A dependable high MPG used car

[Davy Crockett]

I''m car shopping for a dependable older SUV that will hopefully get me 25 + highway MPG. I have no idea what's out there , any advice on dependability and lifespan ?

 

[SDMF]

How fast are you going to drive it?

How many people do you want to carry?

Are you towing anything with it?

Will it be taken off-road?

Roughly how many Mi/Yr and how long do you intend to keep it?

What’s your budget?

 

[Davy Crockett]

How fast are you going to drive it? Exact speed limit.

How many people do you want to carry? One or two adults.

Are you towing anything with it? No.

Will it be taken off-road? No , all highway miles.

Roughly how many Mi/Yr and how long do you intend to keep it? Till the wheels fall off.

What’s your budget? Hoping for under 5K .

Nothing fancy , just to get me and a few tools 400 miles a week till freeze up and again next summer. We have a good road trip car.

 

[SDMF]

Nothing fancy , just to get me and a few tools 400 miles a week till freeze up and again next summer. We have a good road trip car.

Ok, now answer the rest of the questions.

 

[wales]

any Toyota or Honda SUV. Totally dependable.

 

[JMF]

25+ MPG is no easy feat for any SUV.

 

[OL Deadeye]

Mazda CX 50 will average just over 30 MPG

 

[Allen]

With that fuel economy requirement, you will be looking at a pretty small SUV akin to a Toyota Rav4 or a Honda CRV. Even then, the older and more affordable ones probably won't get that for mileage. My daughter's 2010 Rav4 averaged right around 22 mpg, but she is known to have a lead foot.

The 2006 Highlander and 2015 4Runners of the previous generation were around 19-20 and 17-18 mpg on average. If they are strictly for road trips, you can probably add 1-3 mpg onto those numbers. FWIW, I would shy away from a Highlander of that era, my son's Highlander has been a headache with regards to engine wiring, in particular the clips/connectors for the coils and camshaft position sensors.

 

[SLE]

find a mid 2000s buick with a 3800 (3.8L). That hit's all your marks. should be cheap, they get 28ish mph, and were probably one of GMs most reliable engines ever made. quite a few cars came with them including the lesabre, the park ave, regal, lacrosse, lucerne along with the few pontiacs like the grand prix and bonneville, and then the chevy equivalents of the impala and monte carlo. the 3.1 wasn't bad either but many develop a cold start rattle know as piston slap which I've been told doesn't effect the longevity but sounds terrible. A Ford option would be the Taurus from the 2000s with the 3.0 which were very reliable and got reasonable mileage.

These are simple pushrod engines and cars, no overhead valves, no turbski's, no timing belts that need to be changed. just go old fashioned iron block engines.

 

[Lycanthrope]

I''m car shopping for a dependable older SUV that will hopefully get me 25 + highway MPG. I have no idea what's out there , any advice on dependability and lifespan ?

If you dont mind being mistaken for a lesbian, subaru makes some decent SUV type vehicles... People I know who have owned them seem to be pleased.

 

[Duckslayer100]

Geo Tracker *mic drop*

 

[Zogman]

find a mid 2000s buick with a 3800 (3.8L). That hit's all your marks. should be cheap, they get 28ish mph, and were probably one of GMs most reliable engines ever made. quite a few cars came with them including the lesabre, the park ave, regal, lacrosse, lucerne along with the few pontiacs like the grand prix and bonneville, and then the chevy equivalents of the impala and monte carlo. the 3.1 wasn't bad either but many develop a cold start rattle know as piston slap which I've been told doesn't effect the longevity but sounds terrible. A Ford option would be the Taurus from the 2000s with the 3.0 which were very reliable and got reasonable mileage.

These are simple pushrod engines and cars, no overhead valves, no turbski's, no timing belts that need to be changed. just go old fashioned iron block engines.

I have a 2007 that will be available some time in about a month or 2 as the daughter is getting a newer car. Got all the rerecords. Newer tires.

Send me a PM if you maybe interested.

 

[Rut2much]

Think that needs a 4-5" lift and an added transfer case