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 Not too big though

[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.

[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

[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]

https://www.fueleconomy.gov

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

[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

[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.