The 2008 Cadillac STS wraps up luxury and fuel efficiency in a beautiful package. Like the slightly smaller CTS, the STS produces very good gas mileage ratings for a mid-size luxury sedan equipped with an all wheel drive (AWD) system. (Rear wheel drive is standard.) While the STS is slightly longer and heavier than the CTS, its interior dimensions are very close to its less expensive brother. All-in-all, the STS represents an excellent opportunity for Cadillac to retain Escalade owners looking to downsize, but stay with the brand as the move to a more appropriate AWD vehicle for today’s climate.
Standard 2008 Cadillac STS power train choices include a 3.6 liter V-6 producing 302 horsepower (HP) / 272 foot pounds of torque and a 4.6 liter V-8 that delivers 320 HP / 315 foot pounds of torque. The STS-V is fitted with a 4.4 liter V-8 producing 469 HP /439 foot pounds of torque. A six-speed Hydra-Matic automatic transmission is standard.
Need a four wheel drive with the best gas mileage? Get ready to downsize. None of the best gas mileage four wheel drives (4WDs) are jumbo-sized sport utility vehicles (SUVs).
Simply put, the aerodynamics and vehicle weight of the bulkiest SUVs cause gas mileage to suffer, leading to many a painful transaction at the pump. The trick is to get small(er), lighter, and more slippery. Credit Subaru for getting the ball rolling with popularizing economical 4WD drive passenger cars in the early days. Since 1997, every vehicle Subaru’s offered in America has been all wheel drive.
These days, it’s not just Subaru. There are plenty of four wheel drive choices that are neither truck nor SUV. And forget the notion of pint-sized economy cars. You’ll find a generous helping of 4WD luxury from manufacturers including Audi, Volvo, Cadillac, and Lexus … in fact, you’ll find many of their offerings in the 2008 list of best gas mileage four wheel drives.
Purists will gladly share that there’s a difference between four wheel drive and all wheel drive (AWD). And surely there is … but for a great many folks, it comes down to two simple questions: will it go in the snow and will I go broke feeding it?
At the other end of the spectrum, the little Suzuki SX4 delivers plenty of bang for the buck, by combining the best four wheel drive gas mileage with a low sticker price (for those who don’t just think miles per gallon … but miles per dollar.)
Along with its corporate cousins, the Ford Escape Hybrid proves the exception to the rule as the highest all around mile per gallon (MPG) four wheel drive vehicle. If you can’t get a great deal on an Escape Hybrid at your local Ford dealer, take a look at the Mercury Mariner Hybrid. And if you happen to live in Southern California, the Mazda Tribute Hybrid HEV might be an option … as long as you’re able to snag one of the 350 Tribute HEVs built for this test market.)
