A Modern High MPG SUV: The Mercedes ML350 BlueTec

Are you looking for an SUV that gets great fuel mileage? The choices in the market for SUVs with good fuel economy keep growing which is great for you as a potential SUV buyer. Some of the market leaders are the German brands like Mercedes. The company entered the diesel SUV market with their ML model several years ago and has continued to develop the model in addition to recently adding a diesel engine to the smaller GLK SUV.

In the old days of diesel power in the United States companies like Mercedes didn't equip their diesel vehicles with turbochargers which led to vehicles like the 240D which might not have used that much fuel but also took so long to get up to highway speeds that it could be dangerous especially in today's driving environment.

Fortunately all the modern diesel SUVs come with turbocharged engines and they are actually really exciting power plants. A turbocharger can make a gasoline engine more exciting but it is absolutely essential for a enjoyable diesel driving experience. Today's turbo-diesels are so good they actually make more torque than most V8 gasoline fueled engines and get better fuel economy at the same time.

If you want a diesel Mercedes SUV you now have three choices depending on your needs. The smallest model is the newly refreshed GLK which is followed by the middle sized ML350 BlueTec. The largest diesel model is the GL350 BlueTec which can seat up to 7 passengers.

The ML350 is quite a powerful ride and features a 3.0L V6 that makes 240 horsepower and 455 lb-ft of torque thanks to the boost provided by its turbocharger. Fuel economy ratings are 20 MPG and 27 MPG for the city and highway respectively. The power output for the ML350 beats the competition from Volkswagen and Audi but the Mercedes doesn't do quite as well in the fuel economy department both in the EPA ratings and in real world driving as reported by owners of the model.

If you like the engine in the ML350 BlueTec but don't actually need an SUV you could consider the S350 BlueTec with 4Matic AWD. As long as you don't plan to do any off road driving the S class car should be able to provide all the slick weather traction of the ML model with better fuel economy.

The ML350 is designed to seat 5 people like a sedan so if maximum cargo and passenger space is your goal you should go for the GL350 model. One odd thing about the GL is that despite being a bigger vehicle and using the same 3.0L diesel engine it is tuned for a power output of only 210 HP and 400 lb-ft of torque. Perhaps Mercedes will remedy this discrepancy in the near future.

Whichever diesel SUV model you choose to go with one thing you can be sure of is that you will be getting a level of refinement and efficiency that was not available in the SUV market just five or ten years ago. Hopefully this trend towards the production of highly efficient SUVs continues for some time to come.

Top American Luxury SUVs for 2012

Luxurious SUVs offer great storage space, luxurious amenities and good towing abilities, without really sacrificing on the drive quality, and performance, so here are the top 6 luxury segment American SUVs for the year 2012 -

2012 Lexus RX Hybrid

2012 RX Hybrid is the number one midsize Luxury SUV and it provides luxurious space on the inside and shoppers are looking forward to experience the exciting performance of the vehicle.

People in the luxury SUV market prioritize luxury feel, comfort, and fuel economy over tossable driving characteristics. 450h 4X2 is powered by a standard 3.5-L engine that generates 295-horsepower. 450h 4X4 model is powered by a 3.5-L V6 engine.

2012 Acura MDX

2012 Acura MDX is again one of the best luxury SUVs and it provides great combination of good value, sporty performance, and interior comfort. Buyers want to have SUV with more comfort and performance; they can pick the new MDX as best choice. 

2012 Audi Q5

2012 Q5 leads the luxury compact SUV segment. The new Q5 offers lot more for the price spent. You can get standard AWD, outstanding performance, great fuel economy, and lush cabin.

End users are pretty much impressed with the power generated that is available in base 2.0 L 4-cylinder engine and 3.2-L, 6-cylinder engine on the top end models. These engines are fuel efficient. 

New Q5 features quite a few luxury features. These features include Audi parking system with rearview camera, Audi side assist and lane assist. Cruise control maintains constant distance from the vehicle moving in front of you.

2012 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque

2012 Range Rover Evoque ranks 2 out of eight Luxury Compact SUVs. It doesn't have an exceptionally powerful engine. Shoppers are impressed with the 2-door coupe style and its price of $44,000. New Q5 and Infiniti EX aren't off road models like Evoque.

2012 Cadillac Escalade

2012 Escalade leads the luxury large SUV segment. It is one of the recognizable SUVs that you find in auto market. Reviewers love its bold and fantastic looks. New Escalade does pretty good job with combining more standard and luxury features.

You may not observe many changes for the year 2012, but there are quite a few notable changes that include new color options and improvements to the navigation system.

2012 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class

2012 Benz GL-Class is one of the leading luxury large SUVs with high-quality interior and it has got fuel-efficient Bluetec engine. It is surprisingly roomy for both driver and passengers. For 2012, company has made very few changes in terms of interior and added new directional guidelines. All the trims come with LED daytime running lights.

The Nissan Armada: A Big, Powerful 8 Passenger Vehicle

If you want a large SUV that will carry a lot of passengers and all their gear with ease you have a number of options. Several of the American automakers produce 7, 8 and 9 passenger vehicles that are based largely on truck frames but today we will look at a model from a Japanese automaker.

The Nissan Armada has the potential to be a great choice if you are looking for a quality SUV that will carry up to 8 passengers and comes in either 2WD or 4WD configurations. The Armada was first introduced in the 2004 model year and remains largely the same although there have been some improvements such as a small increase in horsepower.

Today the Armada features a 5.6L V8 engine that puts 317 HP and 385 pound feet of torque to the ground through a 5 speed automatic transmission. EPA fuel economy ratings are 12 MPG for the city and 18 for the highway on four wheel drive models and one mile per gallon more for two wheel drive versions of the SUV.

If you need to tow some heavy loads you shouldn't have a problem with the Armada since it features a tow rating of 9,100 pounds and the power figures listed above are enough to take care of a wide range of loads.

If you want to move upscale from the Nissan Armada you can always go for the Infiniti QX56. Infiniti is Nissan's luxury line of vehicles and while the QX56 is very similar to the Armada at heart it does have different styling and quite a bit more power. The QX56 also has the same 5.6L V8 engine but in this case it is tuned for 400 HP even. It also has two more gears and puts the 413 lb-ft of thrust it produces to the ground through a 7 speed automatic. The QX56 is actually rated as more efficient than any of the Armada variants at 14 MPG city and 20 MPG highway. Automobile magazine reported averaging 15 MPG with their long term test model. This extra efficiency over the Armada version is probably a result of having an updated seven gear transmission.

If you can manage a reduction in passenger space of one person and want a more efficient ride you might want to look at one of the Armada's competitors: the Audi Q7 TDI. While the TDI puts out about 90 HP less than the Armada it actually makes more torque thanks to the turbodiesel engine Audi installs in the TDI model. In addition to extra torque the TDI can get you 17 MPG city and 25 MPG highway. 7 MPG is a pretty significant difference so unless you need to full eight passenger capacity of the Armada it might be a good idea to give the Q7 a closer look.

To find even more 9 passenger vehicles that might be good alternatives to the Armada, QX56 or Audi Q7 be sure to check out 9 Passenger Vehicles.net where you'll find more details and blog posts on the topic. Some models will be better suited to families while others are good for hunting, fishing and camping as well as towing large loads.

Under the Hood of the 2013 Honda Crosstour

Underpinned by the same platform powering the popular Honda Accord, the Honda Crosstour is a crossover SUV or a wagon-like vehicle that offers plenty of interior room, safety and technology innovations, and two engine choices. The 2013 edition is currently being showcased in prototype form at major auto shows, a design that will most likely be very close to what Honda buyers will find in dealer showrooms when the new model goes on sale this fall.

Engines and Transmissions

The 2013 Honda Crosstour offers two engine choices for buyers. A 2.4-liter four cylinder engine produces 192 horsepower at 7,000 rpm and 162 foot-pounds of torque at 4,400 rpm. This 16-valve DOHC engine is paired with a 5-speed automatic transmission. The four cylinder engine has a 10.0 to 1 compression ratio and measures 87 millimeter bore by 99 millimeter stroke, Grade logic control is standard.

A 3.5-liter V-6 engine outputs 271 horsepower at 6,200 rpm and 254 foot-pounds of torque at 5,000 rpm. This 24-valve engine is also paired with a 5-speed automatic transmission. This V-6 engine has a 10.5 to 1 compression ratio and measures 89 bore by 93 stroke.

Fuel Economy

Fuel economy projections have not been released for the 2013 model year Crosstour. Based on the current numbers, the Crosstour EX, a front-wheel-drive model, gets 21 mpg city, 29 mpg highway. The EX-L V-6 model, powered by all four wheels, comes in at 18 mpg city, 27 mpg highway.

Every Crosstour model takes regular grade gasoline. This vehicle features an 18.5-gallon fuel tank, providing a cruising range of 536 miles with the base model. That represents enough fuel to take you from Denver to Salt Lake City on one tank of fuel.

New Features

Changes to appear in the 2013 Honda Crosstour include safety updates and technology enhancements.

Available for 2013 is Honda's lane departure warning and forward collision warning technologies. Both systems make use of a camera that is fixed behind the windshield to warn drivers when another car move unexpectedly out of lane or a collision is imminent. This model also comes equipped with a rear view camera, an expanded driver's mirror and redesigned rear head rests.

Convenience features found in the 2013 Honda Crosstour include a navigation system, Pandora Internet radio, SiriusXM satellite radio, Bluetooth connectivity, automatic on and off head lamps and a USB audio interface. The Crosstour is sold in four trim levels, with special package options available to help you personalize your car.

Finding the SUVs With Good Gas Mileage

Do you dream of owning an SUV, but dread the thought of filling it up at the gas station? Filling that up could leave you crying. If you really want this type of car, you need to know which the SUVs with best gas mileage are. Hybrids should be considered when making this comparison, but you need to look at more than just fuel efficiency. When you decide to purchase a hybrid to save on gas over the life of the car, you can expect to pay thousands more up front.

Another factor to consider when looking at cars with the best gas mileage is the size of the vehicle. You may want a small SUV or a large one may be all that will accommodate your family. Don't automatically assume that a small SUV will always get better gas mileage than a large one. Some of the mid-sized and large SUVs do better in this category than smaller ones. It's all a matter of knowing which ones are which. When you have this information in hand, you can make an informed decision as to which car is right for you.

When it comes to the 2012 model year, the best gas mileage SUVs are the Chevrolet Equinox and the GMC Terrain while the worst are the Chevrolet Suburban 2500 and the GMC Yukon XL 2500. The Equinox and Terrain get 22 mpg in the city and 32 mpg on the highway. The Suburban 2500 and Yukon XL 2500, in contrast, get 10 mpg in the city and 15 on the highway. The average for all vehicles in this class was 17/24 with the range running from 10-32. This information was gathered from the EPA's 2012 Fuel Economy Guide.

No matter which SUV you ultimately choose, there are ways you can save on gas each and every time you get behind the wheel. Accelerate slowly rather than punching it when a light turns green. Never speed to a red light either. If you let your foot off the gas and gradually slow down, you will save on fuel. The slower you drive, the less gas your vehicle will consume as resistance is less at lower speeds. Don't let the car run when you are going to be sitting for a few minutes. It is best to turn it off and save on gas. SUVs are great cars, but can be fuel hogs. Keep this advice in mind when you go shopping and when you drive and your fuel costs won't break the bank.