How far will one tank of fuel take you? Fuel economy enthusiasts John and Helen Taylor set off to find out.
Driving standard production model Jeep Compass and Jeep Patriot SUVs, each equipped with 2.0 liter turbo diesel engines and loaded with luggage and two passengers, the husband and wife team set out to drive from London to Berlin. They made it … and kept going, without refueling.
The two achieved record SUV distance on a single tank of fuel, travelling a distance of 1,124 kilometers (698 miles), ending up in Poland. Their fuel consumption – 4.3L/100 km, or over 66 miles per Imperial gallon, which translates to 55 to 56 miles per U.S. gallon in each vehicle.
“We already knew that the Compass and Patriot were among the most economical of all SUVs, but we were amazed by the fuel economy that these two vehicles were capable of during this drive,.” John Taylor said.
“ We drive on normal roads at realistic speeds with two people and their luggage on board and the traffic and weather conditions weren’t favorable at all – cold with many traffic jams,” he said. “We used simple fuel economy driving techniques that any driver could replicate.”
“This record achievement challenges the myth that all SUVs are gas guzzlers. We’ve proven in everyday driving conditions just how fuel efficient these two Jeep SUVs can be,” Helen Taylor said.
