Gas Efficient SUV?

[poolshark5226]

Is there such a thing? I'm turning 16 in February and am going to start looking at cars and such, and I sorta have my mind set on an SUV. I like the fact that you have a lot of area for cargo and the ability to tow...thatd be useful for my family, but the parents cant justify getting a new car for themselves as both are failry new ('98 Maxima and '02 Maxima). I also like that fact that speed isnt a big thing with SUV's, because I know myself well enough to know that if I COULD go seriously fast, I'd end up wrapping myself around a tree. The only thing that's a turn off to me about SUV's is the gas guzzling-ocity. I'd have to pay for gas myself (at least most of the time), and being 16 I wont be able to spend that much on gas.
Finally, I'd need the car to be used and fairly cheap, and that's important. I've been looking at early 90's Jeep Cherokees, and I really like them, but the fact that I'd need to fill 'er up relatively often scares me away.

[Python14]

Jeep Cherokee.

I have been driving one for over a year and half now and it has been nice. It has about 290,000 miles on it, so it's gas-milege has dropped considerably, but in it's prime years, it was getting like 20 mpg....which for a vehicle it's size, and power...is good. It's also extrememly strong. The Inline-6 puts out about 240 hp with some light tuning(as long as you know how to do it), and almost 300 lb/ft of torque(again, with good tuning). It also can take a beating(I've landed mine on it's side twice...fine as can be)

[Southpaw]

The geo Tracker (http://www.off-road.com/suzuki/tracker.htm) Not too big though :D

[devildog]

see, in my mind, there is no such thing as an suv, the reason it guzzles so much gas, is cause its a TRUCK!!!!!!

darn yuppies...............

[HoppysMag]

well seing theat you live in CT i wont suggest a wrangler due to the fact they suck in the winter, cherokees are good, but might i suggest thinking about getting a station wagon. i know its not the most pimped ride for a HS kid, but my friend had a beat down 89 subaru and he said it used to get high 20's low 30's for gas milage, its got plenty of room, and aslong as your not planing on towing anything big you might be alright. you will get something that drives like a car, hauls like an suv, and get the milage of a geo metro. :D

[banzaimf]

vw touraeg v10 tdi

over 6000 pounds, 350 hp, 550 torque.

0-60 in 7 seconds (faster than the 12v gti vr6)

26mpg

Meets 2006 ulev/sulev requirements.

Oops, you said used and cheap :D

[PyRo]

There really are very differant classes of SUV's you can go from something that gets 30mpg to somthing that gets 8. It all depends on what you want out of the vehicle. You say your going to be doing towing? What do you want to tow, something small like a jetski, a camping trailor, big boat, another car?
If your only towing smaller things, don't really want to do much with it offroad, and don't need too much room. Then there are things like the Geo Tracker, Honda element, the VW thing, 4cyl wrangler if they still make them, those will all get pretty damn good gas milage.
Then if you want alot of room, you like going offroading and towing huge things, you can get somthing like a hummer that gets 8mpg. The I6 jeeps (wrangler (best milage), cherokee (2nd best), and grand cherokee(3rd best) are probably somewhere in the middle i'm making those assumptions based on weight, while the grand cherokee with a 318 or 360 will tow pretty much anything but get worse milage than the 6. Explorer, blazer, durango, a whole bunch of imports, and other things, all of which have differant options. Manual vs auto trans, full time 4 wheel, differant engine sizes, differant gearings, all of which are going to effect the gas milage.
Tell us what you want to do with it to get a more narrowed down answer :)

[Leroy717]

Originally posted by Python14
Jeep Cherokee.

I have been driving one for over a year and half now and it has been nice. It has about 290,000 miles on it, so it's gas-milege has dropped considerably, but in it's prime years, it was getting like 20 mpg....which for a vehicle it's size, and power...is good. It's also extrememly strong. The Inline-6 puts out about 240 hp with some light tuning(as long as you know how to do it), and almost 300 lb/ft of torque(again, with good tuning). It also can take a beating(I've landed mine on it's side twice...fine as can be)

yep thats what im getting in march...but have you thought about small trucks? like ford rangers or toyota tacomas?

[PyRo]

Noo Ford rangers are evil. Toyota's are ok, S-10's are ok but they don't really have a truck feel. The dakota RT's with the 360 are sweet :)

[AFRaven]

www.fueleconomy.gov

I have a Tacoma and it gets anywhere from 19-25 mpg. I like it :D

[Snertz]

Older model Honda CRV's? I drive a 97 crv, and it usually gets around 20 mpg to this day. And not too bad price wise for a used one.

[FalconGuy016]

Rav4? Although, you mention you want towing and hauling capacity, thats going to be hard to find with good MPG

[cphilip]

Anything Diesel.

Burns no gas at all! ;)

..and pulls like a mofo.

No seriously your looking at like a potential of 30% more BTU's per gallon with a Diesel. Not too many choices out there yet in SUV Diesels is the thing. But its coming.

Only one I know of right now is too large maybe for you. The Excursion has a Diesel option. But too big I would think for your needs.

Freightliner is making a new van now with a 5 cylinder Mercedes Diesel in it. Selling under their name and soon under Dodge name that looks promising.

I think Jeep/Chrysler was coming out with a Model in Diesel next year.

More of them to come. Many are available in the European market already but just not here.

Many of you may not remember a Diesel Ford Ranger. Way back in the 70's. I think they made like 500 of them in Canada. they had a 4 cylinder tractor engine in them. Pretty dam good ones too. Just never took off when gas got cheap again and Chevy screwed up the Diesel market.

[poolshark5226]

Towing isnt really important at all, just the capability to tow something small every once in a while. I guess I made it seem more important than it is. Space is important though a) maybe some furniture, and more comonly b) a lot of people (one of the first of my friends to get a car). Off-roading wont be important, theres not all that many places in CT to do it and I dont think I'd be too interested anyway. Snow traction is important, as well as in the rain...CT weather sucks the big one.
Wranglers arent really my thing, I drove in a friend of my dad's one a couple weeks ago (driving lessons sorta) and I reallyt didnt like it, and also Ive heard that theyre not too good in the weather we have here. Like I said I really like the Cherokee, and 20-ish MPG isnt terrible I suppose...Id really like more if possible though.
Station Wagon= no no;)
Also not looking for any pickups or anything, or any SUVs much bigger than a Grand Cherokee


edit: Phil, I wouldnt really be against running a diesel, but it seems that all of them are coming out in the future...unless they come new for like $5k or under I think Im out of luck:p ;)

[cphilip]

True .... America is slow to go Diesel. Almost all the major manufacturers have an Diesel option but just not here.

Toyota made one in a Land Cruiser for years. I think still do. Just .... again.... not here. :(

[ASDadam]

Snow traction is important then get an Olds Bravada. Find a good used one and you're set. It has the 4.3 in it which means it can pull a house. It was the all wheel drive system which i can attest to is GREAT in showy conditions. And it gets decent gas milage. On the highway i can get around 24 mpg and around 18/19 in the city. Space there is plenty of. I usually carry around 5 people in mine which a back full of paintball gear. I got my 97 used for 8k which was a good deal. You can probably find one alot cheaper depending on where you look. And with the 4.3 you can't go wrong, its almost an bulletproof engine.

[poolshark5226]

The Olds sounds pretty cool...I'll look around online when I get home from the gym...
also, on a somewhat related topic, anyone have any good sites to find used cars?

[PyRo]

I wanted a diesel blazer when I was looking for my first car, I looked all over for one and those things are rare :( I don't think your looking for an 80's blazer though so diesel is kind of out of the question for you unless you go with a truck.

The blazers arn't as big as they used to be, it might suit your needs though. The 4.3L (I think they still use them) should get you some decent gas milage. The (I hate to say it) ford explorer with the 4.0l or the ford escape would probably be in the same range although the escape might be too small for you. The duragno is a gas whore so forget that.
I think your looking at a Cherokee, Blazer, or Explorer (get it and ill kill you :))all probably getting about 20mpg, unless you start looking at imports which I don't know much about.

[Gotenks]

I think a Honda CRV would be a good choice. They get 22-25 mpg, and are hella reliable. 4wd too. But, I think it's kind of small and the styling isn't that great.

I wish I could afford me a new Acura MDX or Porsche Cayenne, 2 sweeeeet suv's.

[sharpshooter1286]

get a volvo or a saab...great snow cars and good for regular driving...pluz volvos are wicked safe

[ASDadam]

I had a friend flip a volvo...

[PyRo]

Volvo's aren't cheap either.

[poolshark5226]

Okay, right now I'm really between the Cherokee, the Blazer, and then Bravada. It seems that out of all of them, the Cherokee can be found the cheapest, which is KEY. However, I suppose an extra $1k or so in the short run may be worth saving $ on gas in the long run...not sure yet. Pyro, you have a Cherokee right? How many mpg are you getting city? The Cherokee and Bravada are in the lead but I'm not counting the Blazer out.

[poolshark5226]

also, does anyone know of any good sites where I can get reviews of older cars? Like early/mid '90s

[ASDadam]

www.carpoint.com

find the year of the car you want then go to the Customer review section.

I'd go with the Bravada if i were you. For 8k mine came with leather, cd player, power seats, moonroof, All wheel drive, towing package, roof rack and all the extra goodies. So i'm sure you can find a good deal on one somewhere.

[poolshark5226]

According to that site, all the Bravadas have engine and transmition problems :( ...not too appealing

[PyRo]

Blazer = Chevy = GM
Bravada = Oldsmobile = GM
They both come from the same place, a Bravada is just a glorified blazer, just the way a lexus is a glorified toyota. When you get down to it mechanically I think they are the same but i'm not 100% sure, the bravada would have more things along the lines of heated leather seats rather than any real mechanical upgrades.

I have a Grand Cheokee. I forgot how much gas it used, but it wasn't pretty, I think somthing was wrong with it. I was getting 13-17 around town I forget exactly but somewhere in there. My mothers boyfriend has a new Grand cherokee with the I6, he gets something like 14-15. Figure with the cherokee though your alot lighter than the grand, and he has full time 4 wheel (you don't want that). I would say your going to get 17-20 depending on your driving style.

I'll give you an example. My Camaro, I drive from my house to upstate I average about 22mpg with a 305 V8 about 250 miles. But if I got to DPA for the night and evening I drive about 50 miles at get about 10MPG. Thats the differance between easy highway miles, and racing, its a huge differance.

[PyRo]

I'll also point out I drove my Jeep hard, thats why I got rid of it it wasn't going to take the kind of abuse I put on it. Sure its perfectly happy when I was doing stupid things driving where I shouldn't be, but its an SUV with a very low reving engine, it didn't take to kindly to being raced or my failed attempts to race it.
The grand cherokees with the 318 or 360, those are quick :) But even more gas whoreish.

[ASDadam]

A Bravada is ALMOST like a glorified blazer.
A jimmy would be a better one than a bravada. The bravada has its own all wheel drive system and it actually sits 1-2 inches lower than a stock blazer. But yeah, they're practically the same..And about the engine and tranny problems. They are few and far between and don't warrent alot of attention.

[poolshark5226]

But botomline, do you guys think that I'd get better mileage with the Jeep or the Chevy? What about all around quality and preformance? If theres a difference will it really be noticeable?
I mean 20 isnt bad, but it's nothing to write home about..

[ASDadam]

Chevy: All around good reliability and decent gas milage
Jeep: Trannys made by Rubbermaid with bullet proof engines and marginal gas milage

Personally i'd go with the Chevy, it rides better and is an ALL around better suv imo.

[PyRo]

I never heard anything about tranny problems in jeeps?
My friend was doing a fluid/filter change on a grand cherokee for one of his teachers. He said that he looked all over for the part and it ended up comming from a mercedes dealer. So apperantly they use mercedes trannys in them atleast the grand cherokees.

As for gas the blazer and cherokee are going to be real close unless you get a real old blazer with a 2.8.

[poolshark5226]

thanks for all your help guys, I'll be starting a poll thread shortly