Fuel economy is no longer a trade-off reserved for hybrids, and several conventional crossovers still post impressive numbers on the 2027 EPA tables. The lineup below draws only on non-electric entries without any hybrid or plug-in label. Here are ten of them, ranked from the most frugal down to the last that reaches 27 mpg combined.
The tech news worth your time: 400,000+ professionals from Google, Apple and OpenAI read Techpresso, a daily email with the most interesting tech news and insights.
We may earn a commission if you sign up.
1. Nissan Kicks: Class Leader
The 2027 mileage listing lists the Nissan Kicks at 31 mpg combined for the 2027 model year, with that figure tied to the front-wheel-drive version. It sits at the top of this ranking of gas-only SUVs, a group chosen from a table of non-electric rows with no hybrid or plug-in label.
The rating matters most to shoppers who drive mostly in town and want a small crossover without a hybrid price premium. Because the number belongs to the front-wheel-drive configuration, any other drivetrain should be checked separately before the Kicks is treated as the efficiency benchmark.
2. Hyundai Venue: Tied At The Top
The Venue fuel economy figures gives the Hyundai Venue 31 mpg combined for 2027, matching the Nissan Kicks at the head of the list. No drivetrain qualifier is attached to the figure in the research notes, which suggests a single gas configuration for the model.
For buyers, the match means the choice between these two small SUVs will probably turn on price, equipment and seating rather than fuel economy. The Venue shows that the best mileage among conventional SUVs still comes from the smallest vehicles on sale rather than from larger family-sized models.
3. Honda CR-V: Family-Size Efficiency
The CR-V mpg rating puts the Honda CR-V at 30 mpg combined in front-wheel-drive form for 2027. That is one mpg behind the two small leaders, despite the CR-V being a noticeably larger compact SUV than either of them.
Owners comparing size against running costs will find the gap narrow, since only a single mpg separates the CR-V from the top of the ranking. The front-wheel-drive label is the caveat, because the rating quoted here applies to that setup and not necessarily to every trim a dealer stocks.
4. Kia Seltos: Matching The CR-V
The Seltos 2027 rating shows the Kia Seltos at 30 mpg combined with front-wheel drive for 2027, level with the Honda CR-V. The model is a gas-only entry in a table that excludes battery-electric vehicles and reaches down to 27 mpg.
The Seltos gives buyers a smaller footprint than the CR-V for the same combined rating, which can help in tight parking and city driving. As with other entries, the number is tied to front-wheel drive, so shoppers expecting all-wheel drive should look up that version on its own.
5. Volkswagen Taos: Compact And Frugal
The Taos combined mileage lists the Volkswagen Taos at 30 mpg combined for 2027. Unlike several rivals nearby in the ranking, the research row carries no drivetrain qualifier for the Taos, so the figure is presented as its general combined result.
That puts the Taos alongside the CR-V and Seltos, a strong showing for a gas-only model from a brand better known for other body styles. Buyers weighing the three should treat fuel economy as a draw and decide on interior room, ride and price, since the mileage will not separate them.
6. Subaru Crosstrek: All-Wheel Drive Without Penalty
The Crosstrek AWD rating gives the Subaru Crosstrek 29 mpg combined in all-wheel-drive form for 2027. It is the first entry in the ranking whose rating is explicitly tied to AWD rather than front-wheel drive.
That detail is the useful part for owners in snowy or wet regions, because the Crosstrek reaches 29 mpg while sending power to all four wheels. Several rivals above it earn their figures with front-wheel drive, so a direct comparison is slightly tilted in their favor on paper.
7. Volkswagen Tiguan: Midsize Bargain
The Tiguan mpg figures credits the Volkswagen Tiguan with 28 mpg combined for 2027. The research row gives no drivetrain qualifier, so the figure stands as the model’s headline combined rating among gas-only entries.
The Tiguan is the larger vehicle in a ranking dominated by subcompacts, which makes 28 mpg a respectable result for buyers who need more cargo and passenger space. Those shopping the smaller SUVs above it give up only a few mpg to gain a roomier body, a trade many families will accept.
8. Hyundai Kona: Small SUV Staple
The Kona 2027 mileage lists the Hyundai Kona at 28 mpg combined with front-wheel drive for 2027. It lands level with the Volkswagen Tiguan, even though the Kona is built on a much smaller footprint.
A subcompact matching a larger SUV on mileage is a reminder that size alone does not decide efficiency in this group. The front-wheel-drive qualifier applies, so buyers considering other drivetrains should confirm the rating for that exact configuration before using 28 mpg in their running-cost estimates.
9. Kia Sportage: Mainstream Pick
The Sportage gas rating shows the Kia Sportage at 28 mpg combined in front-wheel-drive gas form for 2027. The qualifier matters because the Sportage also comes in electrified versions, which are not what this ranking measures.
For shoppers, the entry is a reminder to read the powertrain label closely, since the gas-only model is the one that earns this figure. It offers a middle-of-the-pack result in the list, close to the Tiguan and Kona, and suits buyers who want a familiar conventional engine.
10. Chevrolet Equinox: Last On The List
The Equinox mileage data closes the ranking with the Chevrolet Equinox at 27 mpg combined in front-wheel-drive gas form for 2027. The research notes describe that mark as the floor, since going lower would have meant adding rows below 27 mpg.
Four mpg separates the Equinox from the Nissan Kicks and Hyundai Venue at the top, a modest cost for buyers who prefer a larger mainstream crossover. The gas label is the key condition, because the Equinox name also covers an electric version that falls outside this comparison.
The tech news worth your time: Subscribe to Techpresso →
We may earn a commission if you sign up.
More from Morning Overview
- Hybrids have 15% fewer problems than gas cars, while EVs and plug-in hybrids have about 80% more, Consumer Reports finds
- Regulators cleared the first U.S. small modular reactor, 4 months early
- Lake Powell sank to a record 3,517 feet, nearing the level that stops Glen Canyon Dam’s turbines
- Seven of Earth’s nine planetary boundaries are breached, and all seven are worsening
