The 2026 Kia Niro has the best gas mileage of any 2026 SUV: EPA rates its most efficient front-drive version at 53 MPG combined, on the ratings RideTruth loaded as of October 24, 2026. The Toyota RAV4 is second at 43, and the Toyota Corolla Cross and Kia Sportage tie at 42. I ranked 116 SUV models from EPA's 2026 ratings, each by its best gasoline version, and looked up each leader on fueleconomy.gov: all of the top 18 are hybrids.
Which 2026 SUVs get the best gas mileage?
These are the top 19 by EPA combined MPG. Each model appears once, at the version with its best rating, and city and highway are EPA's figures for that same version. A model counts as an SUV if EPA classes any of its versions as one; the front-drive CR-V hybrid, for example, is filed by EPA as a midsize station wagon while its all-wheel-drive twin is a small SUV, so the CR-V is here.
| Rank | SUV | Combined MPG | City | Highway | Version EPA rated |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kia Niro | 53 | 53 | 54 | 1.6L hybrid, FWD |
| 2 | Toyota RAV4 | 43 | 47 | 40 | 2.5L hybrid, FWD |
| 3 | Toyota Corolla Cross | 42 | 46 | 39 | 2.0L hybrid, AWD |
| 3 | Kia Sportage | 42 | 41 | 44 | 1.6L hybrid, FWD |
| 5 | Honda CR-V | 40 | 43 | 36 | 2.0L hybrid, FWD |
| 5 | Lexus NX | 40 | 42 | 38 | 2.5L hybrid (350h), FWD |
| 7 | Ford Escape | 39 | 42 | 36 | 2.5L hybrid, part-time 4WD |
| 8 | Mazda CX-50 | 38 | 39 | 37 | 2.5L hybrid, 4WD |
| 8 | Hyundai Tucson | 38 | 38 | 38 | 1.6L hybrid, AWD |
| 10 | Jeep Cherokee | 37 | 39 | 35 | 1.6L hybrid, AWD |
| 10 | Kia Sorento | 37 | 37 | 36 | 1.6L hybrid, FWD |
| 12 | Hyundai Santa Fe | 36 | 37 | 36 | 1.6L hybrid, FWD |
| 12 | Lexus RX | 36 | 37 | 34 | 2.5L hybrid (350h), AWD |
| 12 | Toyota Grand Highlander | 36 | 37 | 34 | 2.5L hybrid, FWD |
| 12 | Subaru Crosstrek | 36 | 36 | 36 | 2.5L hybrid, AWD |
| 16 | Subaru Forester | 35 | 35 | 34 | 2.5L hybrid, AWD |
| 16 | Toyota Highlander | 35 | 35 | 34 | 2.5L hybrid, AWD |
| 18 | Hyundai Palisade | 34 | 33 | 35 | 2.5L hybrid, FWD |
| 19 | Nissan Rogue | 32 | 29 | 36 | 1.5L 3-cylinder, FWD |
Five gas-only SUVs tie for the next spot at 31 MPG. They are the Chevrolet TrailBlazer, Hyundai Kona, Hyundai Venue, Nissan Kicks and Volkswagen Taos.
Why is every SUV near the top a hybrid?
The hybrid system is what moves an SUV past the low 30s. fueleconomy.gov lists each of the top 18 versions as a hybrid. The first gas-only SUV, the front-drive Rogue at 32 MPG combined, sits 21 MPG behind the Niro, though only 2 behind the three-row Palisade hybrid.
The Niro's lead is unusual. It's a small front-drive crossover sold only as a hybrid, plug-in or EV, and EPA files it as a small SUV. If you want something roomier than the Niro, the RAV4, Sportage and CR-V sit within 3 MPG of each other, at 43, 42 and 40.
Three-row buyers aren't shut out. The Grand Highlander hybrid rates 36, the Highlander hybrid 35 and the Palisade hybrid 34.
How much does all-wheel drive cost you?
On the RAV4, between 1 and 5 MPG. It runs from 43 MPG with front drive down to 38 for its thirstiest all-wheel-drive version.
The CR-V's bigger split comes from the engine. The front-drive hybrid gets 40 MPG and the all-wheel-drive hybrids 37 and 35. The 1.5-liter CR-V without the hybrid system gets 30 with front drive and 29 with all-wheel drive. Same nameplate, an 11 MPG spread. If a listing just says "2026 CR-V," that spread is the reason to ask which one. The 39 in the chart is the hydrogen fuel-cell CR-V. Its EPA figure is MPGe, not miles per gallon of gas.
What do those ratings mean at the pump?
At 12,000 miles a year and $3.50 a gallon, the example inputs RideTruth's fuel cost calculator starts with, fuel for the Niro comes to about $792 a year. The RAV4 at 43 MPG is about $977, the CR-V hybrid at 40 about $1,050, and the gas-only Rogue at 32 about $1,313. The math is miles divided by MPG times the price per gallon, so put in your own numbers: drive 20,000 miles and every gap here grows by two-thirds.
Two caveats. The Lexus NX and RX are rated on premium fuel, so at real premium prices their bill runs higher than this example. And hybrids usually cost more to buy; I don't track prices, so set these fuel numbers against the price gap you're quoted.
Why aren't EVs and plug-in hybrids on this list?
Battery-electric SUVs are rated in MPGe, not MPG, and so is the 2026 CR-V's hydrogen fuel-cell version. Plug-in hybrids are out for a different reason: their gas-only MPG ignores the miles they drive on battery, so it doesn't compare fairly with a regular hybrid.
EPA ratings are lab estimates. Your mileage moves with speed, weather, tires and load. They are still the one number measured the same way for every SUV, which is why the ranking uses them.
Does a high MPG rating mean a reliable SUV?
No, it measures one thing. Each SUV's model-year page on RideTruth lists its NHTSA complaints and recall campaigns next to the EPA figures, so open the Niro's page or whichever one is on your list. Bought one? RideTruth's garage re-checks it for new recalls whenever you visit.