Sport + Utility. These two adjectives, applied to tall-riding station wagons with rugged, outdoorsy styling cues, make American hearts flutter. Mini + Van. Not so much. And so consumers buy millions of the former and a fraction of the latter each model year, despite traditional SUV trade-offs in terms of comfort, interior room, ease of use, driving character, and gas mileage.
That was then, this is now. As it turns out, depending on the SUV you select, you can have your cake and eat it, too. Most crossover SUVs drive more like cars than trucks, and fuel economy has improved to the point where some three-row, seven-passenger models can match – or even exceed – the mileage ratings of their bigger, boxier, and generally more beneficial family-hauling cousins.
Of course, SUVs remain smaller and less accommodating of passengers and cargo than minivans, and nothing beats a set of sliding side doors for loading kids in crowded parking lots, but such practicality is often forsaken for perceptions of style and image in modern society.
The good news is that for 2012, the decision to choose an SUV over a minivan doesn’t automatically result in denting your bank account at the pump. Better yet, the five most fuel-efficient three-row SUVs on the market are models that would be worthy of recommendation for reasons other than their ability to extract maximum distance out of each gallon of gas.
Before we get to the list, a couple of disclaimers are necessary:
- Most vehicles do not achieve the fuel economy numbers the EPA claims they do. However, the EPA is the only organization applying standardized methodologies to predict fuel economy, and, as such, is the best source for the information. Your results are likely to vary based on driving style, vehicle maintenance, weather conditions, geography, and how much junk is in your trunk. You may do better; you may do worse.
- We conducted our original research for this article on November 14, 2011. EPA data can change without warning so it’s possible that the numbers cited in our article may change slightly in the future.
- Although we're calling this a Top 5 list, there are actually 7 fuel-efficient three-row family SUVs on our recommended list because multiple vehicles return the exact same fuel-economy ratings.
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5. 2012 Toyota Highlander – 22 MPG Combined EPA Rating (Tie)
Toyota offers the roomy, safe, and dependable Highlander (read review) crossover SUV with a fuel-efficient 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine in Base and SE trim levels. This engine is available only with the front-wheel-drive model and a six-speed automatic transmission, and is expected to get 22 mpg in combined driving, according to the EPA.
The Highlander is not a powerful vehicle. The engine musters just 187 horsepower and 186 pound-feet of torque, and maximum grunt peaks high in the rev range. Considering a curb weight just shy of two tons, the Highlander’s standard seven-passenger capacity, and its whopping maximum cargo capacity of 95.4 cubic-feet, the more people and stuff you pack into this SUV the more runway you’re gonna need when turning left across traffic or merging onto the highway.
That said, we think the Highlander handles most light-duty chores well enough, and is one of the bigger and most legitimate minivan alternatives on this list of fuel-efficient SUVs. Plus, it comes with two years or 25,000 miles of free scheduled maintenance.
Read: 2012 Toyota Highlander Review
View: 2012 Toyota Highlander Rebates and Incentives
