Are SUVs Fuel-Consuming?

[MicahMarie]

Fuel consumption in SUVs is primarily due to their heavier weight and higher aerodynamic drag at high speeds, which leads to slightly higher fuel consumption. However, the difference is not significant, so there's no need to overly worry about SUV fuel consumption (assuming we're not discussing city SUVs and hardcore off-road SUVs). Simply put, four-wheel drive consumes more fuel than two-wheel drive, and larger engine displacement tends to use more fuel. Taking city SUVs as an example, the fuel consumption of two-wheel-drive models is similar to that of cars with the same platform and powertrain configuration (mostly true, with some exceptions). For instance, the two-wheel-drive CR-V 2.0 model might only consume about 1L more per 100 kilometers compared to a 1.8L Civic. The fuel consumption of some compact SUVs, such as the Encore, Ecosport, and ix25, is comparable to that of regular compact cars. For the same vehicle, the four-wheel-drive version consumes about 1L more per 100 kilometers than the two-wheel-drive version. Pure off-road SUVs and all-terrain SUVs are a different story—their fuel consumption can vary wildly depending on usage. Of course, consumers who buy those models typically don't prioritize fuel efficiency.