Fuel economy remains one of the biggest factors for purchasing a new vehicle. And with gas prices creeping up this summer, we’re feeling the pain at the pump just a little more right now. The EPA lists fuel economy estimates for different vehicles, but these are self-reported by automakers and are often not followed up by the government agency, and sometimes don’t reflect real-world fuel economy. At MotorTrend, we developed the Real MPG test as a third point of comparison for consumers. Unlike the EPA, our results are produced in the real world, not on a dyno.
We looked through our extensive test data and compiled a list of 12 crossovers and SUVs that outperform their EPA estimates. Keep reading to find out which ones achieve better fuel economy in the real world.
Dodge Durango R/T V-8
The Dodge Durango offers a powerful lineup of engines, and muscular styling that separates it from the likes of the Toyota Highlander and Honda Pilot. When paired with the 5.7-liter V-8 engine and rear-wheel drive, our recent tester hit 16.0/25.1/19.1 mpg city/highway/combined, ahead of its EPA rating of 14/22/17.
Subaru Crosstrek manual transmission
It may not be the most powerful crossover around, but the Crosstrek is a practical choice thanks to its spacious interior and solid off-road capability. Add to that impressive fuel economy. When paired with a manual transmission, the Crosstrek achieves a Real MPG score of 25.9/38.9/30.5 mpg, significantly higher than its EPA rating of 23/29/25 mpg. The CVT automatic-equipped Crosstrek is still efficient but doesn’t quite live up to its high EPA estimate. Its Real MPG score is 24.5/35.1/28.3 mpg, compared to its EPA rating of 27/33/29 mpg.
Kia Sportage SX Turbo
Kia’s compact crossover packs a punch with an optional 2.0-liter turbocharged engine making 237 hp. It’s EPA-rated at 20/23/21, but we actually achieved 21.7/26.0/23.5 mpg on our Real MPG test loop.
Toyota Sequoia 4WD
The Sequoia is an oldie but a goodie. Its smooth ride, powerful V-8 engine, and comfortable seats help make up for the fact it hasn’t received a full redesign in more than 10 years. While it’s known for its inefficiency, its fuel economy is at least better than advertised on the window sticker. The EPA rates the large SUV at 13/17/14 mpg when paired with four-wheel drive, but we were able to achieve 14.4/19.8/16.5 mpg.
Nissan Armada 4WD
Like the Toyota Sequoia, the Nissan Armada is a gas guzzler. The four-wheel-drive version is EPA-rated at 13/18/15 mpg, but we managed to achieve 14.7/20.8/16.9 mpg. That’s an impressive 12.7-percent improvement in combined fuel economy.
Land Rover Discovery Td6
The EPA estimates 21/26/23 mpg for the Land Rover Discovery equipped with a 3.0-liter turbodiesel V-6 engine. But our Real MPG numbers revealed a result of 23.8/32.3/27.0 mpg. That combined rating is 22.7 percent better than the EPA’s, and represents the widest discrepancy on this list. But getting better fuel economy than you were expecting is just a bonus to that sweet, sweet diesel torque.
Chevrolet Equinox diesel
You may not have known, but Chevrolet offers a diesel version of its Equinox small crossover. The EPA rates this crossover at up to 28/39/32 mpg when equipped with front-wheel drive, but we achieved results of 33.1/46.7/38.1 mpg. That’s an 18.2-percent higher city rating, 19.7-percent higher highway score, and 19.1-percent better combined fuel economy result.
Range Rover Velar V-6
The Velar has many strengths, from its off-road capability to its excellent handling, supreme comfort, and striking design. Its fuel economy is much better than expected when paired with the upgraded V-6 engine making 380 hp. The EPA rates it at 18/24/20 mpg, but it actually nets 20.7/27.5/23.3 mpg. When paired with the base 240-hp four-cylinder gas engine, the Velar’s Real MPG rating of 18.0/28.0/21.4 mpg isn’t as impressive as its EPA rating of 21/27/23 mpg.
Volkswagen Atlas V-6
Volkswagen was late to the game offering a three-row crossover. Although we have praised it for its smooth ride and spacious interior, we lament its sluggish acceleration. It’s not particularly efficient with the V-6 engine, EPA-estimated at 18/25/20 mpg for the 2018 model year (17/24/19 mpg for 2019). But our 2018 tester got 19.9/27.5/22.7 mpg.
Honda HR-V AWD
The Honda HR-V is one of the slowest cars in its segment, taking 9.6 seconds to reach 60 mph. But it’s reasonably fuel-efficient, even paired with all-wheel drive, which some competitors in the segment fail to offer. We tested a Honda HR-V at 24.9 mpg in the city and a whopping 40.8 mpg on the highway. That highway number is a staggering 31.6 percent higher than the EPA rating. The HR-V’s combined Real MPG score is 30.2 mpg versus 27 mpg from the EPA.
Mazda CX-5 Turbo
For 2019, Mazda added a powerful turbocharged engine option to the CX-5’s lineup providing a max 250 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque. With this engine and all-wheel drive, the CX-5 is EPA-rated to achieve 22/27/24 mpg, but we were able to get 23.3/32.2/26.6 mpg.
Chevrolet Blazer AWD
In our recent First Test, we called the Blazer the Camaro of crossovers. Not only does it look kind of like a Camaro, especially up front, but it has the grunt to back it up. When paired with a 305-hp V-6 engine and all-wheel drive, the Blazer is EPA-rated at 18/25/21 mpg. But we were able to hit 19.6/29.9/23.2 mpg, so you can have your horsepower cake and eat it, too.
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