The Most Fuel Efficient Large SUVs On Sale In The USA

There was a time when driving anything with seven seats would have you paying more at the pump each week than you would on a new set of tires. With the proliferation of hybrids and plug-ins, new emissions standards, lightweight materials, and advancements in automotive engineering, this isn’t necessarily the case anymore.

Below, we’ve gathered some of the most fuel-efficient large SUVs available in the United States right now. Note that we did not include any EVs. While hybrids are well-represented on this list, we’re specifically looking for SUVs that burn less gas than their competitors.

10 2024 Mercedes‑Benz GLS 450 4MATIC

The 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLS 450 is a mild hybrid, not a plug-in. So 21 miles to the gallon is what you get. Still, 21 MPG isn’t bad for an SUV weighing in at 5,489 pounds. The 2014 GL-Class SUV came in at a fuel economy of 16 MPG, so that’s a five-point improvement over the last decade or so. And it’s not just fuel economy that’s been improved. The 2014 GL-Class ran a 0-60 mph sprint in 6.2 seconds, while the GLS 450 ran it in 5.5 seconds, with both SUVs weighing about the same.

The GLS 450 is not only quicker off the starting line than most vehicles in its size class, but it’s also one of the best towing machines you’ll find in the luxury SUV segment, pulling around 7,700 lbs. Nobody buys a Mercedes to use it as a work truck, but you could. There are pre-fab houses that weigh less than 7,700 lbs, and a fully-loaded roll-off dumpster typically holds around three tons of scrap after a long week at the construction site, so the GLS 450 could definitely hold its own on the job.

9 2024 Buick Enclave

The 2024 Buick Enclave takes 7.4 seconds to get from 0-60 mph, providing confident acceleration on the highway with its smooth-shifting 9-speed automatic transmission. This one is not a hybrid, and it achieves a respectable fuel economy through a combination of its start/stop system and a well-sorted automatic gearbox. In other words, it’s not next-gen technology; it’s just a superb combustion-based design. While we recommend the four-cylinder model for fuel economy, it’s worth noting that this might be your last chance to get a new V6 Enclave, as Buick will be retiring the 6-cylinder model by 2025.

In our review of the 2024 Buick Enclave, we noted that the third row, while still being better suited to children than full-grown adults, is nevertheless much roomier than you might expect it to be, at least in terms of legroom. The shoulders get a little tight if you’re sitting three grown-ups side by side, so you’re better off treating this one like a six-seater.

8 2024 Land Rover Range Rover

21 MPG isn’t great, but the new Land Rover Range Rover boasts 51 MPGe, with an all-electric range of around 62 miles, and that’s pretty good. That’s also why we’re ranking this one ahead of the GLS 450 and the Buick Enclave, even though all three share the same MPG rating. The Range Rover is definitely on the pricey side, with a starting MSRP of $107,400, so if your goal in seeking a fuel-efficient SUV is to save money, this one will never really pay for itself (although the upcoming algorithm-driven Range Rover electric might).

The V6 Range Rover hits 60 mph in 5.5 seconds, while the V8 model does the sprint in 4.3 seconds. Of course, the V8 comes in at around 18 miles to the gallon combined, so that’s definitely not the one to go with if you’re looking to save fuel.

7 2024 Audi Q7

The 2024 Audi Q7’s 21 MPG fuel economy rates it in the bottom half of the pack, but its 53-mile all-electric range makes it one of the best city SUVs on this list. If you’re going to be doing a lot of stop-and-start driving. The funny thing about this SUV is that the base 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine actually delivers the same 21 MPG (combined) as the V6 but lacks the all-electric range.

So you’re better off going one engine tier up for the best fuel economy. The V6 offers better performance than the i4, as well, hitting 60 mph in just 5.7 seconds compared to the base model’s 6.7 seconds. This is doubly impressive when you consider the added weight of the 25.9 kWh hybrid battery, which brings the total curb weight up to 4,982 lbs.

6 2024 Toyota Sequoia

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia’s fuel economy of 22 MPG rates it toward the middle of our list, but it’s still impressive when you consider that the SUV weighs up to 6,185 pounds. The Sequoia is a mild hybrid, not a plug-in, so you’re not going to be able to do grocery trips or take the kids to school on the SUV’s 1.87 kWh battery alone. The Sequoia is most useful for drivers who put a lot of highway miles on their vehicles.

The SUV is rated to tow around 5,000 lbs, nearly twice the weight of a small travel trailer. While the Sequoia isn’t well-suited to short trips and city driving, it could be your best friend on long road trips, camping excursions, or living the luxury-nomad life.

5 2024 BMW X7 xDrive40i

With a base MSRP of $81,900, the 2024 BMW X7 xDrive40i is another one of those fuel-efficient SUVs that you’re not exactly buying to save money. You get this one because it drives like a BMW, with a quarter-mile run of 13.4 seconds, crossing the finish line at 102 mph.

You get BMW levels of comfort, too. Heated seats, a 14.9-inch touchscreen, and quad-zone climate control all come as standard. The xDrive40i is the most affordable of the X7 lineup, but the way that it looks, feels, and drives all live up to the brand’s reputation. The only compromise if you’re buying the entry-level X7: this one doesn’t come with a Harman-Kardon speaker setup.

4 2024 Toyota Land Cruiser

Despite early claims of 27 MPG combined, the Land Cruiser’s base fuel economy isn’t lean enough to rank it at the head of the pack, coming in four points lower than Toyota predicted. But it’s not bad. The Land Cruiser packs the same hybrid powertrain as the new hybrid Tacomas, with full-time AWD and locking diffs. Paired with off-road assist, crawl control, and a ground clearance of 8.7 inches, this might be the best off-road SUV on the list.

Being a mild-hybrid, you’re not getting any all-electric range, but you are getting 6,000 lbs of towing capacity and a 0-60 of 6.4 seconds, which is perfectly acceptable for a 5,038 lb SUV. Note that the Land Cruiser does lack a third row, so you might need something a little bigger if you’ve got a large family to take on your expeditions with you.

3 2024 Cadillac XT6

The most impressive thing about the Cadillac XT6 is that it’s actually not a hybrid, despite hitting fuel economy numbers comparable to many hybrids in its size class. Unfortunately, that really is the most impressive thing about the XT6. As we noted in our review, the third row is pretty cramped, the car has very large blind spots, and the base engine feels under-powered when you’re weaving in and out of traffic, fuel-efficient or not.

On the other hand, the SUV’s car-like handling is easy to get along with, and standard safety features like rear cross-traffic alert and forward collision avoidance are welcome. It’s been said that Cadillac has put some of their ICE-powered SUVs on the back burner in anticipation of all-electrics like the three-row 2026 VISTIQ, and while the XT6 isn’t exactly behind the times, it’s not looking to lead the charge into the future, either.

2 2025 BMW X5 xDrive40i

If you’re thinking of buying a BMW X5 for its fuel savings, the choice really comes down to an xDrive40i or an xDrive50e. The xDrive40i is a mild hybrid that boasts better overall fuel economy, at 25 MPG combined. But the xDrive50e is a plug-in that does 58 MPGe and boasts an electric-only range of 40 miles. You can’t go wrong with either model, but if you’re looking for pure MPG specs, the 40i technically beats out its plug-in sibling.

The 40i starts at $68,000, while the 50e starts at $73,100. If you’re already buying a BMW, a difference of $5,100 on the sticker price is marginal, and the 50e will likely save you that much money in fuel expenses over a few years of ownership, given its ability to make short-to-medium length trips without burning any gas. In short: the 50e will save you more money in the long run, but the 40i means no waiting at the charging station to reload the battery.

1 2024 Lexus TX 550h+ Luxury AWD

The Lexus TX is available in a couple of different models. The one you want for 29 MPG combined or 76 MPGe, is the 550h+ Luxury AWD. This one boasts a 39-mile electric-only range, which means that most drivers can do the daily commute, grocery shopping, and even short road trips without expending a single drop of gasoline. The base TX gets a respectable 21/27 miles to the gallon, city/highway, which isn’t bad for a full-size SUV, but it falls well behind the 550h+ model’s 29 MPG combined.

Note that the 550h+ is considerably more expensive than the entry-level TX, at $78,050 to the base model’s $55,050, and that’s before delivery, taxes, and add-ons. At those rates, it will take a while before the fuel savings have the SUV “paying for itself.” On the other hand, the 550h+ has been clocked, hitting 60 mph in just 5.3 seconds, to the base model’s 6.1 seconds. Neither model is incredibly “sporty,” but confident acceleration is always a plus.