Gas Efficient SUVs

Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) and gas efficiency never really seem to go hand in hand do they? It seems that you can go down the road in any town, or city across the country lately and see trucks and SUVs sitting on the side of the road, with a "For Sale" sign stuck in the window. Even automobile dealers are getting hit hard with the rising cost of fuel. Recently my father bought a new truck, with 10% of the price reduced simply because of the cost of fuel.

I however love SUVs. I love how they look, feel and handle. It could be because of the prestige and status that seem to be so heavily associated with the SUV style of vehicle. Luckily, mostly due to the fact that there are so many people that do love these types of vehicles, and also due to the reality of rising gas prices, many automakers are creating more fuel efficient SUVs for purchase. With that fact in mind, there are a few guidelines that the potential customer should keep in mind when evaluating possible SUV purchases

• Two-wheel or Four-wheel? When you are purchasing an SUV, and you are also worried about fuel efficiency, then you do not want to get the four wheel drive option. If at all possible you are going to want to stay with the two-wheel drive option on your new SUV. While it is true that four-wheel drive does give you better traction and handling, it does not also give you better fuel efficiency.
• Fuel type. One of the things that you are going to have to consider is what type of fuel you are going to be using. Do you want to have a diesel? Maybe you want a regular type of engine, where you can gas up at any gas station across the country? Or maybe you would like to go with a hybrid? Each of these options have their own attractions and drawbacks. Diesels typically offer more power, but are very limited in their mileage. Where as hybrids offer an extremely attractive mileage range, but are typically more limited in power when compared to diesels. Regular gas engines are about what you can expect middle of the road.
• Style. Style refers to not only how things look, but also how it is put together. When you purchase any SUV you want to get one that is designed around a truck frame for stability and reliability, with the car based SUVs being more fuel efficient than the other type. Take a look at the miles per gallon that each style offers. The range for fuel efficiency in the differing models range from 34/30 MPG for the hybrid styles to 22/27 MPG for the more traditional style of SUVs.