minivan, work well for carpools, family trips, and for business purposes, especially where travel is local.
At the top of the list are the Hybrids. Ford Escape Hybrid and the Mercury Mariner Hybrid, both of whom come in at 34 miles per gallon in the city, make excellent fuel efficient SUVs. While these vehicles will not pull a large load, they will pack in both people and cargo and get it where it needs to go. The Mazda Tribute Hybrid also comes in 34 miles per gallon model, and the Saturn Vue Hybrid gets 32 miles per gallon rounding out the group of hybrids which get the best gas mileage of any small SUV or crossover type vehicle. A more luxurious hybrid is the Lexus 400h, which gets 27 miles to the gallon but it is much more expensive to buy than those vehicles listed above.
Chevrolet has the Equinox, a sport utility vehicle which gets 32 miles per gallon, is an alternative for those who do not want a hybrid. The non hybrid version of the Ford Escape gets 28 miles to a gallon. Other fuel efficient SUVs include Toyota’s RAV and Honda’s CR-V, with five passenger capability and luggage room to spare, these are fun cars to own and drive, though their gas mileage is slightly less than 30 miles per gallon.
Other fuel efficient SUVs include the Jeep Patriot and Jeep Compass. While these vehicles do not get the stellar gas mileage the hybrids do, they turn in a respectable 25 to 27 miles to the gallon. Great features such as four wheel drive are included on these vehicles making them worth considering while shopping for the prefect SUV.
These SUVs are made primarily for transporting people and their stuff. None have enough engine power to pull a boat or trailer of any size. Four cylinder engines are the standard in all of these SUV and are what makes them so fuel efficient. While this is enough power for acceleration, it is not enough for towing. Several of these vehicles, like the Equinox, will allow the buyer to upgrade to a six cylinder engine but this will result in a drop in gas mileage.
