Over the years, the Toyota RAV4 has gone through a wild metamorphosis. What began as a cheeky little soft-road runabout has become a serious family hauler with an optional 3rd row seat and a muscular V6. It has grown in every dimension and the looks are much more aggressive. Once looking almost cartoon-like, the Toyota RAV4 now shares a serious looking family resemblance with other Toyota trucks. Engine choices include the 179 horsepower (172 lbs feet of torque) 2.5 liter 4-cylinder which connects to a 4-speed automatic (in either 2WD or AWD). The very powerful 269 horsepower (246 lbs feet of torque) 3.5 liter V6 comes with a 5-speed automatic transmission (in either 2WD or AWD). The Toyota RAV4 achieves a Smartway score.
Air Pollution Score = 7
Greenhouse Gas Score = 7
EPA fuel mileage is 22 city mpg and 28 highway mpg with the 4-speed automatic transmission and the 2.5 liter 4-cylinder engine.
Although the Nissan Rogue is considered an SUV, it drives like a sports sedan. Despite the excellent performance, the Nissan Rogue has an excellent EPA score and gets great gas mileage. The only power-plant available in the Nissan Rogue is the smooth 170 horsepower (making 175 lbs feet of torque) 2.5 liter 4-cylinder. A CVT is the only transmission choice and it is one of the best CVT transmissions in the industry. The Californian specific Nissan Rogue achieves a higher Smartway and APS score (otherwise, the APS would be 6).
Air Pollution Score = 9
Greenhouse Gas Score = 7
EPA fuel mileage is 22 city mpg and 27 highway mpg with the FWD only.
The optional 165 horsepower (172 lbs feet of torque) 2.4 liter 4-cylinder Jeep Patriot gets better mpg figures than the base model’s 2.0 liter 4-cylinder power-plant, as long as it is coupled with the 5-speed manual transmission. Despite its similarities to the car-like Jeep Compass, the Jeep Patriot maintains its own identity as being fairly capable off road with an optional Freedom-Drive II™ Off-Road Group. “Off-Road 4WD LOCK mode activates off road Antilock Brake System (ABS), traction control and optimized engine and transmission calibration for rock crawling. The second-generation Continuously Variable Transaxle (CVT2L) has an integral low range that provides the torque multiplication needed for water fording, steep grades and crawling slowly in off-road events.” – Jeep.com. We used the Jeep Patriot 4WD Freedom-Drive I™ which is available with the 5-speed manual transmission and the FWD, 5-speed manual transmission Jeep Patriot as they are the best performers on the EPA’s list. The Jeep Patriot achieves a Smartway score.
Air Pollution Score = 7
Greenhouse Gas Score = 7
EPA fuel mileage is 23 city mpg and 28 highway mpg.