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Contrary to popular belief, many of today’s SUV’s & CUV’s are pretty fuel efficient. 15 years ago, the average SUV…sucked down fuel like a Sailor on shore-leave. But today’s SUV’s and CUV’s feature 5-6 speed transmissions, & multi-wowtronic engines. Which means fuel mileage in the low-20’s is possible (on smaller to mid-sized ute’s, of course).

If you want even better fuel economy, some SUV’s are available in Hybrid form. Compact CUV hybrids like the Toyota Highlander Hybrid (28 city / 28 hwy), and the Ford Escape Hybrid (30 city / 27 hwy) offer the high-up driving position, all-weather capability, and ruggedly handsome looks, with the fuel economy of a compact car. Plus, the Highlander Hybrid offers third-row seating, making it a true 7 seater car.

Much larger Hybrid SUV’s are available (like the Chevy Tahoe/GMC Yukon/Cadillac Escalade Hybrid), and they can average around 20 MPG (not bad for something the size of a small moon). However, these hybrid 7-seaters can get pretty pricey.

If you’re wondering what your diesel options might be, you might be a little disappointed. For 2011, your only diesel SUV options come from Germany, and they’re expensive. There’s the 2011 Volkswagen Touareg TDI, the 2011 BMW X5 xDrive35d, the 2011 Audi Q7 TDI and the Mercedes ML350 BlueTEC.

In case you’re wondering, their fuel economy numbers are;

• 2011 Volkswagen Touareg TDI – 19 city / 28 hwy

• 2011 BMW X5 xDrive35d – 19 city / 26 hwy

• 2011 Audi Q7 TDI – 17 city / 25 hwy

• 2011 Mercedes ML350 BlueTEC – 18 city / 25 hwy

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