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According to a recent Consumer Reports newsletter, fuel economy is a big factor toward rating their latest small and midsized SUV vehicle choices they recommend for new car shoppers who want both SUV utility and fuel efficiency to meet their driving needs.
“Our fuel-economy numbers are derived from a precision flow meter and are rounded to the nearest mile per gallon...overall mileage is calculated from equal portions of city and highway driving. SUVs are bought and tested with all-wheel drive.”
Fuel-Efficient Models Identified
Their latest recommendations omit plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles but include several Hybrid models as well as some gas-only models for those shoppers still preferring to stick with the traditional. And while the Hybrids are the most fuel-efficient models, CR analysts state that all of the SUVs featured returned 30 mpg overall or better in their road and highway tests.
Related article: Stop Buying New Hondas or Toyotas and Buy This $4,000 Project Car Instead
That said, here is a summary of their top 10 choices among small and midsized SUVs you should be looking for as a smart fuel-efficient purchase that are ranked in order of their overall fuel economy test results. Included are the safety features available in each model.
Please note the safety acronyms used:
- AEB---automatic emergency braking
- BSW---blind spot warning
- RCTW---rear cross traffic control
- LDW---lane departure warning
- LKA---lane keeping assistance
Consumer Reports Recommendations
1. Lexus NX Hybrid 2023
Price Range: $41,955 - $57,805
CR MPG: Overall 38 / City 37 / Hwy 39 mpg
Rated #1 of 24 Luxury compact SUVs
Safety features: “All NXs come standard with automatic emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian detection, blind spot warning (BSW), rear cross traffic control (RCTW), lane departure warning (LDW), lane keeping assistance (LKA), and lane centering assistance.”
2. Lexus UX 2023
Price Range: $35,340 - $44,170
CR MPG: Overall 37 / City 32 / Hwy 42 mpg
Rated #3 of 12 Luxury entry-level SUVs
Rated #1 of 24 Luxury compact SUVs
Safety features: “AEB with pedestrian detection, BSW, RCTW, LDW, LKA, and lane centering assistance are standard.”
3. Toyota RAV4 Hybrid 2023
Price Range: $28,275 - $39,530
CR MPG: Overall 37 / City 32 / Hwy 41 mpg
Rated #9 of 24 Compact SUVs
Rated #1 of 24 Luxury compact SUVs
Safety features: “AEB with pedestrian detection, LDW, and LKA are standard. BSW and RCTW are standard on all except the base trim.”
4. Toyota Venza 2023
Price Range: $34,620 - $42,765
CR MPG: Overall 37 / City 31 / Hwy 42 mpg
Rated #3 of 13 Midsized SUVs
Safety features: “All Venzas come standard with AEB with pedestrian detection, BSW, RCTW, LDW, LKA, and adaptive cruise control.”
5. Kia Sportage 2023
Price Range: $26,290 - $43,190
CR MPG: Overall 25 / City 17 / Hwy 34 mpg
Rated #12 of 24 Compact SUVs
Rated #1 of 24 Luxury compact SUVs
Safety features: “AEB with pedestrian and cyclist detection, LDW, LKA, and lane centering assistance come standard. BSW and RCTW aren’t available on the base LX but come standard on higher trims.”
6. Hyundai Tucson Hybrid 2023
Price Range: $31,350 - $44,760
CR MPG: Overall 35 / City 29 / Hwy 40 mpg
#4 of 24 Compact SUVs
Rated #1 of 24 Luxury compact SUVs
Safety features: “Standard active safety features include AEB with pedestrian detection, BSW, RCTW, LDW, and LKA.”
7. Toyota Highlander Hybrid 2023
Price Range: $36,620 - $53,025
CR MPG: Overall 35 / City 27 / Hwy 41 mpg
Rated #2 of 18 Midsized SUVs 3-row
Rated #1 of 24 Luxury compact SUVs
Safety features: “AEB with pedestrian detection, BSW, RCTW, LDW, LKA, and adaptive cruise control come standard on the hybrid.”
8. Honda CR-V Hybrid 2023
Price Range: $32,400 - $39,100
CR MPG: Overall 35 / City 31 / Hwy 38 mpg
Rated #1 of 24 Compact SUVs
Rated #1 of 24 Luxury compact SUVs
Safety features: “All CR-V Hybrids come with the Honda Sensing suite, which includes AEB with pedestrian detection, AEB highway, BSW, and RCTW.”
9. Ford Escape Hybrid 2023
Price Range: $28,000 - $40,500
CR MPG: Overall 34 / City 30 / Hwy 38 mpg
Rated #15 of 24 Compact SUVs
Rated #1 of 24 Luxury compact SUVs
Safety features: “All Escapes come standard with AEB with pedestrian detection, BSW, and RCTW.”
10. Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid 2023
Price Range: $36,210 - $41,870
CR MPG: Overall 30 / City 23 / Hwy 37 mpg
Rated #1 of 13 Midsized SUVs
Safety features: “AEB with pedestrian detection, BSW, and RCTW are standard.”
And finally…
For a more detailed breakdown of each vehicle’s features, please visit the Consumer Reports website. Note that while access to some information requires a CR membership, the potential savings make it negligible in comparison when looking for the latest information to aid your car buying research. Furthermore, you can also use this site’s search engine to find past reviews of many of the models at no cost to you.
For more about smart shopping for sedans and SUVs, here are three selected articles to help you find the right car:
- Best New Cars You Can Buy Under $25,000
- Consumer Reports Popular Cars to Avoid and What to Buy Instead
- The Secret to Buying a Car from a Dealership in 2023
Timothy Boyer is a Torque News reporter based in Cincinnati. Experienced with early car restorations, he regularly restores older vehicles with engine modifications for improved performance. Follow Tim on Twitter at @TimBoyerWrites for daily new and used vehicle news.
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