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Any small SUVs (other than Jeep) have true 4WD?

S

Sukhoi

Elite Member
Did any models that have been phased out recently have true 4WD? Seems like the best now-a-days is the electronic locking type like the RAV4 has. I also need at least 26 MPG highway.
 
Originally posted by: SoulAssassin
My buddy just bought on '09 Rubicon for 23K. Won't get you 26MPG but there are some good jeep deals.
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Protip: A Rubicon is a Jeep. The OP specifically said other than a Jeep.
 
No offense, but 26 mpg in a true 4x4 isn't likely. The best I can find is the Toyota Tacoma which gets 22 highway with the 4 cylinder engine and smallest cab. The ford ranger 4x4 can get you maybe over 20 depending on the engine (they changed this depending on the year) and the size cab.
 
Originally posted by: Bignate603
No offense, but 26 mpg in a true 4x4 isn't likely. The best I can find is the Toyota Tacoma which gets 22 highway with the 4 cylinder engine and smallest cab. The ford ranger 4x4 can get you maybe over 20 depending on the engine (they changed this depending on the year) and the size cab.
Click to expand...

Yep. "True" 4WD means body on frame & a "truck" motor. That does not equate to fuel economy better than 22'ish.
 
Originally posted by: vi edit
Originally posted by: Bignate603
No offense, but 26 mpg in a true 4x4 isn't likely. The best I can find is the Toyota Tacoma which gets 22 highway with the 4 cylinder engine and smallest cab. The ford ranger 4x4 can get you maybe over 20 depending on the engine (they changed this depending on the year) and the size cab.
Click to expand...

Yep. "True" 4WD means body on frame & a "truck" motor. That does not equate to fuel economy better than 22'ish.
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There are some unibody vehicles that I would consider real 4wd, the jeep cherokee comes to mind, but its more common to have them be body on frame.

Even being a unibody and being pretty light the Cherokee didn't break 26 mpg.
 
Suzuki Vitara (26.4 MPG US (combined) in manual guise)

Suzuki Jiminy (gets 32 MPG US (combined) in manual guise)

If you want a full blown 8 seater, the Toyota Prado gets 25.6MPG US (combined) with the turbodiesel.

If you want a luxury monster to rule the world, the Landcruiser 200 series with the turbodiesel V8 is nice:

195kW @ 3400rpm/650Nm @ 1600rpm and 10.3 litres/100km combined

(In seppo-speak that's 262 hp/480 acre-bushels /23 MPG US)

 
They don't make them anymore...but the chevy tracker/suzuki sidekick would likely net you that mileage. At least, the ones with the tiny engines...I think they started inflating the engine size on later models.

They were kind of regarded as deathtraps, but AFAIK they did have body on frame and true 4WD like a truck.
 
Not modern ones, no.
My dad got me a Geo Tracker when I was 16 and as horrible as it was the thing did have true 4WD. It was a '91.
When I left for the Navy my mom got it. She destroyed the thing in about 3 years.
Didnt have much money so she got ANOTHER one. Chevy Tracker of the 1995 variety I believe. I think that was the year they dumped the Geo brand but the design was still exactly the same.

She burned that up recently and got a RAV 4, which she absolutely loves. While car shopping she got me to help her and one of the things I noticed is small SUV's are pretty much all automatic AWD. You have to go up to the mid-size for true control, like with the Highlander. And actually I think the new Highlanders are more like big RAV 4's than small real SUV's.

So my suggestion is test drive a Highlander and see if it will do what you want. As an example my local Toyota dealer had new models and some from a few years ago. I dont know what yours has but its worth checking out.
 
If you can find one with a diesel, maybe. I know Jeep put a small turbo-diesel in a Grand Cherokee. Not sure if anyone else uses one. You're not going to get 26 mpg out of a truck-like SUV with a gas motor. All of them use at least a 6-cyl engine and they're all heavy with poor aerodynamics.
 
Meh, guess I'm SOL. I'll check out the Suzukis though. I should get one of those late 80s Tercels with the real 4WD lol.
 
Originally posted by: shortylickens
Not modern ones, no.
My dad got me a Geo Tracker when I was 16 and as horrible as it was the thing did have true 4WD. It was a '91.
When I left for the Navy my mom got it. She destroyed the thing in about 3 years.
Didnt have much money so she got ANOTHER one. Chevy Tracker of the 1995 variety I believe. I think that was the year they dumped the Geo brand but the design was still exactly the same.

She burned that up recently and got a RAV 4, which she absolutely loves. While car shopping she got me to help her and one of the things I noticed is small SUV's are pretty much all automatic AWD. You have to go up to the mid-size for true control, like with the Highlander. And actually I think the new Highlanders are more like big RAV 4's than small real SUV's.

So my suggestion is test drive a Highlander and see if it will do what you want. As an example my local Toyota dealer had new models and some from a few years ago. I dont know what yours has but its worth checking out.
Click to expand...

?

Don't Suzuki sell the cars I mentioned above in the US?

Depending on what the OP really wants, there are many 4WD utes on offer here, which also come in dual-cab form.
 
Originally posted by: dug777
Originally posted by: shortylickens
Not modern ones, no.
My dad got me a Geo Tracker when I was 16 and as horrible as it was the thing did have true 4WD. It was a '91.
When I left for the Navy my mom got it. She destroyed the thing in about 3 years.
Didnt have much money so she got ANOTHER one. Chevy Tracker of the 1995 variety I believe. I think that was the year they dumped the Geo brand but the design was still exactly the same.

She burned that up recently and got a RAV 4, which she absolutely loves. While car shopping she got me to help her and one of the things I noticed is small SUV's are pretty much all automatic AWD. You have to go up to the mid-size for true control, like with the Highlander. And actually I think the new Highlanders are more like big RAV 4's than small real SUV's.

So my suggestion is test drive a Highlander and see if it will do what you want. As an example my local Toyota dealer had new models and some from a few years ago. I dont know what yours has but its worth checking out.
Click to expand...

?

Don't Suzuki sell the cars I mentioned above in the US?

Depending on what the OP really wants, there are many 4WD utes on offer here, which also come in dual-cab form.
Click to expand...


Suzuki sells a Grand Vitara here. Not sure if it's the same as your Vitara. I'm guessing not since, according to Edmunds, the Grand Vitara only gets 22 mpg highway with the 2WD/4-cyl model. 19 mpg for the 4WD/V6 model. They do not sell a Jiminy in the US.
 
Toyota 4-Runner. It won't get you 26 mpg, but it is probably the closest that you'll find.

Chevy Blazer. Jeep Cherokee. Suzuki Samarai. Dodge Raider. Isuzu Trooper. These are all small or small-mid sized SUVs. Of the current vehicles, you'll have to go to at least a mid-sized SUV to get true 4WD. The Chevy Trailblazer for example.

 
Originally posted by: Saga
Originally posted by: SoulAssassin
My buddy just bought on '09 Rubicon for 23K. Won't get you 26MPG but there are some good jeep deals.
Click to expand...

Protip: A Rubicon is a Jeep. The OP specifically said other than a Jeep.
Click to expand...

Thank Captain Obvious, I was pointing out there are some really good deals on jeeps right now.
 
Originally posted by: JDub02
Originally posted by: dug777
Originally posted by: shortylickens
Not modern ones, no.
My dad got me a Geo Tracker when I was 16 and as horrible as it was the thing did have true 4WD. It was a '91.
When I left for the Navy my mom got it. She destroyed the thing in about 3 years.
Didnt have much money so she got ANOTHER one. Chevy Tracker of the 1995 variety I believe. I think that was the year they dumped the Geo brand but the design was still exactly the same.

She burned that up recently and got a RAV 4, which she absolutely loves. While car shopping she got me to help her and one of the things I noticed is small SUV's are pretty much all automatic AWD. You have to go up to the mid-size for true control, like with the Highlander. And actually I think the new Highlanders are more like big RAV 4's than small real SUV's.

So my suggestion is test drive a Highlander and see if it will do what you want. As an example my local Toyota dealer had new models and some from a few years ago. I dont know what yours has but its worth checking out.
Click to expand...

?

Don't Suzuki sell the cars I mentioned above in the US?

Depending on what the OP really wants, there are many 4WD utes on offer here, which also come in dual-cab form.
Click to expand...


Suzuki sells a Grand Vitara here. Not sure if it's the same as your Vitara. I'm guessing not since, according to Edmunds, the Grand Vitara only gets 22 mpg highway with the 2WD/4-cyl model. 19 mpg for the 4WD/V6 model. They do not sell a Jiminy in the US.
Click to expand...

For a while, it was the same platform, just different makers. Geo Tracker, Chevy Tracker, Suzuki sidkick and samurais were all the same vehicles between 88 and 92. The decals were just different. Same engines, tranny, etc.

As for mileage, the 4 cyl 2wd gets about 35 miles (I have one and this is what I experience). The 4x4 I hear got low 30s. The main thing is the thing is so light that it's tiny engine feels like it has good pick up.

Crash safety and looks aside, they are great cars. Mine has 143,000 miles and works well. I plan on doing the deisel conversion since I can't imagine the motor lasting much longer. It has no problems, but when it finally does die, the swap will happen.
 

I remember reading once of a milspec version of the Jeep Wrangler with a turbodiesel that some shop or another was selling. It probably meets your specifications, but the cost was enormous.
 
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