Gas-saving SUVs: Top 5 most fuel-efficient subcompact crossovers

2022 saw the largest jump in gas prices that we’ve seen this century. Almost overnight, what was once a weekly expense of ₱500 to commute to and from work became ₱1,000 or worse. And for a time, ₱100 per liter of diesel was a real possibility.

While prices came down at the start of 2023, they’re steadily going back up, so new car buyers need to take into account the permanence of the fuel prices when buying their next vehicle.

To help those still wondering what to buy, here are five of the most fuel-efficient subcompact crossovers on sale today.

#5 Peugeot 2008

8 km/L city, 22 km/L highway

With a combined city and highway average of 15 kilometers per liter, the Peugeot 2008 is certainly not the people’s first consideration when looking for a fuel-efficient ride, and yet, it manages to get an impressive 22 kilometers per liter on the highway thanks to a frugal 1.2-liter turbo inline 3-cylinder engine, mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission.

Don’t think that because it’s frugal it means it’s weak, because the 2008 puts out 132 PS and 230 Newton-meters of torque. Though it may take a second to build up steam, it can still throw your head back when you mash it. 

Where the Peugeot’s fuel consumption takes a nosedive is in the city, where it struggles to do more than 8 kilometers per liter – not atrocious by any measure, but it certainly plays a role in the decision-making process. After all, if your target market lives in the city, they’re going to want to know how it performs there, be it good or bad.

The last metric to be discussed is the price - ₱1,750,000 in the Peugeot’s case. That’s quite a lot of money to part with, especially considering the car is relatively exclusive, and it comes from a brand whose recognition in the market is still pretty slim. For what it’s worth, though, the 2008 is a bargain for entry into the Euro-spec lifestyle – despite the fact it comes to us from Malaysia.

#4 Honda HR-V

 9.5 km/L city, 21.3 km/L highway (Turbo) 9.3 km/L city, 23.8 km/L highway (non-Turbo)

Arguably one of the most popular subcompact crossovers in the market, the HR-V from Honda has learned how to stretch the peso even further than before.

Powered by the same 1.5-liter engine found in the Civic, the turbocharged HR-V V variant makes around 177 PS and 240 Newton-meters of torque, all of which gets sent through a CVT to the front wheels. In terms of fuel consumption, the Turbo gets 9.5 kilometers per liter in the city, and 21.3 kilometers per liter on the highway – pretty strong numbers, which result in a combined consumption of 15.4 kilometers per liter.

Meanwhile, the naturally aspirated S variant gets 9.3 km/L in the city and nearly 24 on the highway, which works out to 16.55 kilometers per liter combined. Part of that glaring difference is because of the programming of the CVT, which likes to keep the engine in the powerband when at speed. The turbo forces more air into the engine and that means the engine consumes more fuel as well. There is no free lunch after all.

Price-wise, the HR-V hasn’t lost the plot of affordability either, with a price tag of ₱1,389,000 for the S variant, and ₱1,649,000 for the turbocharged V variant. This makes the HR-V quite an affordable Honda.

#3 Toyota Raize

10 km/L city, 22 km/L highway (Turbo), 12 km/L city, 24 km/L highway (N/A)

If you thought there was going to be a list without at least one Toyota, you are mistaken, because the Toyota Raize is pretty good at sipping fuel. 

Under the hood of the Raize sits either a 1.2-liter naturally aspirated engine making 88 PS and 113 Newton-meters of torque mated to either a CVT or a 5-speed manual. There's also a 1.0-liter turbo which bumps up performance to 98 PS and 140 Newton-meters of torque.

The biggest news with this mini SUV is the fuel consumption - 24 kilometers per liter on the highway and 12 in the city. Surprisingly, however, those figures are achieved by the naturally aspirated engine, while the Turbo can manage 22 kilometers per liter on the highway and 10 in the city.

Part of the reason for this is, again, that CVT which forces the engine to spend more time at high RPMs in pursuit of efficiency. Yes, it’s more “efficient,” but it’s forcing the 1.0-liter turbo to stay in boost for longer and more air means more fuel. That means the engine will consume more.

Where the Raize has the competition beat, weirdly, is in price. While many of the options on this list cost over ₱1,200,000, the Raize stands at a relatively affordable ₱1,051,000 for the Turbo variant, while the N/A manual variant costs just ₱751,000 - a downright bargain in today’s market. 

#2 Chevrolet Tracker

10 km/L city, 25.05 km/L highway

Something many might not consider would be an offering from Chevrolet, and it’s not surprising given how few offerings the Golden bowtie has in our market. And yet, here they are offering one of the most fuel-efficient SUVs available to buyers, the Chevrolet Tracker.

“Whoa! Wait a minute! Are you telling me the Chevy Tracker is more efficient than our lord and savior, the Geely Coolray?!” Yes. Put simply, the Chevrolet’s 1.0-liter turbocharged inline-3 mill can do 10 kilometers to the liter in the city and 25.05 on the highway, which is far better than the Coolray’s 7.2 km/L city, and 20 km/L highway figures.

And yes, it may be down on power - only 116 PS and 175 Nm to the Coolray’s 179 PS and 255 Nm, but given both their market positioning as city runabouts, that’s not such a bad thing.

At ₱1,242,888, the Tracker is on the reasonable side of the market, though it has had to do away with quite an essential feature in today’s market - cruise control. Not as useful in the city, but a virtual godsend when you start to pick up speed on highways. Something to consider.

#1 Nissan Kicks e-POWER

16.7 km/L city, 22 km/L highway

Finally, the most efficient Subcompact Crossover/SUV on the market, at least for now, is the Nissan Kicks e-POWER Hybrid. This game-changing SUV sent an electric shock through the market thanks to the 136 PS, 280 Newton-meter electric motor that’s powered by a 1.2-liter inline-3 gasoline engine whose power and torque figures are irrelevant. 

The reason people are sitting up and taking notice of the Kicks is how the electric motor drive helps save fuel. Normally, Electric Vehicles have a battery that takes up a lot of space and weight on the car, from which they get their charge to run. These batteries will eventually run out of juice, so they’ll need to be charged - often at a designated charging station or through a typical 220V outlet at home.

The Kicks is different, in that it’s carrying an onboard generator to power itself. Under the right conditions, the Kicks will not actually use any fuel to power itself, running off of energy stored in its admittedly tiny 2kWh battery. When that runs out, (EV mode lasts for five kilometers or so only) or when the car is running at speeds higher than what the battery can manage, the gasoline engine turns on to supply the power.

On average, the Kicks will do around 22 kilometers per liter on the highway, but in the city, it can manage an unprecedented 16.7, though figures over 40 have been seen by people heading downhill from Tagaytay. 

At ₱1,239,000 for the base EL Model, and ₱1,539,000 for the top trim VL model, the Kicks is actually the first affordable hybrid in the country, and not a moment too soon, as the future of motoring is looking electrifying.