Consumer Reports Most Fuel-Efficient Used Compact SUVs Recommended Today

Getting the Most for Your Money

If your car budget is one where you want to make the most of your hard-earned dollar by finding a good used car that is bigger than a Prius, but still reasonably fuel-efficient compared to its bigger brothers, you may want to consider older vehicles that have depreciated significantly.

Related article: Old Chevy’s Worth Buying Over New Ones

One example of where you should be looking today according to a recent recommendation by Consumer Reports is their list of the most fuel-efficient used 5-year-old compact SUVs that are smart shopping alternatives.

Consumer Reports Recommendations of the Most Fuel-Efficient Used Compact SUVs

While fuel economy is a big plus toward rating their compact SUV vehicle choices, CR analysts have also factored in braking, acceleration and safety features such as forward collision warning (FCW), blind spot warning (BSW) and automatic emergency braking (AEB) in the older vehicles that they determined remained on par operationally with newer models having the same features.

Related article: Consumer Reports Best Midsized SUVs Under $35,000 That Come Standard with Active Safety Systems

Here is a summary of their nine top choices among used compact SUVs you should be looking for as a smart fuel-efficient purchase that are owner-reported regarding the actual mileage they found in their vehicles when new.

Related article: Fuel Efficiency You Can Expect from an Old Toyota Prius

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.

Most Fuel-Efficient Used Compact SUVs

1. 2017 Toyota RAV4
Price Range: $20,350 - $27,755
Owner Reported MPG: 25 mpg

2. 2017 Honda HR-V
Price Range: $17,275 - $20,650
Owner Reported MPG: 29 mpg

3. 2017 Lexus NX
Price Range: $27,925 - $30,825
Owner Reported MPG: 25 mpg

4. 2017 Honda CR-V
Price Range: $21,350 - $26,800
Owner Reported MPG: 29 mpg

5. 2017 Mazda CX-3
Price Range: $16,650 - $20,000
Owner Reported MPG: 30 mpg

6. 2017 Nissan Rogue Sport
Price Range: $17,125 - $20,125
Owner Reported Mpg: 26 mpg

7. 2017 Subaru Crosstrek
Price Range: $19,800 - $21,800
Owner Reported MPG: 28 mpg

8. 2017 Subaru Forester
Price Range: $18,200 - $23,550
Owner Reported MPG: 27 mpg

9. 2017 Mazda CX-5
Price Range: $18,750 - $21,800
Owner Reported Mpg: 26 mpg

And finally…

For more about smart shopping for used vehicles, here are two selected articles to help you find the right car:

• Consumer Reports on How to Assess a Used Vehicle’s True Value | Torque News

• The Best and Worst Used Toyotas to Buy Recently Reviewed

COMING UP NEXT: Tesla Repair Issues During 4 Years of Ownership Explained by Engineer Owner

Timothy Boyer is 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.

Image Source: Unsplash