[ocnLogan]

People love to bring up the efficiency, but in AWD those vehicles actually deliver very comparable MPG if you get the 'burban/Tahoe with the 3.0L TD, which also delivers about 70 more HP than the 'yota V6, for example.
(Of course the hybrid models gets significantly more if available).

2022 Chevrolet Suburban MPG
3.0L Duramax® Turbo-Diesel Engine MPG Ratings

• 2WD w/ Automatic 10-Speed: 21 mpg city/27 mpg highway
• 4WD w/ Automatic 10-Speed: 20 mpg city/26 mpg highway

2022 Toyota Highlander MPG
The 2022 Toyota Highlander gas mileage depends on your choice of drivetrain: front-wheel drive (FWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD). Here is the 2022 Toyota Highlander gas mileage for each option:

• Toyota Highlander V6 FWD: EPA-estimated 21 mpg city/29 mpg highway/24 combined mpg
• Toyota Highlander V6 AWD: EPA-estimated 20 mpg city/27 mpg highway/ 23 combined mpg

2023 Honda Pilot Fuel Economy: 4WD

• 2023 Honda Pilot Sport: 19 mpg city/25 mpg highway*
• 2023 Honda Pilot EX-L: 19 mpg city/25 mpg highway*
• 2023 Honda Pilot TrailSport: 18 mpg city/23 mpg highway*
• 2023 Honda Pilot Touring: 19 mpg city/25 mpg highway*
• 2023 Honda Pilot Elite: 19 mpg city/25 mpg highway*

View attachment 2061219

A few main things:

Totally agree. Most of them aren't very efficient. Although in comparison to the gas fullsize models with 4wd, they are better, even if its not by as much as most would assume. Personally, If I was in the market for a Tahoe/Suburban, I'd be trying for a diesel. Although the efficiency of those is great, the total cost of a Tahoe with a diesel is pretty high (They cost $61-75k without any options (depending on the trim), which puts them over $15-35k over the price of a lot of these other options

This is really what makes the hybrid models stand out. As all of a sudden instead of 22-25mpg for most of those you're talking something more like 30-35mpg (for the toyota highlander/grand highlander models at least), which really does move the needle. And the price "penalty" of the hybrids is pretty minor.

Its really surprising to me that Honda and Hyundai/Kia in particular don't offer a hybrid model (I'm less surprised by Subaru or Nissan ). But all of those manufacturers already make good hybrid models, and you'd think a hybrid Pilot or Pallisade would be a pretty good seller.

 

[Nat]

A friend just took delivery of a new Rivian suv and we took it to go biking this weekend. The front end where a gas motor normally would be is instead a “frunk” that has drain plugs so you can fill it with ice and food/beverages. The wood paneling is real wood. I wonder if he’ll need to stain it once per year lol. Also, doing 0-60 in 3.0 seconds feels freaking amazing.

 

[eb1888]

Here's two Cybertrucks as manufactured stock except for racing harness and seats doing 1200 miles through Baja. Only a couple tire punctures. But 2M preorders.

 

[Phoenix864]

A friend just took delivery of a new Rivian suv and we took it to go biking this weekend. The front end where a gas motor normally would be is instead a “frunk” that has drain plugs so you can fill it with ice and food/beverages. The wood paneling is real wood. I wonder if he’ll need to stain it once per year lol. Also, doing 0-60 in 3.0 seconds feels freaking amazing. View attachment 2061223
View attachment 2061222

I had a chance to take a Rivian R1S on a roadtrip this past summer - 1200 miles or so round trip through PA, WV, OH, and MI, hitting riding locations along the way and sleeping in the back. I think it's the best road-tripping/bike-camping vehicle available right now. That frunk is fantastic for throwing dirty gear into and the under-trunk storage is huge and let me stow my extra food/water/clothes/etc. in a single out of the way spot. Sleeping in the back on an air mattress was very comfortable (way better than tent camping - since it's electric you can even run the AC/heat whenever you want) and if you get a camp site with a 120v or 240v plug you have tons of easily accessible outlets while camping and can head out with 300+ miles of range. I love the way the car drives as well. The steering is fantastically light and precise feeling and the car turns well and accelerates like nothing else, especially considering its size.

I'd say it's got all the upsides of a LX/GX with a few more sprincled on top, while also getting 70mpg. Now if it only didn't cost so much. I also find these large vehicles to be a bit much for the day to day. When you can get by with a two door sedan it feels wasteful to be hauling around all that extra space, even if it gets 70mpg. Can't have your cake and eat it too, I guess.

 

[Nat]

I had a chance to take a Rivian R1S on a roadtrip this past summer - 1200 miles or so round trip through PA, WV, OH, and MI, hitting riding locations along the way and sleeping in the back. I think it's the best road-tripping/bike-camping vehicle available right now. That frunk is fantastic for throwing dirty gear into and the under-trunk storage is huge and let me stow my extra food/water/clothes/etc. in a single out of the way spot. Sleeping in the back on an air mattress was very comfortable (way better than tent camping - since it's electric you can even run the AC/heat whenever you want) and if you get a camp site with a 120v or 240v plug you have tons of easily accessible outlets while camping and can head out with 300+ miles of range. I love the way the car drives as well. The steering is fantastically light and precise feeling and the car turns well and accelerates like nothing else, especially considering its size.

I'd say it's got all the upsides of a LX/GX with a few more sprincled on top, while also getting 70mpg. Now if it only didn't cost so much. I also find these large vehicles to be a bit much for the day to day. When you can get by with a two door sedan it feels wasteful to be hauling around all that extra space, even if it gets 70mpg. Can't have your cake and eat it too, I guess.

Speaking of sleeping in the back, I like how the Rivian is self-leveling so that you’re laying down on a perfectly level surface even when you’re parked on a slope.

 

[dsciulli19]

People love to bring up the efficiency, but in AWD those vehicles actually deliver very comparable MPG if you get the 'burban/Tahoe with the 3.0L TD, which also delivers about 70 more HP than the 'yota V6, for example.
(Of course the hybrid models gets significantly more if available).

As a long time full size Body-on-Frame truck/SUV driver, I was biting my tongue on this but I'm glad you mentioned it. The trucks and full size SUVs of the US brands are much more efficient than they used to be, and are the subject of much R&D effort because the market for them is so large. My 5.3L GMC truck from 2009, yes nearly 15 years ago, gets upwards of 20mpg on the highway. I used to drive 25 miles each way on the highway daily and tested this over several years and with minimal traffic and staying under 70 it was very decent for a 5500lb brick-shaped vehicle. Now, you're not going to compete with a prius or other hybrid for fuel economy and there will always be a penalty with driving a larger car, but the benefits of having a larger vehicle are awesome, provided you can take advantage of them.

Sounds like the OP has made their decision but it's worth mentioning as you did that those "Mid size" AWD SUVs really aren't that much better in terms of fuel economy and they give up a LOT of benefits to both smaller cars and full size trucks. In other words, they aren't really all that great at anything except for seating 6-7 people and having AWD. My wife's 16 Acadia Denali Seats 7, has AWD, still weighs well over 4500lbs and gets as bad or worse fuel economy than my 4 door truck. It sure is comfortable for those 7 people though and it rides like a dream. If I had to do it again I'd have gone straight to the suburban that my wife thought was "too big"... see my previous complaining about it earlier in the thread.

 

[J_Westy]

I had a chance to take a Rivian R1S on a roadtrip this past summer... Now if it only didn't cost so much.

Cool that you can afford it, but I really don't get how soooo many people seem to be affording $1000-$1500 car payments. Or maybe a big chunk really can't afford it and are living beyond their means?

 

[JpMcG]

I am not a vegan, but I think it’s irresponsible to own an electric vehicle. Wicked bad for my environment.

 

[Nat]

Cool that you can afford it, but I really don't get how soooo many people seem to be affording $1000-$1500 car payments. Or maybe a big chunk really can't afford it and are living beyond their means?

My guideline is that if I’m unable to pay cash in full for a car then I can’t afford it. The last vehicle I bought I financed in order to get a $3000 manufacturer’s discount then wrote them a check for the balance a few days later.

I am not a vegan, but I think it’s irresponsible to own an electric vehicle. Wicked bad for my environment.

Yeah, and full face helmets are bad for the sport. 🙄

 

[JpMcG]

My guideline is that if I’m unable to pay cash in full for a car then I can’t afford it. The last vehicle I bought I financed in order to get a $3000 manufacturer’s discount then wrote them a check for the balance a few days later.

Yeah, and full face helmets are bad for the sport. 🙄

Hmmmmm? That’s rediculous.

 

[yzedf]

People don't buy midsize SUV's like the Highlander/Pilot because they are fun to drive. And no one considering a highlander decides to buy a Prius (or even outback) instead.

They buy them because they fit 6-7-8 people, have reasonable efficiency (in comparison to a fullsize SUV like a Tahoe/Suburban), can haul a decent capacity for gear, "not horrible" amount of ground clearance, and fits in their garage.

All the people I know with vehicles like that own one because their family size demands it, not because it is their ideal personal vehicle. Minivans are usually better for this use case, but for some reason they have become "uncool", and many people (my wife included) don't want to be seen in a "minivan" for some reason.

The other group that owns them (and not a minivan), is often the type that needs/wants the awd/ground clearance, yet still want something relatively efficient. People that live in the mountains, or want to go skiing with the family all the time, stuff like that (and that doesn't need to tow).

I understand what you mean with "they aren't fun to drive". But you have to understand that to most people, vehicles are like dishwashers, or any other generic appliance. They aren't purchased for "fun", they're purchased to fit a need, and often people barely pay attention to them other than they know they transport them from point A to point B. Have you ever looked at the youtube channel "Just Rolled in"? Its full of vehicles that I imagine are owned by people like I'm describing.

My wife is so completely against minivans she really doesn’t want me to get one. It’s so weird. 2 kids, 62lb dog, a few vacations a year, soccer practices/games, gymnastics, mountain biking, trail building and maintenance. We are the use case. She wants a suv….

 

[LVLBTY]

I am not a vegan, but I think it’s irresponsible to own an electric vehicle. Wicked bad for my environment.

Keep drinking the cool-aid.

 

[Nat]

My wife is so completely against minivans she really doesn’t want me to get one. It’s so weird. 2 kids, 62lb dog, a few vacations a year, soccer practices/games, gymnastics, mountain biking, trail building and maintenance. We are the use case. She wants a suv….

Buy her the minivan anyway and tell her that she'll shut up and drive it and like it.


J/K, don't try that. It'd be bad for your health.

 

[dsciulli19]

My wife is so completely against minivans she really doesn’t want me to get one. It’s so weird. 2 kids, 62lb dog, a few vacations a year, soccer practices/games, gymnastics, mountain biking, trail building and maintenance. We are the use case. She wants a suv….

The "Trashcan on wheels" part kills me

 

[Nat]

Minivans = dorky
Sprinter vans = cool (?)

 

[790097]

If you are still childish enough to think the vehicle you drives makes you "cool" or not, no amount of advice in any thread is going to help you.

 

[Nat]

If you are still childish enough to think the vehicle you drives makes you "cool" or not, no amount of advice in any thread is going to help you.

Let's see your minivan.

 

[790097]

Let's see your minivan.

I don't get your angle. Do you doubt that I have one, or do you want to make fun of me for having one?

 

[Nat]

I don't get your angle. Do you doubt that I have one, or do you want to make fun of me for having one?

Oh ****, I was just joking about you having a minivan. I didn’t know that you actually have one. Oops! I was commenting on how sprinters are currently trendy while the similar but only slightly different minivan is not. FWIW I drove one once and it was pretty handy.

 

[790097]

Oh ****, I was just joking about you having a minivan. I didn’t know that you actually have one. Oops! I was commenting on how sprinters are currently trendy while the similar but only slightly different minivan is not. FWIW I drove one once and it was pretty handy.

I don't care. I'm not in love with it. It's a car, it gets me from A to B and lets me haul bikes, boats, skis, camping equip and kids.

All in all I wish it got better gas mileage - I have an Odyssey with 3 stage cyl deac, it's honestly not that effective for the amount of mechanical complexity it adds.

I bought it not because I cared about how cool I was, but the fact of the matter was I had 3 infants to carry and not a lot of vehicles can accommodate 3 rear-facing infant seats. I think this was the smallest and most efficient option. So my point is, who cares what's cool, get what you need that fits your budget.