We recently discussed truck fuel mileage and now we're going to take a
look at
SUV fuel mileage - another very popular class of
car which often has poor fuel economy. Like they've done for trucks, manufacturers
have battled hard to improve SUV fuel mileage, with good success, but you
have to be prepared to pay for it.
The number one spot for SUV fuel efficiency is actually held by three different vehicles sharing the same frame and engine. The Ford Escape hybrid, Mazda Tribute hybrid and Mercury Mariner hybrid are all 2WD SUV's boasting fuel mileage ratings of 34 in the city, 31 on the highway and 32 combined. They each have the same 2.5 liter gas-electric hybrid engine and cost around $30,000.
While having great SUV fuel mileage these hybrids are expensive. Comparing them to the non-hybrid SUV with best fuel mileage reveals a premium of $9,000. Admittedly the Kia Sorento only achieves mileage figures of 21 in the city, 29 on the highway and 24 combined, but $9,000 is a lot extra to pay.
Of course as hybrid vehicles go, $30,000 is the cheaper end of the scale. Another very popular hybrid SUV with good fuel mileage is the Lexus RX 450h. It's a luxury 2WD SUV with a 3.5 liter engine capable of 32 mpg in the city, 28 on the highway and 30 combined but this car sells for $42,000.
Talking of luxury, if you don't fancy a hybrid and would like to try out a diesel, another SUV with good fuel mileage is the BMW xDrive 35d, a 4WD SUV with a powerful 3.0 liter V6 and a fuel economy of 19 in the city, 26 on the open road and 22 combined. It'll set you back around $50,000.
The
Ford Escape hybrid was the very first hybrid SUV and
is a full hybrid, meaning it can be powered by electricity alone. That's
how it achieves such impressive fuel mileage figures - it can reach speeds
up to 40 mph without using its gas engine. Great if you spend a lot of time
around town.
Although the car initially had some issues, its now been around for so long that these have all been resolved in the current generation and its now a great car and has largely positive reviews and customer feedback.
Like its counterparts, the Mazda Tribute hybrid and Mercury Mariner hybrid, the Escape hybrid is also available as a 4WD version with a 2 mpg loss in combined economy.
The secret behind the
Kia Sorento's good SUV fuel mileage
from a fairly standard four cylinder engine is largely because in its most
recent incarnation Kia's engineers have managed to slim the car down by
475 pounds. They achieved this through a new body construction and by doing
away with the low ratio transfer case.
The Sorento is receiving praise for more than gas mileage and budget pricing though. It's got excellent safety, gaining maximum stars from both the European and Australian safety programs and winning an award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety in the U.S. Probably the most unexpected praise though has been for the 4WD version whose off road capability is regarded to be very good by independent tests. Like the 4WD Ford Escape hybrid, the 4WD Sorento doesn't have quite as good fuel economy as the 2WD, losing 2 mpg on the highway and 1 mpg combined.
The
BMW xDrive 35d has an amazing engine. It's a 3.0 liter
V6 twin turbo diesel with a massive 425 pound feet of torque on tap, or
580 Nm in metric terms. That's a lot and it means that this luxury SUV pulls
hard right across the rev range and sprints to 60 in 7 seconds dead. This
engine feels more like an engine found in a high performance gas powered
car than a diesel SUV.
There's all the features you'd expect from a $50,000 luxury car including superb safety, TV, computer, satellite navigation, bluetooth, heated wing mirrors and voice operated commands.
The good news is there's now plenty of choice out there for those wanting good SUV fuel mileage. From budget SUV's to luxury brands, whether you want hybrid, diesel or gas, manufacturers are making special efforts to improve these vehicle's fuel mileage.