The top 10 most economical SUVs
From the Porsche Macan to the Honda CR-V, 10 SUVs that can better 40mpg in the real world
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.All of the models tested here can better 40mpg in the real world, as opposed to the world of laboratories and their special tests. That’s pretty good, given the size and weight of most SUVs. So, without further ado, let’s count down the top 10 most economical SUVs.
10. Porsche Macan 3.0 V6 S diesel
Official mpg: 44.8. True MPG: 40.7
People probably don’t buy a Porsche because they’re watching fuel consumption closely, but over 40mpg is good for a vehicle that also handles this well and is built to such high standards.
9. Subaru Forester 2.0D
Official mpg: 46.3. True MPG: 41.4
Over 41mpg in the real world is noteworthy when you add in the real ability the Forester has off-road as well as on it.
8. BMW X3 sDrive18d
Official mpg: 55.4. True MPG: 41.5
A pretty fine SUV straight out of the box, and economical too. We’d perhaps add the adaptive damper option just to make the handling even better.
7. Volvo XC60 2.0 D4
Official mpg: 60.1. True MPG: 42.8
It’s got loads of room and safety equipment and is good on motorways. There are some decent discounts available, but we’d have been happier if the gap between claimed and true mpg wasn’t quite so large.
6. Mitsubishi Outlander 2.2 Di-D
Official mpg: 52.3. True MPG: 43.0
Not a great interior, but you do get seven seats and lots of space. Running costs are fairly low too, helped by 43.0mpg.
5. Lexus NX300h
Official mpg: 54.3. True MPG: 45.5
A very well made SUV with low company car tax and a high specification. If you don’t want any diesel clatter in your life then this petro-electric hybrid could be just the thing.
4. Nissan X-Trail 1.6 dCi
Official mpg: 53.3. True MPG: 45.7
This is a great combination of practical and flexible interior space – with seven seats as an option – linked to cheap running costs and a good amount of standard kit.
3. Mazda CX-5 2.2 Skyactiv-D 150
Official mpg: 53.0. True MPG: 46.3
It’s not as large as some of the others here, but you still get a decent amount of space and equipment. The ride is on the firmish side and there is definitely some road roar but the engine is amazingly smooth for a diesel and, as you can see, very economical.
2. Toyota RAV4 2.0 D-4D
Official mpg: 57.6. True MPG: 46.9
It’s economical, no question, but it doesn’t really seem as refined or as high quality as you’d have a right to expect. The engines aren’t that terrific either, but at least there’s tons of room inside for people and cargo.
1. Honda CR-V 1.6 i-DTEC
Official mpg: 62.0. True MPG: 56.5
This is a full-size SUV with capacious interior and lots of kit. Yet, with a 1.6-litre engine, it can average over 56mpg. That is impressive.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments