Make way for another alternative to the minivan. The 2010 Chevy Traverse was introduced last year and goes unchanged for 2010. The Traverse is an 8-passenger crossover SUV that receives a green sticker for getting better gas mileage than many of the other larger SUVs and minivans. The 2010 Traverse also ranks #1 out of 30 for US News & World Report’s affordable midsize SUV list.
The Traverse claims to have the most cargo room in its class. We know it has plenty of passenger room but it also has more room behind the front row than most comparable, larger SUVs. The Traverse also has folding 2nd and 3rd row seating for extra cargo space. Chevy claims that there is plenty of storage space even if all seating is intact, stating that there is more room than the Honda Pilot or the Toyota Highlander.
The 2010 Chevy Traverse tows around 5,200 lbs and gets its power from a 3.6-liter V6 engine that is teamed up with a 6-speed automatic transmission. This engine produces horsepower in the 280’s. Even with all the power behind the Traverse it still shines a green light for fuel economy. The 2010 Traverse gets an average 17 mpg in the city but gets an astounding 24 mpg on the highway (for FWD model). This kind of mileage is pretty good for such a large crossover.
The Traverse also stays competitive with optional features such as navigation, DVD system, leather upholstery, rearview camera, rear obstacle detection, and remote start. The 2010 model starts at $29,224 and has the Chevy 60-day Satisfaction Guarantee. If you’re looking to carry a large family, tons of friends, all your tools, and tow a boat behind you, then the Chevy Traverse may be the SUV for you!
In the world of SUVs crossovers seem to be the most popular but some drivers and their families need a bit more room than a crossover but want an alternative to the minivan. The 2010 GMC Acadia may be an affordable and roomy choice for those in the market for a larger SUV.
Unchanged from previous model years, the 2010 Acadia continues to be more car-like than other larger SUVs in its class. It is not meant for off-road driving but offers more seating space and storage for people in need of more room. The Acadia holds 8 passengers and the standard 3rd row seating still allows for 20 cubic feet of storage space behind it. In the case of even more storage need, the 2nd and 3rd row seats fold down to allow up to 115 cubic feet of storage. Not only is the interior spacious but has practicality as well. All models come standard with cruise control, front and rear air, and power accessories. Some trims include heated seats, power seats and liftgate, GPS, sunroof, blue tooth capability, DVD system, and much more.
Even though larger SUVs tend to be less eco-friendly than some of the crossover models, the 2010 GMC Acadia gets good fuel economy for an 8 passenger SUV. The Acadia has a 3.6-liter V6 engine pulling 288 horsepower. The FWD model gets 17 mpg in the city and 24 on the highway. Subtract mpg by one for the AWD model. The Acadia has the best fuel economy in comparison to other 8 passenger SUVs of its size.
The 2010 GMC Acadia starts at $31,740 and comes with GMC’s 60-day satisfaction guarantee. After 30 days if you don’t love your new Acadia you have 30 more days to bring it back to your local dealer and GMC will refund your purchase price. This may give you a chance to see if the Acadia will suit your family’s needs.
If you’re looking for an affordable crossover vehicle there is no shortage. Every automaker has one, now it’s time to find the right one for your needs. The 2010 Nissan Rogue is a compact SUV that is affordable and has the fuel economy for a modest budget. Some critics say it’s lacking in power but it has some other pros that may be to your liking.
The Nissan Rogue was introduced in 2008 and ranks 12 out of 26 for affordable compact SUVs for U.S. News & World Report. The Rogue is a 5-passenger SUV that boasts about its roomy interior. It has an available folding passenger seat and a 60/40 split back seat for extra cargo room. The driver and front passenger sit on bucket seats. Reviewers claim that the interior is comfortable and spacious for all passengers.
The 2010 Rogue exterior looks the same as previous models except for the new 360-Degree optional package. This package includes a chrome grille, rear spoiler, privacy glass, aluminum alloy wheels, and a rear-view camera. This optional package helps to give the Rogue a bit more style.
The Rogue continues to be criticized for not having a V6 option. Instead it carries a 170 horsepower, 2.5 liter, 4-cylinder engine under the hood. It is fairly fuel efficient at 22 mpg in the city and 27 on the highway. It is more affordable that some of the other more powerful crossovers, starting at just $20,340. Since there are few changes to the 2010 model buying a 2009 may be a more economical choice. Fuel efficiency is the same for both model years so the older model could save you more green in more ways than one.
The Los Angeles County Lifeguard Service has been using 2009 Ford Escape hybrids for over a year now and they continue to save lives and the environment. Los Angeles County lifeguards patrol around 70 miles of coastline and more than 58 million beach visitors check out the surf every year. That many beach guests keep the lifeguards on their toes for possible danger.
To aid in keeping beach life safe for guests the L.A. County lifeguards use a convoy of 45 Ford Escape hybrids. As of July 2009, Ford reported that these hybrids helped in more than 9,000 rescues and one million rescue preventions. These rescues range from injured surfers and lost children to actually rescuing two injured men in a single engine plane crash back in October of 2008. Not only do the Escape hybrids help to tow water vehicles such as wave runners but also they keep all the lifeguard safety and rescue gear stored inside, out of the weather elements. The Escape hybrids used have been modified by Ford to help store the lifeguard’s necessary equipment. Ford engineers took out some of the rear seating and replaced it with aluminum boxes that house safety and medical devices the lifeguards need in emergency situations.
Using the Ford Escape hybrids for this kind of rescue team is genius. Not only are the Escape’s useful in design and towing abilities but they save the L.A. County Lifeguard Service 5,000 gallons of gasoline overall. The Escape hybrid can run in electric mode up to 40 miles per hour. This is a great benefit to the lifeguards who generally travel around 25 mph on the beach. Ford has also reported that the hybrids have reduced the lifeguard service’s carbon emission by 97,500 lbs. It looks like the L.A. lifeguards are one of the greenest rescue teams in the country!
Honda drivers are one of the most loyal car owners out there. And many of those drivers have been patiently awaiting some kind of announcement about Honda introducing a hybrid SUV but they just keep on waiting. As many of the other auto makers have been releasing electric and hybrid SUVs, Honda keeps all their eco-friendly news to their sedans such as the 2010 Civic Hybrid or the 2010 Insight Hybrid.
As for green Honda SUVs the 2010 CRV is leading the way with 28 mpg highway and its ultra- low-emissions vehicle (ULEV) status. But there is another Honda out there that deserves a little bit of credit. It’s the 2009 Honda Element. This SUV is considered car-like for the fact that is only seats four and maintains a boxy exterior. Its popularity comes from its versatility. The Element has 64 seating configurations, rear suicide doors, and a clamshell tailgate. It may not haul very many passengers but it can certainly be helpful in hauling other things.
The interior is cargo ready as well. The ’09 Element has urethane flooring for easy clean-up of sand or other particles. Anyone up for a beach trip? The rear seats can be folded or removed entirely for perfect surfboard storage.
The Element is also up to date on its interior technology. The EX or the sporty SC models also have optional voice-activated navigation, rear-camera, and USB digital media connectivity.
The 2009 Honda Element features an iVTEC 16-valve DOHC engine which provides reduced emissions and higher fuel economy. The Element gets around 20 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway for the 2WD model. Of course, turning the Element into a hybrid could greatly increase these stats but no such news from Honda at this point.
The ’09 Element starts around $20,275 coming in at #7 for ‘affordable compact SUVs’ on the U.S. News & World Report rankings.
When the first car and SUV hybrids came out everyone was so excited about these green vehicles. Some people bought and drove hybrids right away and felt pretty good about themselves. But in these bad economic times, most Americans really have to take a look at their spending more than ever, especially on big purchases such as vehicles. This drove people to start questioning if some of these hybrid versions are really worth the extra cash up front.
As consumers we usually compare vehicles but here at SUV LUV we are going to compare SUVs to themselves.
2009 Mazda Tribute VS 2009 Mazda Tribute HEV
Engines: The ’09 Mazda Tribute has a choice of a 2.5 liter engine with 171 horsepower or a 3.0 liter, V6 with 240 horsepower. The Tribute hybrid has an electric engine under the hood that can go up to 25 mph on its own, plus a 2.5 liter gas engine that kicks in when the extra power is needed. Zoom, Zoom!
Fuel Economy: The non-hybrid Tribute is available in 2WD or 4WD and in various trims. But, the 2WD with the 2.5 liter engine gets the best fuel economy over all the various models. It comes in at 22 mpg city and 28 mpg highway. Obviously, 4WD and a bigger engine cause the fuel economy to decrease by quite a bit. The Tribute HEV FWD model gets 34 mpg in the city and 31 mpg highway. The 4WD hybrid gets an astounding 29 mpg city and 27 mpg highway.
Price: The 2009 Mazda Tribute starts at $20,480 while the 2009 Mazda Tribute hybrid starts around $29,175.
Both vehicles have the same sporty exterior and comfortable interior carrying 5 passengers. Of course the HEV has a hybrid symbol on the exterior. The Tribute HEV and the regular Tribute 2WD are US EPA SmartWay Certified vehicles.
It seems that for a highway driver, the extra money may not make the most sense and a non-hybrid Tribute will still give you that green feeling. On the other hand if you’re a city driver the HEV blows the non-hybrid Tribute out of the water and you may want to consider paying a little more a month to balance out your out-of-pocket gas money.
The short answer for this question is the new 2010 Land Rover LR4. This new Land Rover was the old LR3 and is supposed to be on the market by October of this year. Land Rover’s website states that it has “new levels of power and economy”. The power part may be true but the economy part is a big disappointment. It is especially a let-down since there is a diesel version out overseas that actually does get great fuel economy and could make it onto the list of green SUVs.
The big change for the LR4 is not just the name but the engine. The 2010 Land Rover comes with a direct-injection 5.0 liter V8 engine which has horsepower at 375. Not only can this SUV pull over 7,700 lbs but it now can seat up to seven passengers. Most drivers enjoy the Land Rover for its off-road capabilities which now has an updated Terrain Response system to include a Sand Launch program. Not sure what a sand launch program is for, but apparently if you’re into sand launching you now can have the best of the best.
So the increase in power for the 2010 LR4 is true but not so much about the better economy. The 2010 Land Rover is still maintaining a measly 12 mph in the city and 17 mph on the highway. That seems to be what the LR3 was getting so not sure why some review sites are stating that there is a fuel efficiency improvement. But, there may be some hope left. The Euro-market has been introduced to a 3.0 TDI V6 version of the Land Rover. This diesel version of the LR4 has been getting 30 mpg plus on the British test cycle. Maybe Americans aren’t ready to lose a little engine power to get the green?
In any case, the choice Americans have now is the LR4 with the V8. For its lack of green, it certainly does cost a lot of green. The starting price will be around $45,000.
Even though crossovers seem to be the latest and greatest in SUVs, some drivers still need or prefer the original, full-size SUV. For some, a full-size is needed for hauling purposes and for others, well they just want to be one of the big boys. Either way, these are the drivers that need the greenest vehicle they can get. The GMC Yukon Denali hybrid may be a more eco-friendly option but still maintains all the bragging rights.
What is the difference between a regular Yukon hybrid and the Yukon Denali hybrid? Well, the Denali version is a premium GMC vehicle. The GMC Envoy and the Sierra also have a Denali option. It basically means the best of the best. From the factory the Yukon Denali Hybrid comes standard with 22-inch chrome wheels, heated, leather front and 2nd row seating, OnStar, turn-by-turn navigation, rear camera system, a Bose stereo system, and XM NavTraffic service. The GMC Yukon Denali hybrid is also the first Yukon to be equipped with GM’s MagnaRide suspension. This technology uses magnetic pieces in the shock absorber fluid to adjust the dampening rate of the actual shock absorbers. It keeps the tires on the road and is reviewed well by most test drivers.
Since this flashy Yukon is a hybrid it has GM’s Electrically Variable Transmission (EVT) and Energy Storage System in conjunction with a 6.0-liter V-8 gasoline engine. This system allows the hybrid to run up to 27 mpg on the electric system alone. This beast also carries up to 8 passengers and hauls around 6,200 lbs. There are also some new metallic colors available for the 2010 model year.
But, before getting too excited, let’s just say that this is not the greenest vehicle out there. Even with the hybrid engine the fuel economy is 21mpg in the city and 22 mpg highway. Not that great but a vast improvement from the non-hybrid Yukon. The Denali version adds a lot to show off but also adds another $10,000. The GMC Yukon Denali hybrid starts at $58,235. For some drivers, it is a must-have.
Some critics are saying that the 2010 Ford Edge desperately needs an update but despite the fact that Ford didn’t change much from previous years, the Edge is still one of their top sellers. Maybe it’s because the Ford Edge is a classy, mid-size SUV that gets fairly good gas mileage, lots of extras, a top-notch safety rating, and is still affordable for the average family.
As for eco-friendly ratings, the Edge is not at the top of the list such as the Escape hybrid, but it’s not at the bottom either. The FWD version gets an estimated 18 mpg in the city and 25 on the highway. Lower this by one for the AWD. Not too bad for a 3.5-liter Duratec V6 engine that delivers 265 horsepower. Most test drivers also claim it has great handling and a smooth ride. Also the fuel economy is pretty good for how much cargo room is in this SUV. It’s so roomy the 2nd row seats recline for added comfort and the 2nd row is a 60/40 split along with a fold-flat front passenger seat to allow for 8 feet of length for hauling… well, I don’t know, things that are 8 feet long!
Of course, like most new Fords, the technology is aplenty. Including Ford SYNC, optional power liftgate, voice-activated navigation, Sirius satellite radio, etc. Even more importantly, the Edge was chosen as a top safety pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. It includes a safety canopy, aka, tons of airbags all over the vehicle, a latch system for child safety seats, blind-spot mirrors, and a post-crash alert system that continues to flash hazard lights and honk the horn after an accident has occurred,
(other drivers may not enjoy this feature in the event of a fender bender).
Overall, this crossover should be in your list when buying a new SUV. We’d like to see a little bit more green but for a starting price of $26,920 it’s worth a look for your average family.
The most affordable ‘luxury utility vehicle’ made by Lexus is the RX series. It doesn’t lack in luxurious extras but the cost is significantly lower than any other SUVs offered by this stylish auto company. The consumer has two choices, the Lexus RX 350 or the Lexus RX 450 hybrid (RX 450h). For 2010 Lexus’ is referring to these vehicles as the RX10 and the RX hybrid 10. With all the nicknames, letters, and numbers it’s a bit confusing but we really are only discussing two vehicles here.
The base model, the RX 350 is a crossover with a more car-like look than a SUV. It also has been reviewed as handling more like a sedan. Very sleek in design, the 2010 RX 350 comes standard with a 3.5 liter, V6 engine. Test drivers say the 2010 model has a lighter feel and overall handles better than previous years, yet it comes packed with 275 horsepower capability.
The RX 350’s hybrid brother is the RX 450 hybrid. Same standard design, but the 2010 model has a smarter hybrid with better efficiency, lighter in weight, and a water cool system. It also comes with a 3.5 liter, hybrid V6 engine. With hybrid and gas power combined, the RX10 hybrid gets a boasting 295 horsepower. This is quite an increase from previous year models.
The big question for the buyers is whether or not to buy the hybrid or base model. The base model’s fuel economy is around 18 mpg city and 25 mpg highway. The hybrid (RX450) blows the base out of the water with 32 mpg city and 28 mpg highway. Most of the time the price difference is astounding but in this case the base starts at $37,250 and the hybrid starts around $41,660. With not much difference in price but laying out huge numbers in fuel economy, the hybrid takes the cake.
