The Saturn Aura’s gas mileage ratings are at the top of the chart of the most fuel-efficient American-made family sedans. The Greenline Hybrid sets the high mark for the Aura range, with 32 miles per gallon (MPG) on the highway, while the base Aura XE follows closely with 30 MPG highway. Alas, when it’s all said and done, Aura gas mileage falls significantly behind the segment leading Toyota Prius.
The 2008 Saturn Aura is available in four levels of trim, each with a specific power plant.
Aura XE – 2.4 liter DOHC four cylinder engine, producing 169 horsepower (HP) and 160 foot pounds of torque, mated to a four-speed automatic transmission. Gas mileage ratings: 22 city / 30 highway MPG.
Aura XE V6 – 3.5 liter V6 engine, producing 219 HP and 219 foot pounds of torque, mated to a four-speed automatic. Gas mileage ratings: 18 city / 29 highway MPG.
Aura XR (shown above)- 3.6 liter V6 engine, producing 252 HP and 251 foot pounds of torque, mated to a six-speed TAPshift automatic. Gas mileage ratings: 17 city / 26 highway MPG.
Aura Green Line – 2.4 liter four cylinder engine with hybrid propulsion, producin 164 HP and 159 foot pounds of torque, mated to a four-speed automatic. Gas mileage ratings: 24 city / 32 highway MPG.
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.)
Thirty miles per gallon (MPG) on the highway isn’t too much to ask. As the chart below shows, the 30 MPG car isn’t a rarity in America these days. Alas, it’s not nearly as common as it was 25 years ago. Looking back at the lists of high MPG cars built in the early 1980s might be a surprise to some, for the lists were long and the fuel efficiency ratings were high. The 30 MPG car was not an oddity back then … it was more part of our nation’s mindset.
The Saturn Vue, first introduced in 2002, is one of America’s most economical compact SUVs. Good gas mileage has long been a hallmark of the Vue. From its inception through the 2007 model year, city gas mileage ratings hovered around or above 20 miles per gallon (MPG), with highway ratings in the mid-to-high twenties. The 2008 model year marks a substantial redesign for the Vue. While the quality of the Vue has risen dramatically with the new European-inspired design, gas mileage ratings have fallen from previous years.
The 2008 Vue is available with three engine choices, based on trim level. The Vue XE FWD and Green Line (hybrid) models are fitted with a 2.4 liter four-cylinder engine, rated at 169 horsepower. AWD Vue XE models are equipped with a 3.5 liter V-6 engine, rated at 222 horsepower, while the Vue XR and Vue Red Line are fitted with a DOHC 3.6 liter V-6 that pumps out 257 horsepower, topping the charts for the range. Gas mileage ratings for the Vue Green Line hybrid top the 2WD SUV highway charts.
The Chevrolet TrailBlazer is one of America’s most popular SUVs. Introduced on its own platform in 2002, the TrailBlazer can be equipped with either a 291 horsepower inline six-cylinder or a pair of V-8 engines. Gas mileage, unfortunately, has never been one of the TrailBlazer’s strongest selling points. The TrailBlazer’s highway gas mileage ratings have floated around the 20 miles per gallon (MPG) mark, over the years.
The TrailBlazer SS, pictured above, is not your typical soccer mom’s SUV. The 6.0 liter LS2 Corvette V-8 engine in the TrailBlazer SS produces 395 horsepower (on premium unleaded), propelling the SUV from 0-60 in under six seconds.
