Do you want the best gas mileage SUV you can get? Then run your eyes down this listing of the top 10 contenders for the US car market.
The Ford Escape Hybrid comes in two models, a front wheel drive or a 4WD vehicle.The 2 wheel drive hybrid Ford Escape does somewhere between 31 and 34 mileage in the city, or around 29-30 mpg on the highway the figures vary a bit. And the 4-wheel-drive hybrid SUV pumps out a very good 28 mpg in city traffic or out on the highway. Ford says its hybrid SUVs use electric motors while stopped or running below 30 mph, and use no gas then. Kinetic energy in the vehicles brakes powers the car's battery bank, which delivers DC power the SUVs electric motors when the vehicles slow down.
The hybrid Mercury Mariner also comes in two versions. the 2x4WD and 4x4WD, similar to the hybrid Ford Escape. Both Mercury two wheel drive and four wheel drive Mercury Mariner hybrids have the 2.3 liter, 133 horsepower engine which has 30/34 miles per gallon and 27/29 miles per gallon each. Both Mercury Mariner SUVs have electric motors to operate at speeds below 30 mph to save fuel while while driving in the city. They can both run on full gas, fully battery power, or a mixture of the two. Everything depends on traffic conditions at the moment.
The Mazda Tribute Hybrid does 29 to 34 miles per gallon in city traffic and 27 to 30 miles per gallon when cruising, according to EPA tests. This is Mazda's first attempt at a hybrid car, and it is a good effort. The Mazda Tribute has better fuel economy and a roomy compartment at the back. It has well-engineered low emmisions and provides excellent passenger safety from its side-curtain air bags.
The Saturn Vue Green Line is one of the best high mpg cars at the moment, giving 25 mpg in the city and 32 mpg on the highway. The Saturn Vue Green Line has a 2.4 liter 4-cylinder 172 horsepower engine and automatic transmission. It has a very tough design and a multiple airbag passenger safety system which adds to the vehicle's safety features.
The BMW X6 xDrive 35i SUV consumes around 25.9 mpg and is equipped with a DOHC 3-liter, 6 cylinder, 24 valve turbo-charged 300 HP engine driving a 6-speed Sport Automatic Transmission and also BMW Adaptive Transmission Control. The BMW X6 xDrive35i amazed us by zooming from 0 to 60 mph in only 6.5 seconds. That's impressive.
The Nissan Rouge SL gives you 22/27 mpg and is a tighter version of the older Nissan Murano. The Rouge SL uses a 2.5 liter, 167 horsepower, 4-cylinder engine with an Xtronic continuously variable transmission. The Nissan Rouge SL can be purchased with the following optional extras: electric power steering (EPS) and advanced airbag systems.
The Toyota Hilander SUV manages 20 miles per gallon on EPA tests, which makes it one of the most fuel-efficient SUVs on the market at the moment. The fuel saving score is better than the earlier V-6 Hilander that did an average 19 miles per gallon. The newer Hilander has the same V6, 27 HP engine as does the Toyota Camry and is pleasantly quiet, particularly at highway speeds.
The Hyundai Veracruz Limited AWD is a grunty SUV challenger with its strong V6, 3.8 liter, 24 valve, 260 horsepower engine. Most common SUVs have merely a 3.6 liter engine. The engine in the Veracruz Limited AWD powers up the hills with its 257 lb-ft torque, a better result than Hyundai's earlier model.s It gets you 15 mpg in city traffic, acording to EPA figures, and 22 mpg on the highway. This makes it one of the most fuel-efficient cars on the US market.
Kia Sorento 4WD is powered by a V6 - 3.3 liter, 242 HP engine which gives it one of the highest mpg ratings among SUVs today. Kia's Sorento SUV vehicle delivers 15 - 16 miles per gallon i(city) and 20 to 22 mpg at higher speeds. Kia Sorento 4WD has a 5-speed automatic gearbox, has knee and side-curtain air bags and a computerized stabilization system.
The Lexus LX570 SUV manages 12 - 15 mpg which is nothing remarkable nowadays. It uses a V8 - 5.7 liter, 381 horsepower engine which does greater power than the older versions of this car. The Lexus LX570 can be optioned with a multi-terrain ABS brake system for icy roads and a crawl control for steep and tricky descents.