Wanting better mileage SUV/crossover.

[I.B. Washincars]

I'm going to be in the market for a new vehicle soon and want some real life advice. We want an SUV or crossover that gets decent mileage. We rack up 75-100 miles per day on our 2001 Ford Sport-Trac, which gets 18 mpg on a good day. I would prefer AWD/4WD, but it's not mandatory since we will keep the ST in the bullpen. We don't have children to haul around, but grandchild #3 is on the way so I guess we will need to be able to deal with a car seat from time to time. The only dealerships in our town sell Ford, Chevy, Chrysler/Dodge. I like to buy local and would prefer a Ford or Chevy, but that's not etched in stone. We really like the looks of the Ford Edge and the new Explorer and may be able to get "A" plan pricing from Ford. Any one have an Edge with some real life input? Anything else out there that may be the best thing since sliced bread?

 

[Waxman]

Try a Saab 9.5 Wagon

We have an older Saab 9.5 station wagon that is a fabulous car and gets 26-28 mpg consistently.

It's got leather, heated seats, sunroof, all the bells and whistles.

You could get a used one very reasonably priced.

I got a Saab guy who buys/sells these frequently, so holler if you need something like this.

We have beat ours around for 5 years or so and we love it.

 

[Whale of a Wash]

I also drive about 60mi a day between the 5 washes, and a year ago got a NAH or Nissan Altima Hybrid. In the summer i get 40mpg and can go 600 mi on a tank. In the winter with the warm up with our extreme cold and using the heater all the time it goes down to 28mpg. Not sure if people really need all the 4wd they say they do. We already have close to 50 in. of snow, and nothing here melts till spring. The streets are still pretty nasty and i seem to get along fine. Obama is pushing up gas prices because he is a Texas Oilman, but not too concerned as i'll still be driving on the cheap

 

[soapy]

I have a friend with a Ford Edge and he really likes it. If you can get the Edge with the new ecoboost turbo engine I think you would have great gas mileage and lots of power.

 

[I.B. Washincars]

I have a friend with a Ford Edge and he really likes it. If you can get the Edge with the new ecoboost turbo engine I think you would have great gas mileage and lots of power.

Do you know what kind of mileage he gets?

Regarding hybrids, from what I saw on TV (and we know it must be true if it's on TV) a couple of years ago I don't think I want one. They had put a pencil to them and determined that you would not save money with one. You had to keep it for an unreasonable amt. of miles to recoup the up-front cost in fuel savings.

 

[Washmee]

I'm thinking about getting one of these; Chevy Equinox. With the 4 cylinder engine it gets great fuel mileage. Highly thought of by the auto reviewers.

http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-trucks/Chevrolet_Equinox/

The 2011 Chevrolet Equinox ranks 2 out of 24
Affordable Compact SUVs. This ranking is based on our analysis of 23 published reviews and test drives of the Chevrolet Equinox, and our analysis of reliability and safety data.

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/car/09q2/2010_chevrolet_equinox-first_drive_review

 

[MEP001]

Hybrids are still primarily aimed at people who drive in lots of stop-and-go traffic. Highway mileage is usually not any better, or only slightly better, than a standard engine vehicle. It's mostly aimed toward the green-minded people who think they can save the world by buying a hybrid. The funny thing is Saab makes vehicles that have lower CO² emissions and get about the same mileage and cost about 1/3rd less.

I rented a Ford Freestyle a couple years ago and liked it a lot. It averaged 28 MPG, had loads of power and had a sophisticated traction control system. The Ford Edge has the same drivetrain, which is the CVT "transmission" that doesn't shift. It's a little odd when you accelerate hard from a standstill and it suddenly tries to spin the front tires when you hit 40 mph.

 

[Whale of a Wash]

I was only praising my Hybrid as i bought it at a dealer auction, and 2yrs old and 1/3 new price. That pencils out-----New --almost any car will not pencil out. I have to say the CVT transmission in my car is the greatest, good for mileage, fast off the line, and super smooth. Ford has quite a few models with CVT.

 

[MikeV]

My wife has an '09 Toyota Camry Hybrid that we consistently get 30- 35 mpg, even on long interstate trips. Around town, it's not uncommon to get up to 40 mpg.

 

[mjc3333]

Anything AWD or 4WD will not get "great" gas mileage depending on what you think "great" gas mileage is.

With that said, stick with FWD small crossover or station wagon.

If you want the best of both worlds, I would go for a diesel powered VW Golf Jetta Passat etc. 30-35 MPG in the city, well over 45-50 MPG on the highway even more if it's a stick). They get the same if not better gas mileage as do most hybrids on the market today without the huge upfront costs in purchasing, and the availability of fuel is for now everywhere.

If it has to be one of the three from Detroit, FWD small crossover. For now, the lighter the vehicle, the better the gas mileage. Some of the crossovers are just 4x4 versions for a particular vehicle in FWD version. They are not downsized, just FWD.

 

[Jimmy Buffett]

I used to have a Jetta turbo diesel and loved it. It lost a battle with the bumper of a truck or it would probably still be running. I am one of 3 straight guys driving a Passat in Kentucky now. It's a good car but the milage is disappointing. I would highly reccomend a VW if you know of an independent place that works on them. If you have to deal with the dealership I would pass. Most shops won't even attempt to work on one.

 

[I.B. Washincars]

Anything AWD or 4WD will not get "great" gas mileage depending on what you think "great" gas mileage is.

I don't expect "great" mileage, but our Sport-Trac has a 4.10 gear ratio (most of them do) and the mileage is not a huge amount better than my crew cab F-250. I would be happy if we could get up to 22-23 MPG and still have AWD. We have a sloping driveway that can be difficult when slippery. Most of the miles are open highway since my wife makes a 330 mile round trip each week.

 

[jimbeaux]

"Obama is pushing up gas prices because he is a Texas Oilman, but not too concerned as i'll still be driving on the cheap"

I am a Texan, I know Texan's and Obama is certainly not a Texan!!

 

[soapy]

In the early 90s my father bought a Turbo diesel Isuzu Trooper. It always got 30 mpg in city driving and close to 40 mpg on the hiway. With the turbo it was pretty peppy and fun to drive. If I could still get one of these I would but no one offers anything like it.

 

[MEP001]

In the early 90s my father bought a Turbo diesel Isuzu Trooper. It always got 30 mpg in city driving and close to 40 mpg on the hiway. With the turbo it was pretty peppy and fun to drive. If I could still get one of these I would but no one offers anything like it.

I find it strange that no one sells a vehicle like that in the US. They're pretty popular in the UK, in fact most cars there are available in diesel or "petrol" engine. Maybe we're spoiled with engines that are smooth and quiet at idle. I remember someone posting here for recommendations on a truck who flat out said "no" to a diesel because he didn't want to hear the noise while driving with the window down. A diesel in a truck used mostly for highway driving makes perfect sense.

 

[I.B. Washincars]

I remember someone posting here for recommendations on a truck who flat out said "no" to a diesel because he didn't want to hear the noise while driving with the window down.

Actually, that was me. That wasn't the only reason, but one of them. I ended up buying a V-8 gasser and at 71K I haven't regretted it yet.

 

[Randy]

The last time I was in Germany we rented a Ford Galaxy minivan for 10 days. It had a 4 cylinder VW turbo diesel engine in it, with a 6 speed overdrive transmission. It got around 50 - 55 miles per gallon on the highway. We drove it all over Germany, Austria and Belgium. Why can’t we buy those types of vehicles here?

 

[Waxman]

No way Randy! I had a couple Galaxies; 1964. They had 390's and 4bbl. carbs, so you're WAY off.

 

[mac]

Speaking of high mileage vans, let me take you to the wayback machine to the mid 1930s. Back then Buckminster Fuller designed and built several Dymaxion vans. You should google it and see videos of it. It was a three wheel van that had a single rear wheel that turned. It was 20 feet long, had a mid engine placement, held around 8 to 10 people, got around 30 mpg (remember that was in the 1930s), and could turn around in its own length by turning the rear wheel 90 degrees. I've often wondered why no one has brought out a modern version of it.

 

[MikeV]

My service truck is an '05 Dodge Sprinter. 5 cyl Mercedes diesel engine, 3/4 ton chassis. With over 120k miles on it now it consistently gets around 24-25 mpg. A little better in city driving than highway driving. Big enough to carry just about anything I need. Roomy and tall enough to walk around in. Hopefully this will be the last vehicle I need before I retire.