We're bombarded with it in ads.
Your local car dealer keeps calling you saying if you're thinking of downsizing that gas guzzling ride you have now we have some great new crossovers that are rated OVER 30MPG highway!
Ever see the reasonably attractive compact premium SUV's running around town and think to yourself I could get along just fine in that and all that gas money I would save could go straight to the bank.
Wouldn't you just love that?
Seeing you're probably only getting 12-14mpg real world city and it's a MIRACLE if you hit 20mpg on a long trips.
Well the Spies say don't be so fast to fork over your dough and give up all the power, space and utility until you've REALLY done your homework!
Why?
Because from OUR experience and from the feedback from countless readers and consumers we talk to, that HIGH MILEAGE crossover really DOESN'T get EVEN CLOSE to the mileage they say!
Check out the real world mileage from the CHAMPIONS in the Premium Compact SUV space from the last Consumer Guide tests.
| Vehicle | Body Style | Transmission | EPA City/Highway | CG Fuel Economy |
| Acura RDX-FWD | wagon | automatic | 19/24* mpg | 21.4 mpg |
| BMW X3 xDrive28i-AWD | wagon | automatic | 19/25* mpg | 20.6 mpg |
| Audi Q5 3.2-AWD | wagon | automatic | 18/23* mpg | 19.6 mpg |
*Disclaimer from Consumer Guide: Even luxury makers are thinking small these days as witnessed by the growing number of vehicles in this class. Note that all of the top three use premium-grade gas. Missing the podium by just .1 mpg was the Volvo XC60, an AWD T6 (turbocharged) version of which averaged 19.5 mpg on regular gas.
Now I look at this and say how miserable does it get with the MAJORITY of the others if THESE are the CHAMPS at COMBINED averages of around 20mpg?
And they REQUIRE premium fuel besides!
What the heck?
My behemoth 2011 Ford F-150 SuperCrew 4x4 EcoBoost gets 15.9 city and 21 highway. On REGULAR gas!
What we're saying here is that we would recommend looking long and hard if the payoff of downsizing is so small.
No there are SOME small crossover SUV's (And that's RARE) that are overachievers like the Lexus RX Hybrid, Highlander Hybrid, 2012 Ford Escape (Gas version AND Hybrid), 2013 Ford Escape ECOBOOST 1.6, that actually cross the 25mpg barrier in real world driving.
But for the most part, we can virtually guarantee you that YOUR savings will be minimal at best in MOST small crossover SUV's.
One in particular from our tests that delivered really disappointing mileage for its size was the 2011 Hyundai Tucson.
We could hardly get 16 city and 20 hwy.
Let us know YOUR personal experiences and your friends findings in the real world where you live with models that deliver on the promise or ones that FAIL.
And remember that in this case it is ESPECIALLY important to SPY BEFORE you BUY!