Most Fuel-Efficient SUVs in UAE 2023

Even though the Middle East is famous for its gas-guzzling supercars and massive pickup trucks, it is not an extremely thirsty market either. Yes, the above-mentioned types of cars do consume a lot of fuel and pollute our environment just as much, but they do not necessarily represent the largest chunk of the new car buyers in the region. In fact, in the past few years, the push for more fuel efficient and affordable cars has been on the rise. Today, places like the United Arab Emirates (and some of its neighboring nations) are at the tip of the sphere for such kind of vehicles.

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Of course, while fancy and expensive cars will always be present in the UAE, the general public is becoming more accepting of cheaper and more frugal options. We all know how much this market loves its SUVs, though not every prospective buyer is interested in spending a bucket load of their hard-earned cash on an extravagant show of wealth and pizzazz. Fortunately, the UAE market now caters to these folks as well – offering some of the most fuel-efficient SUVs in the world right now. In the meantime, Cars24 continues to offer certified used cars for sale in Abu Dhabi and cheap second-hand cars for sale in Sharjah. Do check them out once you are done with this article.

Most Fuel-Efficient SUVs Prices in UAE

Honda HR-V

In the world of the subcompact crossover SUV, the Honda HR-V is a rising star. Beginning its life back in 1998, the HR-V was a funky little SUV which was mainly targeted at the young buyer that wanted an urban runabout with high ground clearance and seating position, but didn’t want to go with a boring hatchback or station wagon. Resurrected for its second generation in 2013, the new Honda HR-V was introduced as part of the brand’s Global Compact Series of models and was built on the same platform as the Jazz hatchback.

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Competing against the likes of the Hyundai Creta and Nissan Kicks, the Honda HR-V range starts from AED 70,900 in the UAE. Without a doubt, this is the cheapest car on this list. Having stated the obvious, it must be noted that, while the HR-V might be cost-effective, it doesn’t look cheap or low-rent from the outside, which is a good thing. On the other hand, if you are actually looking for extremely pocket-friendly options, then check out Cars24 for great deals on second-hand cars in Dubai. As for the Honda HR-V, it does pretty decent numbers on its own in the region, irrespective.

Exterior

On the design front, the Honda HR-V’s most stylistic aspect has to be its friendly and approachable face. The styling is not too sharp or edgy, instead chooses to stick with bulges and curves for the most part. However, bringing some much-needed splash to the visuals here is Honda’s thick chrome bar on the main grille, which is the brand’s signature “flying wing”. This grille is flanked by modern and sweptback LED headlamps with a thin LED daytime-running strip at the bottom, while the well-molded front bumper features circular fog lamps, a honeycomb lower air intake, and a subtle chin spoiler. Of course, the latter is there just for style and nothing else.

Moving towards the side portion of the Honda HR-V, we see that it comes with 17-inch dual-tone alloy wheels, extended wheel arches and underbody black plastic cladding (for that SUV-like look), a swooping windowline and roofline, plus rear door handles that are directly integrated into the C-pillar. Meanwhile, the rear of the Honda HR-V is pretty decent to look at, mostly thanks to its large tail lamps and a sporty-looking rear spoiler. The HR-V also sports a pretty confident stance, though it doesn’t really come across as an SUV – though that is quite alright.

In terms of its exterior measurements, the Honda HR-V comes in at 4,328mm in overall length, 1,773mm in width, and 1,605mm in height. Then there is the HR-V’s wheelbase of 2,611mm, and a minimum boot capacity which stands at an impressive 688 liters. Clearly, this is not a very big SUV, but it does have a select few styling cues that makes it a fairly good-looking small SUV. In the UAE, the Honda HR-V comes in various colors that includes Lunar Silver, Platinum White, Modern Steel, Crystal Black, Passion Red, and Brilliant Sporty Blue.

Interior

To make things interesting, the interior of the Honda HR-V is finished in a dual-tone white/dark grey theme. This story of trying to impress continues with the red backlit engine starter button and speedometer surrounds, and the asymmetric design and arrangement of the front air vents and center console, all of which add some extra flavor to this cabin. Getting in and out of this car is an easy affair as it is neither too high nor too low to the ground. Furthermore, the large windows and the split panoramic sunroof allows for a lot of light to enter this cabin, making for a pleasing ambience.

Even though this interior is not as spacious as one of those found in an SUV a tier above, it is not dainty either. Of course, the HR-V is best suited for ferrying four adults, although carrying a third passenger in the back seat won’t be too unmanageable by any means. Better yet, while the sloping roofline usually tends to eat up headroom in most cars, Honda has managed to pull off a slight miracle with the HR-V. Most people would be comfortable in the back of this SUV, though the tallest ones might find the roof a touch lower than usual.

The seats themselves are quite good, especially the ones up front. Meanwhile, the rear ones are Honda’s so-called “Magic Seats”, which basically mean that they can be folded or reclined. Honda’s build quality depends on the car you go for, wherein the HR-V’s cabin sports materials that are a mixture of decent and not-so-decent. Several of the touchpoints – namely the leather-wrapped steering wheel, gear lever, dashboard and armrests feel quite nice. But the same cannot be said about the door pads or even the quality of the infotainment display. The latter is a 7-inch touchscreen that supports Apple CarPlay, with HR-V also getting an electronic parking brake with auto hold, cruise control, paddle shifters, a 4-speaker audio system, and a dual-zone automatic climate control.

Performance and other features

Weighing around 1,300 kilos, the Honda HR-V is understandably not that heavy (by SUV standards). But then again, it is not that big either. This means that the 140hp 1.8-liter four-popper that is under the hood of the HR-V is plenty good – it also makes a decent 172Nm of torque. This sprightly VTEC mill is then paired to a CVT gearbox that spins the front tires, enabling the SUV to hit the ton-mark in around 10 seconds. And if you keep your right foot pinned to the accelerator, the HR-V will eventually top out at an indicated 190 kmph. However, unlike many small SUVs like this one, the Honda HR-V doesn’t feel too skittish at triple-digit speeds.

More importantly, the HR-V is very fuel efficient, especially for a car its size – averaging 16.9 kmpl or 5.9 L/100 km. When it comes to its safety tech, the Honda HR-V gets ABS with EBD, Emergency Brake Assist, Brake Over Ride System, Vehicle Stability Assist, Traction Control System, Hill Start Assist, and a full complement of 6 airbags. Of course, the HR-V also comes with rear parking sensors, Honda’s Multi-Angle Rearview Camera, ISOFIX anchor points, and a Tire Pressure Monitoring System. Given its entry price, the HR-V only gets some of these once you upgrade to a higher trim level. If you want a small, easy-to-drive and frugal SUV for the city, then you can do much worse than the Honda HR-V.

Kia Niro

Back in the early-2010s, Korean auto major Kia was working on an all-new series of cars that were meant to be run almost entirely on electricity. This is what led to the genesis of the Niro – a compact SUV that is closely related to the Hyundai Ioniq. However, unlike its Hyundai cousin, the Niro was designed from the get-go to be a far more driver-oriented car. Since its debut in 2016, the Kia Niro range has branched out to include a hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and full-electric variants. However, for most buyers, it is the Niro Hybrid that will likely make the most financial and practical sense.

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Butting heads with the likes of the Toyota RAV4 and Nissan X-Trail, the Kia Niro starts off at AED 95,000 for the base variant. Yes, that is a pretty hefty price tag for a compact SUV like this, but it makes up for that by being well-built, well-designed, and packed with many cool features – all the while being one of the most fuel-efficient cars around. However, if you would like to go for something a little less heavy on the wallet, then Cars24 has a plethora of affordable used cars for sale in Ajman for you to check out.

Exterior

Going by Kia’s standards, the Niro has been designed to portray a sense of modernism while also keeping its style quotient to reflect contemporary minimalism. This essentially means that the Niro looks pretty stylish and urbane without being too vague or over-the-top. Moreover, its whole design is focused primarily on lowering the whole car’s drag, which is substantiated by the Niro’s coefficient of drag figure of just 0.29. The front fascia comes with projector LED headlamps that are accompanied by thin L-shaped LED running lights, all of which are housed in a neat-looking and sweptback housing. Meanwhile, Kia’s tiger nose grille gets a chrome surround, and the sleek bumper makes room for LED fog lamps, an active air flap and functional air curtains.

On a side note, the hood sports large carvings and raised bulges on either side – a good touch there, Kia. In the meantime, the side profiles of the Niro are not too exciting to look at, though all the panels and styling features are there to keep the drag to a bare minimum. The SUV does get 18-inch machine-finished alloy wheels, along with an appropriate amount of body cladding plus subtle but faux roof rails. However, unlike the Honda HR-V, it is clear that Kia Niro is not that high off the ground. Then again, a tall design would not have been be very aerodynamic.

The rear of the Kia Niro is not as stylish as the front, but it is all based on a form-over-function mentality. Despite that, this is still a pretty modern piece of design. Compared to most average SUVs, almost every single thing on the outside of the Niro is there to make it more efficient. This includes a purpose-built and functional rear diffuser and roof spoiler, plus some silver garnish on the bumper, a rear-wiper integrated camera, and LED combination lamps with LED surround effects. UAE customers of the Niro can choose between 10 colors that include Snow White Pearl, Silky Silver, Metal Stream, Platinum Graphite, Aurora Black Pearl, Deep Cerulean Blue, and Temptation Red. The Kia Niro is 4,335mm long, 1,805mm wide, and 1,545mm high at the roof rails. Meanwhile, its wheelbase and boot volume come in at 2,700mm and 427 liters, respectively.

Interior

Similar to many other modern-day hybrids, the exterior and interior of the Kia Niro are not that different from a regular petrol-fueled car. As an owner, what this means that is you don’t have to go through much of a learning curve in order to operate it – it is all pretty straight-forward. Just like many other small SUVs in this end of the market, the seats are not mounted so high as to give you a commanding view ahead, but neither are they situated too low. In terms of their overall design, the seats in the Niro feel high-quality and are more than capable of doing their job.

Having said that, the rear seats are meant to transport two adults (and maybe a small child seat as well). And while it can accommodate three people in the back, things might get a bit uncomfortable if you actually do that on the regular. For the most part, you will not have too much to crib about when it comes to the build and fit-and-finish of the Niro’s interior. However, there are surfaces and bits of trim that aren’t as good as one would have expected at this price point. On the other hand, Kia has worked on keeping much of the noise and vibrations out of the cabin, which does result in a relatively peaceful ride. Kia has also used Bio TPO (Thermo Plastic Olefin) composite that is reinforced with natural fibers extracted from sugarcane.

The Niro is one of the Korean marque’s newest SUV models in the segment, so it does come with quite a few features right out of the box. Among the most notable include things such as automatic headlamps, rain-sensing windshield wipers, dual-zone automatic climate control with rear vents, front seats with Integrated Memory System plus ventilation & heating, a 4.2-inch customizable MID for the driver, a 5-inch touch-infotainment system with a 6-speaker audio system (but sadly no Android Auto or Apple CarPlay), a wireless smartphone charger, cruise control, a powered sunroof, and push-button start. The Kia Niro gets most of the basics right, but the omission of smartphone connectivity is an unmistakable oversight.

Performance and other features

The Kia Niro comes with a 1.56 kWh lithium-ion polymer battery that works in tandem with a permanent magnet electric motor and a traditional petrol engine. The latter comes in the form of a 1.6-liter four-cylinder that produces around 103hp, but is then paired with the aforementioned electric motor which makes about 43hp on its own. In totality, the Niro’s hybrid powertrain offers 139hp and 265Nm of maximum torque. A 6-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox handles transmission duties, with the Niro going from 0 to 100 kmph in around 11 seconds or so. Meanwhile, the SUV’s top speed is in the region of 190 kmph. However, with its promising hybrid system, regenerative braking and efficient aerodynamics, the Kia Niro promises a fuel economy of 22.7 kmpl or 4.4 L/100 km.

The Niro is equipped with Kia’s Advanced Driver Assistance Systems or ADAS, which ropes in Blind Spot Detection, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, and Parking Assist System to name a few. There is also Hill-start Assist Control, Electronic Stability Control, Traction Control System, ABS with EBD & Emergency Brake Assist, plus Tire Pressure Monitoring System, a rearview camera, 7 airbags all around. While it is costly, the Kia Niro makes up for it by offering many safety features and being extremely fuel efficient.

Toyota C-HR Hybrid

While the Kia Niro was made from the ground up to be an electrified car (one way or another), the Toyota C-HR was initially only available with a series of petrol engines only. It is also a size smaller than the Kia, falling in the more affordable subcompact SUV category. A short while post its debut, Toyota introduced the Hybrid variant due to increasing demand from various markets. The Hybrid builds on the already formidable affability that is related to this rather funky-looking small SUV – it is now really cool to look at and very fuel efficient as well.

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The C-HR is based on the same platform as the Corolla, aka Toyota’s TNGA-C architecture. This also means that its cabin isn’t the most spacious, though that won’t be an issue for this car’s target audience. Priced from AED 86,900 in the UAE, the Toyota C-HR Hybrid is cheaper than the Kia Niro, but it definitely more visually sparking and just plain cool. Apart from the fact that it is the brand’s most fuel-efficient SUV in the region, it is the C-HR’s styling that really makes its case. Meanwhile, feel free to scout Cars24 for some of the best deals on used Toyota cars in Dubai.

Exterior

When Toyota says that the C-HR has been “designed to be different”, it is not fooling around with that statement. Even today, over 5 years after it first arrived in the market, there are few (if any) cars that can compete with this small SUV when it comes to exterior design and/or the wow factor. In the world of mass-production cars that you and I can buy, most options are far too boring to even be considered for their looks alone – that is definitely not the case here. The front end of the C-HR really is a sight to behold. Firstly, there are the massive and angular headlights that feature up to four different lighting elements – the whole unit stretches almost from the main grille to just above the front wheel arch.

Then there is the wide front bumper that looks pretty macho and has been styled quite aggressively as well. It looks sporty too, thanks to the sculpted lower apron which hosts wing-like extensions at the bottom and a mesh-type central air dam. Even the hood has its own rake-like extensions that blend into the A-pillars. Around the sides, the C-HR gets massively flared fenders, extensively carved out body panels, thick body cladding, a steeply-sloped roof, door handles that are integrated directly into the rear doors themselves, and bold-looking 17-inch alloy wheels.

Meanwhile, the rear of the Toyota C-HR is just as exciting to look at as the front – there’s a large and sporty-looking spoiler with integrated LED lights, a steeply raked rear windscreen, a heavily-sculpted bootlid which also gets a small spoiler effect, C-shaped tail lamps, and a pretty thick bumper that gets a neat low-mounted fog lamp. And of course, this being the Hybrid version, the Toyota logos have a blue halo effect, and there are ‘Hybrid’ badges everywhere. As you can tell, the C-HR is unlike most SUVs at and above its price tag. You drive around in this, you are guaranteed to get people looking at you (or the car, most probably). As for its size, the Toyota C-HR measures 4,390mm in length, 1,795mm in width, 1,565mm in height, and has a 2,640mm-long wheelbase. The C-HR can be had in colors like White Pearl Crystal Shine, Black Mica, Emotional Red, Nebula Blue Metallic etc.

Interior

Contrary to popular belief, the rear seats of the Toyota C-HR aren’t all that bad. Sure, they don’t provide tons of headroom and are lacking when it comes to overall shoulder room, but they are usable if there are just two people sitting in the back. On another note, the small and rakish rear windows do not allow for much view outside the car, which will inevitably lead some to feel claustrophobic here. Making this situation worse is the limited legroom at the back, especially if you are seated in the middle. As for the front seats, they are absolutely fine. Then there is the overall layout of the dashboard and center console – both provide for a sporty driving experience from the hotseat.

Other design choices by Toyota such as the blue push-start button and ambient lighting bring about a sense of occasion in the cabin before you even start driving the C-HR. That said, plenty of other buttons and gauges have the blue effect to them. Then there’s the contrasting trim choices that are found on the dashboard, center console, steering wheel and doors – all of this contributes the C-HR experience. As for the build quality and fit-and-finish, it is not great, but it isn’t terrible either. On the practicality front, the boot space of the Toyota C-HR is 377 liters, which is similar to that of a large hatchback.

When it comes to its equipment list, the Toyota C-HR can be had with powered & retractable door mirrors, adaptive LED headlamps, smart keyless entry, a powered tailgate, dual-zone automatic climate control with air ionizer, leather upholstery with a powered driver’s seat, wireless phone charging, cruise control, four drive modes, a 6-speaker sound system, a 7-inch touchscreen head unit with Wi-Fi plus Apple CarPlay & Android Auto, and a 4.2-inch MID. Even though the Toyota C-HR isn’t as loaded with features as it could have been, it is still pretty well-equipped.

Performance and other features

In the UAE, the Toyota C-HR Hybrid is powered by a 1.8-liter naturally-aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine. While this four-banger will always be there, the C-HR also gets a small electric motor that is connected to the main engine and a tiny 1.3 kW battery. When all of this comes together, there is 121hp and 163Nm of torque. This is then sent to the front wheels via what Toyota calls an “E-CVT” gearbox. While you may think the sporty design of the C-HR will also translate to its on-road performance, well, that is not quite accurate. Even if you push it, this small SUV will still take 11 seconds to touch 100 kmph. Similarly, the top speed is capped at 170 kmph, which is not as exciting either.

On the other hand, buying the Toyota C-HR for speed is like living in Burj Khalifa but not posting any photos on social media – kind of beats the purpose. What this SUV really excels in is its fuel economy – achieving an incredible 23.9 kmpl or 4.1 L/100 km. Of course, those figures may not be possible in the real world, but it doesn’t make the feat any less impressive. Meanwhile, the Toyota C-HR’s safety kit includes items such as 7 airbags, ABS with EBD, Vehicle Stability Control, Hill-Start Assist Control, a Tire Pressure Warning System, Electric Parking Brake with Hold, parking sensors with a reversing camera, and ISOFIX anchor points.

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV

The Mitsubishi Outlander was released back in the early-2000s as a compact crossover SUV – a segment that was quickly taking off at the time. It has now been two decades since the first Outlander rolled off the factory floor, and the world that it entered has way more competitors than it had all those years ago. And while some markets have already started selling the latest fourth-generation model, the third-generation avatar still rules most other regions in the world – the UAE being one amongst them. It was with iteration that Mitsubishi, in 2012, launched the PHEV variant as well.

The Outlander PHEV’s main role is to play the avantgarde when it comes to promoting the company’s greener ambitions for the future. On this front, the Outlander PHEV sure does justice to its existence. If you didn’t know already, PHEV stands for Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle. This means you can top-up the car’s onboard battery using an electrical cord, plugged to either a slow domestic or a high-powered charging station. Furthermore, the internal combustion engine does its bit to charge the battery as well. As for its price in the UAE, the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV can cost AED 150,000, especially if you want all the bells and whistles. Meanwhile, check out Cars24 for used Mitsubishi cars in Sharjah.

Exterior

Mitsubishi gave the Outlander PHEV a minor facelift just a few years back. Along with this update, the SUV gained a slightly redesigned front grille and bumper, along with new LED headlamps that now also get an updated LED DRL setup. Oh, even the brand’s trademark Dynamic Shield front fascia has been updated. As for the side, Mitsubishi has mostly left this part of the car as it was before – save for the alloy wheels, which are now of a new design. Of course, there is the obligatory EV badge on the front fender, along with a chrome outline for the windows.

At the back, the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV comes with wraparound tail lamps with LED running elements, a roof spoiler, chrome and piano-black trim on the tailgate, and a satin silver faux rear diffuser/skid plate plus bumper-integrated fog lamps. As expected, there is a “PHEV” badge here as well. Generally-speaking, this is a pretty ordinary-looking SUV, except for that aggressively-styled front end which really draws most of the attention.

In the UAE, the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV is available in up to 8 colors. This includes options like Amethyst Black Pearl, Orient Red Metallic, Sterling Silver Metallic, Silky White Pearl, and Quartz Brown Metallic among a few others. As far as its dimensions are concerned, the Outlander PHEV comes in at 4,695mm in length, 1,800mm in width, and 1,710mm in height. The Outlander’s wheelbase stretches 2670mm, while its boot can carry 463 liters of luggage behind the last row.

Interior

Depending on the trim level you go with, the interior of the Outlander PHEV can feature either a grey & silver or grey & black theme – the latter definitely looks sportier. The design of the dash, center console and buttons are pretty standard. Basically, they are not going to blow your mind anytime soon. This cabin is mainly catered to those who want (and like) a practical and clinical environment rather than one that is all suave or tech-laden. Despite those traits, the Outlander’s interior does sport a diamond pattern for its leather upholstery, and an interesting-looking (if awkward) gear lever.

Apart from that, the amount of space in this cabin is good in all the rows. Since the PHEV variant only seats 5 people, it not only gets a decently large boot, it also fares well when it comes to occupant comfort. Moreover, if you drive sedately, the NVH levels in the cabin never become excessive at any point. Similarly, there shall be barely any issues when it comes to the amount of shoulder room or headroom in here – as mentioned earlier, it has been designed quite practically. At the same time, the quality of materials is fine for an SUV in this segment, though not as good as it should be for something that costs 150 grand.

The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV’s features kitty includes paddle shifters for controlling the regen braking force, a powered tailgate, an electric sunroof, keyless entry & go, two-zone automatic climate control with rear vents, an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system Android Auto & Apple CarPlay, a premium 8-speaker audio system, and a heated steering wheel among others. And if you want to spend even more money, then you can opt for a sportier variant with aluminium pedals and Bilstein shock absorbers for improved handling and stability.

Performance and other features

The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV’s powertrain mainly consists of a 13.8 kWh battery pack, two electric motors (meaning all-wheel drive), and a 2.4-liter four-cylinder petrol engine. Combined, the total system output comes to 221hp and about 300Nm of torque, good enough to propel this SUV to 100 kmph in 10.5 seconds and to a top speed of 170 kmph. Having said that, it is the Outlander PHEV’s fuel economy that is truly fascinating – rated at an astounding 50 kmpl or 2 L/100 km. Of course, while this was achieved under controlled test conditions, the real-world figure would still be considered awesome even if it was 30-50 percent less than quoted by Mitsubishi.

Meanwhile, the Outlander PHEV’s interesting safety nannies constitute of Forward Collision Mitigation System with Ultrasonic Misacceleration Mitigation System, and Rear Cross Traffic Alert. The SUV also comes with Mitsubishi’s famous Super All Wheel Control (S-AWC) AWD system with Active Yaw Control, Active Stability Control, Traction Control, ABS with EBD, Hill-hold Assist, a multitude of airbags and 360-degree cameras. The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV may not be the best car for everyone. But, if you want the most fuel-efficient SUV in the UAE, then the buck stops here as this is the most obvious choice.

Conclusion

While the purchase of an SUV is often related to someone who doesn’t care much about fuel consumption, these examples don’t quite follow that notion. Therefore, if you want a compact or subcompact SUV that offers modern features and a reasonably spacious cabin, even a swanky-looking design, then these four SUVs must be on your list of ones to take out for a test drive.