Which Compact SUV Has the Best Real-World MPG?
Saving money at the gas pump is a near-universal goal of car owners, and if you can’t control gas prices, the next best method is controlling how much gas you use. As compact SUVs have increased in popularity, so too has their fuel efficiency, with many automakers adding traditional hybrid or plug-in hybrid powertrain options — as well as just making the gas engines they offer more efficient — to help make their compact SUV stand out in a crowded class.
We gathered seven compact SUVs in Austin, Texas, recently to see which one we liked the best and, as part of that testing, took all of them on a roughly 250-mile fuel-economy drive to measure their road-trip efficiency in a real-world setting.
2025 Compact SUV Challenge
Results | Winner | Real-World MPG | Cargo Space
We tested gas-electric hybrid versions of the Honda CR-V, Hyundai Tucson and Toyota RAV4 along with gas-only competition in the form of the Chevrolet Equinox, Mazda CX-5, Nissan Rogue and Subaru Forester. All were model-year 2025 vehicles except for the Toyota, which was a 2024 (it carries over mostly unchanged for 2025). All of them also had all-wheel drive and used four-cylinder gas engines with or without hybridization save for the Nissan, which had a turbocharged three-cylinder engine.
What’s the Most Fuel-Efficient Compact SUV?
We averaged observed trip-computer and pump-calculated mpg to determine the finishing order:
1. 2024 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid XSE: 37.9 mpg
2. 2025 Honda CR-V hybrid Sport Touring: 36.5 mpg
3. 2025 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid Limited: 33.6 mpg
4. 2025 Subaru Forester Sport: 31.2 mpg
5. 2025 Nissan Rogue Platinum: 30.8 mpg
6. 2025 Mazda CX-5 2.5 Turbo Signature: 28.1 mpg
7. 2025 Chevrolet Equinox Activ: 27.6 mpg
It probably doesn’t come as a surprise that the three hybrids in our test swept the top three spots, but as we move down the list, the results get more interesting. For instance, the mpg gap between the worst-performing hybrid — the Tucson Hybrid — and the best-performing gas-only SUV — the Forester — is smaller than the gap between the Hyundai and the second-best CR-V hybrid.
Five of the seven SUVs averaged more than 30 mpg in our testing, which is good news for shoppers looking for a fuel-efficient compact SUV. The two that didn’t — the CX-5 and the Equinox — have compelling reasons for their misses. The Mazda’s optional 2.5 Turbo powertrain was easily the most powerful in our test and offers a sportier driving experience. The Chevy, meanwhile, was the more rugged Activ trim riding on chunky, less efficient all-terrain tires.
We should also note that our route was skewed toward higher speeds, with many of the roads in the Austin area having speed limits in the 40-55 mph range (or higher). The Rogue was the only vehicle with an average speed reading, and it showed 45 mph at the end of our drive. If anything, this most likely hurt the hybrids and helped the gas-only SUVs, as hybrids tend to be more efficient at slower speeds than higher ones, while it’s the opposite for gas-only vehicles (to a point).
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How We Tested
Our winding route took us through the Hill Country outside of Austin. We drive as normally as we can, neither speeding excessively nor hypermiling to eke out extra efficiency. The same goes for driving modes, with every SUV set to Normal or the nearest equivalent (no Eco or Sport here). We keep windows up and moonroofs closed, set the climate system to a comfortable temperature, and run the air conditioning and set the fan speed to Auto. To account for different driving styles, we periodically switch drivers so that every person drives each vehicle for a leg of the journey.
Every vehicle starts the test with a full tank of premium gas, and at the end of the drive, we fill up at the same gas pump to minimize the number of variables when determining pump-calculated gas mileage.
What Did We Learn?
An important conclusion to draw from these results is that if you’re looking to save money on gas, a hybrid is your best choice. It’s also interesting that the RAV4 Hybrid, despite having the oldest hybrid powertrain in the test, claimed the top spot. If the Toyota doesn’t float your boat, the CR-V hybrid was nearly as efficient.
And while we explained that the CX-5 and Equinox had features that impacted their efficiency, the Mazda’s 28.1 mpg and the Chevy’s 27.6 mpg are not that far from 30 mpg. Efficiency-focused shoppers are certainly not hurting for choice when it comes to compact SUVs, and those looking for good gas mileage should feel comfortable knowing that in this test, even last place wasn’t that bad.
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