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These days, there are a large variety of sport utility vehicle types. The SUVs with the best gas mileage range from subcompact SUVs like the Nissan Kicks, compact SUVs, and all the way through to full-size SUVs like the Chevy Tahoe.

The Nissan Kicks is the subcompact SUV with the best gas mileage

The best SUVs with good gas mileage
The Nissan Kicks subcompact SUV parked by a tree | Nissan

If you haven’t heard of the Nissan Kicks, Rochester First by way of iSeeCars, put it at the top of the list. More specifically, the Nissan Kicks was the best gas mileage subcompact SUV this year. The average new price is $23,215 but if you can find a used version, expect to pay around $20,724. The Kicks gets a combined fuel economy of 33 mpg.

Other notable entries are the Hyundai Kona with 32 mpg and the Mazda CX-3 with 31 mpg.

For a compact SUV, the Toyota Corolla Cross came in first

The Toyota Corolla Cross is one of the best gas mileage compact SUVs getting 32 mpg combined. The average new price for the Corolla Cross is $27,848 and there is no average used price. That’s because there isn’t enough data on used car sales to give an average number.

Coming in after the Corolla Cross is the Volkswagen Taos with 31 mpg combined. The Honda CRV is another compact SUV option that gets 30 mpg overall. Getting over 30 mpg combined is pretty solid gas mileage for a sport utility vehicle of any size.

The Hyundai Santa Fe is a good midsize option

As the size of the sport utility vehicles increases, the fuel economy starts to drop. When iSeeCars looked at the gas mileage for midsize SUVs, the Hyundai Santa Fe came in first with 26 mpg combined. The Kia Sorento midsize SUV actually tied with 25 mpg combined. The average new price for the Santa Fe is $35,791 while the Sorento sells for around $39,075.

The Chevrolet Tahoe is a large SUV with a suitable fuel economy

For those interested in a larger vehicle option, the Chevrolet Tahoe came in first place for fuel economy. The Tahoe only gets about 24 mpg combined, but that’s still more than the rest of the large sport utility vehicle options. The average new price for a Tahoe is $65,073, while the average used price lingers around $51,869.

Next up, three large vehicles tied for the second spot with 23 mpg combined. The GMC Yukon, Chevrolet Suburban, and the GMC Yukon XL all have the same combined fuel economy. That’s still not bad for such large vehicles.

If fuel economy and getting the best gas mileage are important, a smaller or compact SUV is going to offer the best options. The larger the vehicle, the less aerodynamic it is going to be and the more fuel it will use. The fuel economy of a particular vehicle also depends on the type of driving you might do on a regular basis. Those sitting in traffic regularly during a daily commute might want to explore the idea of a hybrid or plug-in hybrid vehicle to get even better gas mileage.

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Staff Writer

Amanda Cline

Amanda Cline is an avid fan of Formula 1 and joined MotorBiscuit in 2021. A Southwest Floridian, she easily and often finds automotive events to attend in the Tampa, Orlando, and Miami areas.
Amanda is a graduate of the University of Central Florida, where she earned a Bachelor’s in English Literature and a Master’s in Technical Communication. Combining her editorial and digital media expertise, Amanda served as a content creator for FanSided and now provides our readers with a variety of automotive subject matter like pickup trucks and SUVs, including valuable consumer advice.

Amanda closely follows many F1 drivers, including Lewis Hamilton, George Russell, and the Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team. Her all-time favorite author is Shel Silverstein.