Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Good gas mileage 4X4?

So true--I about had a cow when I saw how lousy the mpg of V-6 small trucks........




Casey

Geezuz--and you're at sea level.........hate to see what happens at 8000 ft.........



Casey

As others have said, you'll be doing good to get 25 mpg in a true 4x4. I have a 2000 Chevy S10 extended cab 4x4 PU with a shell and if the wind is behind me I can get 23 mpg on the highway (4.3L V-6 auto). Wife drives a 2006 Chevy Trailblazer 4x4 and can manage 23 or 24 mpg on the highway (4.3L inline-6 auto). 20 mpg is a more reasonable goal for a 4x4.

I've been driving an 85 subaru for the last 3 and a half years. It has high and low range. I have stuck it once. High centered in snow. I've actually taken it off road once. Drove it up through the trees to get to a different road. Not counting regular upkeep and tires I got less than 1000.00 in it. Still getting 28mpg. If your just taking it on logging roads it'll do just fine. You can even go some places the big 4x4 trucks can't.

I came up on a 4x4 dodge stopped at a windfall tree. They couldn't get around it. I drove down into the ditch and got under it though.

And added safety.
I don't like driving small vehicles.

Actually I'm pretty tall - 6'4".

The CRV was my middle finger to Government Motors, I don't know if I regret it yet or not. It's neat to drive, scoots around like it's posessed, but the fuel economy hasn't been all that great - yet.

Thirty-some years ago, if it didn't have a fullsized backseat - I wouldn't own it. Now I want a console shift.

Don't know of any true (hi/low range) 4x4 vehicles with gas engines that will get 35mpg.

Maybe one of the small, all-wheel drive sedans/suvs might do it.

Last Spring I bought a used 2003 Chevrolet Tracker (Suzuki), auto. trans., 4dr., 4cyl. 4x4 w/hi-low range transfer case that, so far, has been averaging 24-27mpg. town/highway driving.

I've read of some owners of the little 2 dr 4 cyl. std. trans., 4x4 Trackers claiming to get 30mpg on the highway from theirs.

My truck gets 15mpg is that close enough? Lol. Actually it got 19mpg highway when new till I leveled up the front end, took the air dam off, hang a couple hundred pound grille guard and then a winch on the front, and added larger tires.

For whatever reason that kinda killed my mileage lol. Picking up the front end dropped the most mileage off, which is why I guess all new 4wd trucks come so nose down.

Oh it gets 99mpg according to the instant mileage computer - if you can find a way to drive down a pretty steep hill 100% of the time you'll have it made.

Subarus are great little 4x4's, and they've had it perfected for decades. Getting one to do over 30mpg is a stretch, for any model. None of the mini crossovers will come close except for the Ford hybrid.
Do you absolutely need a 4x4? The new Jetta TDI SportsWagon has a lot of room in it and will get over 40 mpg's. It's front wheel drive, and they go like crazy in the snow, especially if you equip them with a set of Blizzak tires for the winter. I drove one for years 150 miles round trip to work, in and out of Chicago, and there were days that I swore I would have needed a 4x4 to get there and back. The VW took me in and out no problem on those days. I also drove it up to our place in northeast Ontario in the winter several times to do some ice fishing, and a few of those trips had horrible weather. It did just fine.
They also have one of the best safety ratings available on any car you can buy; more airbags than you count. The VW wagons are still built in Wulfsburg, and the quality is outstanding for the price. Just throwing out an option.....
Jim

I had a 2003 F250 Diesel 2 X 4 that averaged 20 mpg broke down constantly. I now have a 2006 F350 long crew cab 4 X 4 it averages 16.5 mpg I guess I did not learn my lesson on the first one.

The Subaru would make a pretty decent "Momma's car" and get decent mileage.

But real SUV's, like the guys said, you are going to be lucky to hit the high twenties for mpg and then only if you stay away from the V-6 engines.

A buddy had a Toyota V-6, 5 spd, 4X4 pickup. He sold it because it used just as much fuel as his 02 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 with the 6.0 V-8. And my 96 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 with a 5.7 Vortech uses less fuel than my Toyota 4 Runner V-6 with a brand new engine and tune up.

My cousin has one of the GMC Canyon mid size pickups with the inline five cylinder. It gets pretty decent mpg and has power up the wazoo. Her's is the double cab with four doors and does not make a bad family vehicle, although the four and a half foot box on the back is fairly useless.

I have been looking at the HP and torque ratings, tow capacities, and mpg of the Canyon with the new larger I-4. I would definitely consider one to haul the grandkids and my little Lund boat down to the local fishing hole.

I would only have to make sure the truck was built before 09, before Obama bought the company.

The Chevy Equinox/ GMC Terrain is supposed to have the best Hwy mileage of any compact SUV. You'll have to go hybrid if you want good city mileage.


http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-trucks/Chevrolet_Equinox/

http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-trucks/GMC_Terrain/

Edit: PS I have a Tribute/Escape and would not buy another one. 17MPG average and struts gone at 40K.

Our AWD rav 4 has gotten 29 mpg highway in the past.But you cant fit a rifle in the back without folding up the rear seats.
No low range,in fact,no way to shift the AWD system at all.
My new Tacoma access cab 2wd gets over 25mpg highway with the 4 cylinder auto.The regular cab /manual 2wd I had got 27 mpg on the highway

Same here. Add a 3/16ths bumper and full underbody plates, bigger tires and a lift and if I drive like Ganny I'll get 17 on the road.
Hitting a deer and turning it into instant sausage, priceless.
about 280hp w/ low range. Punch it and it goes. I'm happy

Y'all need bigger gallons of gas and your mileage will improve. Go back to the imperial gallon, and your mileage will increase automatically by 25%.

my 1988 4Runner gives me 20 mpg around town, 27 on the road, and as near as I can figure, about 12 when in the woods, and using the 4X4 option in mud and sand.

I think 30+ mpg in a 4wd (Hi/Lo transfer case) is probably not doable. My Nissan pickup with the king cab, V-6, 5speed, and a camper shell gets around 20 mpg for general driving and about 22-23 mpg on the interstate.


My dad has a Chevy (Suzuki) Tracker that gets about 28 MPG but its awfully small especially if you are a big fellow like me.

Had a Suzuki Samuri that got 32. You couldn't pull a nightcrawler out of it's hole with it though.....

Wish I could say the same about my 5.4

It sucks gas like a Camel - but only when dragging somethin behind me.My airboat weighs more than my camper - but I get better mpg when I pull the airboat than the camper ..have not figured that one out yet..