New cars are great, but , so for a lot of Americans, buying used is the only option. Thankfully, modern cars are much more reliable than they used to be, so if you buy a five-year-old car, you still get most of without breaking the bank or having to worry as much about depreciation. For many buyers, fuel economy is one of the most important factors while shopping for a new car.
Recently, put together a list of the most fuel-efficient five-year-old small crossovers. These are all cars that Consumer Reports recommended when new and have at least an average reliability rating. If you’re in the market for a used crossover that gets good gas mileage, you’re going to want to start with this list.
2 / 13 For 2019, Subaru added a plug-in hybrid to the Crosstrek lineup, giving you a 17-mile electric range and 90 MPGe. Drive it as just a regular hybrid, and it’s still rated at 35 mpg. Consumer Reports also recommends the regular Crosstrek that’s rated at 29 mpg combined.
3 / 13 No one is going to accuse the Honda HR-V of being a luxury product, but it an inexpensive, fuel-efficient crossover that’s far more practical than you might expect. There isn’t a hybrid option, but the EPA still rates the HR-V at 30 mpg combined. 4 / 13 We would probably go with the HR-V over the Toyota C-HR, but if you’re looking for something with styling that stands out in a parking lot, then you’ll probably prefer the C-HR.
With an EPA rating of 29 mpg combined, it’s pretty good on gas, too. Too bad it’s also slow and quite loud. 5 / 13 The Mazda CX-3 isn’t a particularly large vehicle, but if you don’t mind the snug cabin, you’ll be rewarded with a car that’s quick, handles well and is quite fun to drive.
It also gets 31 mpg combined, so you really aren’t making any sacrifices here. Unless you need more interior space, that is. 6 / 13 The Toyota RAV4 has been one of the most popular small crossovers in the U.
S. for years, and for good reason. It just works.
For 2019, the RAV4 Hybrid is rated at 40 mpg combined, although the non-hybrid version still returned a respectable 30 mpg in EPA testing. 7 / 13 Overall, the Chevrolet Equinox is just fine. It’s spacious and drives well enough, but the interior is cheap, the styling is bland and the powertrain doesn’t exactly add any excitement.
Still, if you can find one, the 2019 Equinox could be had with a diesel engine that returned 32 mpg combined. 8 / 13 Like the RAV4, the Honda CR-V has been an easy choice for compact crossover shoppers for a very long time. We’re actually partial to the CR-V over the RAV4, as it’s both more practical and more enjoyable to drive.
There was no hybrid option for 2019, but it’s still rated at 30 mpg combined. 9 / 13 The Subaru Forester was redesigned for 2019 and largely kept everything that made the previous Forester so popular while also adding a much better ride to go along with its new look. You might assume that standard all-wheel drive would drag down the gas mileage, but it’s still rated at 29 mpg combined.
10 / 13 As the least-expensive SUV in Lexus’s lineup, the UX isn’t going to be quite as refined or luxurious as other, more expensive models that Lexus sells. Still, it’s comfortable and easy to drive. Plus, if you spring for the hybrid, it’s rated at 42 mpg combined.
11 / 13 The Lexus NX certainly cost more than the UX, but it’s also bigger and comes with a sportier suspension. The hybrid is rated at 31 mpg combined, which isn’t as impressive as the RAV4 hybrid that it’s based on, but remember, you’re also getting a lot more features and nicer materials. Just be prepared — it’s not exactly quick.
12 / 13 Like the Lexus UX, the BMW X1 probably won’t give you the full BMW feeling that you’d get in an X5 or X7, but it’s spacious for its size and offers a lot of cargo room. Just don’t expect super high-end materials or incredible handling. Still, it reasonably quick while still returning 26 mpg combined.
13 / 13.
