10 SUVs with the Longest Range Per Tank

2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk front quarter hero ・ Photo by Ron Sessions

The SUVs with the longest range per tank can get you where you’re going with a smaller number of fill-ups. This can be a major advantage if you’re the kind of driver who doesn’t like to stop on long trips. It’s also pretty helpful when you’re out on the open road, where the actual stopping places can be few and far between.

Just keep in mind that the SUVs listed below aren’t necessarily the most efficient choices on the market. Many of these long-distance runners rely on larger fuel tanks to stay out of gas stations. In any case, you can also rely on these vehicles to keep you comfortable in between pit stops, thanks to their broad range of luxury features and advanced technologies.

2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee

The 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee leads our list of the SUVs with the longest range per tank. When you equip the Grand Cherokee with its optional 3.0-liter turbodiesel engine, it can achieve EPA ratings of 30 mpg on the highway. When you also consider the vehicle’s 24.8-gallon fuel tank, the overall range for the Grand Cherokee works out to be an impressive 738 miles.

The same engine also is good for 240 hp, 420 lb-ft of torque, and the strength to tow 7,400 pounds. Since the Grand Cherokee is Jeep’s flagship, you can cruise in style with luxury cues like heated and ventilated seats, a heated and leather-wrapped steering wheel, LED exterior lighting, and a Harman Kardon audio system.

Photo by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles

2018 Chevrolet Suburban

Beyond putting a fuel-efficient diesel engine under the hood, there’s another simple way to stretch your driving limits: Full-size SUVs with the longest range per tank have extra-large tanks.

For example, the 2018 Chevrolet Suburban comes standard with a robust 5.3-liter V8 that makes 355 hp and 383 lb-ft of torque. Now, this unit is great for towing — the Suburban can pull 8,300 pounds — but it’s not so great for fuel economy. Chevy’s biggest body-on-frame SUV returns EPA ratings of 16 mpg city/23 mpg highway/19 mpg combined. Yet, the Suburban also has a standard gas tank that can hold 31 gallons of fuel. As a result, you can travel more than 680 miles without stopping to fill up once.

Photo by Chevrolet

2018 GMC Yukon XL

The 2018 GMC Yukon XL certainly has distinctive good looks and its share of “Professional Grade” capabilities. But beneath the skin, the Yukon XL shares a lot of hardware with the Chevy Suburban — including the same standard 5.3-liter V8. So, it’s unsurprising that the Yukon XL also has the same EPA ratings, the same-sized fuel tank, and the same overall driving range of 682 miles.

You should also know that the “regular” (non-XL) GMC Yukon qualifies for our gallery of SUVs with the longest range per tank. The Yukon isn’t listed separately — and neither are its corporate cousins, the Cadillac Escalade and Chevy Tahoe — to show a wider variety of models. All of these regular-wheelbase GM SUVs can go for 598 miles without refilling.

Photo by GMC

2019 Cadillac Escalade ESV

Some readers probably aren’t surprised to see the 2019 Cadillac Escalade ESV here. After all, it has the same powertrain as the Chevy Suburban and GMC Yukon XL, right? Well, yes and no. The 2019 Cadillac ESV does provide the same 31-gallon fuel tank as GM’s other full-size SUVs. And it earns the same EPA ratings of 23 mpg highway, for the same driving range of 682 miles.

Here’s the difference: With the Escalade ESV, you get a standard 6.2-liter V8 that serves up 420 hp, 460 lb-ft of torque, a 0-60 time of less than six seconds, and a trailer rating of more than four tons. The bigger engine, with the same 682-mile range, also is optional for the Suburban and Yukon XL.

Photo by General Motors

2018 Ford Expedition Max

The Blue Oval’s SUVs with the longest range per tank are led by the 2018 Ford Expedition Max. Essentially the long-wheelbase version of the Expedition, the Max was designed to maximize cargo room. It also carries a 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine as standard content. Even though it’s a V6 — compared to the standard V8s for its rivals — the Ford unit produces 375 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque. The Expedition Max takes advantage of twin turbochargers to deliver that power and to score EPA grades of 23 mpg highway.

The bottom line is a single-tank driving range of 650.9 miles. Note that the non-Max version feeds the same EcoBoost engine from a smaller fuel tank. This leads to a shorter range that just misses the cut today.

Photo by Ford

2019 Land Rover Range Rover

If you like luxury SUVs with the longest range per tank, we recommend a visit to your local Land Rover dealer. That’s where you’ll find a few premium alternatives, all with Land Rover’s highly capable 3.0-liter turbodiesel V6.

With the 2019 Land Rover Range Rover — the biggest of the bunch — this engine can achieve 28 mpg in highway driving. Because the Range Rover is configured with a 22.7-gallon fuel tank, you can enjoy a long-distance cruising range of 635.6 miles. The Range Rover’s diesel engine also can transform 254 hp and 443 lb-ft of torque into a trailer rating of 7,716 pounds. The 2019 Land Rover Range Rover Sport mirrors the numbers for the Range Rover, but with nimbler dimensions for more dynamic performance.

Photo by Newspress USA

2018 Lincoln Navigator L

The 2018 Lincoln Navigator L also is one of the SUVs with the longest range per tank. Lincoln’s luxurious three-row sport-utility vehicle comes with standard EPA marks of 16 mpg city/22 mpg highway/18 mpg combined. That’s 1 mpg fewer on the highway than the Ford Expedition Max, which rides on the same platform. Further, the Navigator L’s added premium content — such as available 30-way power-adjustable seats — lowers its fuel-tank capacity to an even 28 gallons. Those factors end up reducing the Lincoln’s total driving range a bit compared to the Expedition.

Still, the Navigator L is the final member of our 600-mile club. To be exact, it can run the highway for 616 miles before you have to stop for fuel.

Photo by Lincoln

2019 Land Rover Discovery

Number three from Land Rover's SUVs with the longest range per tank is the 2019 Land Rover Discovery. As with the Range Rover models, the Discovery leverages the brand’s 3.0-liter turbodiesel V6. The engine supplies the same output for the Discovery, but with a top EPA rating of 26 mpg highway. The slightly lower fuel efficiency, and a slightly smaller 22.5-gallon tank, shorten the Discovery’s range to 585 miles — at least when you’re on the road.

The Discovery’s design, however, can greatly extend how far you go when you leave the pavement. For instance, since it’s engineered specifically for extreme conditions, the Discovery can make its way through water up to 33.5 inches deep. Neither the Range Rover nor the Range Rover Sport can match that kind of capability.

Photo by Land Rover

2019 Chevrolet Equinox

In the compact segment, the SUVs with the longest range per tank include the 2019 Chevrolet Equinox. The difference again is a diesel engine. For 2019, the Equinox features an optional 1.6-liter turbodiesel engine that makes 137 hp and 240 lb-ft of torque. What’s even more important for our purposes is that that powerplant enables EPA ratings of 39 mpg highway. When you take into account the Equinox’s fuel-tank capacity of 14.9 gallons, the outcome is a driving range of 581.1 miles.

To put that into context, the driving range with the vehicle’s standard powerplant is more than 100 miles lower. It’s also worth pointing out that the diesel-powered Equinox can hit 38 mpg on the highway, even if it’s equipped with all-wheel drive.

Photo by General Motors

2019 GMC Terrain

The Professional Grade counterpart to the Chevy Equinox, the 2019 GMC Terrain takes the final slot among our SUVs with the longest range per tank. Offering the same 1.6-liter turbodiesel engine, the Terrain matches the Bowtie vehicle with a 14.9-gallon fuel tank and the ability to reach 39 mpg in highway driving. At that stage, the Terrain can keep on driving for an equal 581.1 miles.

A minor drawback: The diesel engine is available solely for the mid-range trims — not the range-topping Denali model. On the other hand, the “mid-level” content includes upscale luxuries like heated front seats, a high-def rearview camera, and an upscale infotainment system. The setup showcases an 8-inch touchscreen, mobile Wi-Fi, Android Auto, and Apple CarPlay.

Photo by General Motors