The SUVs With the Best Gas Mileage You Can Buy in 2022

Everyone is still gaga over tall vehicles. Trucks, SUVs, and crossovers remain in hot demand, but let's be real—not everyone can afford the most glamorous models. The good news for those looking to spend carlike money on a utility vehicle is there are plenty of SUVs, carlike crossovers, and wagons shaped like SUVs that are affordable. With modern vehicles advancing ever forward in terms of features, content, and style, we'd hesitate to call any of these low-cost crossover SUVs "cheap" in the pejorative definition of the word. Most come standard with must-haves such as folding rear seats and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a few even have all-wheel drive as standard.Read on for the 15 least expensive crossovers and SUVs you can buy in 2022, and be sure to look up where they fall within their subcompact and compact classes in the MotorTrend Ultimate Car Rankings.

In the world of Honda building, the Civic and Integra chassis reign supreme in terms of popularity and aftermarket support. But even within the ranks of multiple generations and trim levels, some models just don't get as much attention as others. The second-generation Integra, for example, was a hit with both the mainstream and enthusiast groups when it debuted over 30 years ago. Aspirational for the Civic and CRX crowd, it served as a step up with its 1.8-liter DOHC engine and refined interior chock full of additional amenities and modified versions could be found virtually everywhere. As the third-generation Integra was introduced, the DA chassis took a backseat as parts development and popularity surrounded the newer model and the number of 1990-93 Integra builds dropped considerably.Reliving the Glory YearsThat was then, and lately, early 190s Honda nostalgia is at an all-time high. With those old school vibes comes a renaissance of sorts for the DA chassis. Along with those that have always owned and modified these cars, there is a wave of new and return owners that appreciate the sleek styling and charm of Acura's early '90s, entry-level offering. And for any Honda enthusiast looking for a '90s-era chassis to start on, the "mechanic's special" that Enrique Guerra found on Craigslist four years ago is the stuff of dreams. A 1992 LS model with faded paint and an undiagnosed engine issue that resulted in an asking price of just $500—something Guerra jumped on immediately.Like any older Honda chassis, finding aftermarket support can be tough, while sourcing OEM replacement parts is almost impossible. He adds, "It's been a stressful couple of years sourcing new parts and buying products that will work with the DA chassis, but with the help of social media, close friends, and networking, finding parts became a lot easier."As with most DA chassis owners, the initial plan called for a deep clean and some very basic updates to freshen the car up while maintaining its '90s-era feel. "In the Bay (Area) we have a very diverse car community with a little of everything which influenced the Integra to go through a couple of phases—I eventually ended up going as far as restoring the car completely."JDM x USDMThe restoration portion of the build included a Captiva Blue Pearl respray that covered the entire car, including a set of classic Wings West side skirts and matching rear bumper cap. Every DA build needs JDM one-piece headlights to consider it complete, which Guerra sourced, along with a set of thin side moldings from the Japanese DA model that match the bumper moldings much better with their flatter appearance. Other less obvious parts from overseas included the front fenders and bumper. From there, carbon fiber replacement parts became Guerra's main focus with the build.The requisite carbon fiber Seibon hood and VIS hatch were in order, and matched to a slew of other carbon parts, including a JDP Engineering front lip and rear spoiler, Tracklife Composites bumper ducts, I-Sport side and rear window visors, a custom windshield cowl, and a set of Cactus Composites mirror bases to anchor Imagine Racing side mirrors. Adding even more contrast against the uncommon factory body color are gloss black 16x8 TE37 wheels highlighted by bright orange front and rear Wilwood brake calipers.Modern ReliabilityHaving a personal connection to the 1990-93 Integra chassis, one thing I've noticed time and time again is that many nice-looking DA builds ignore under-hood enhancement - but that's not the case here. The original engine issues that came with the car are ancient history with a B18C1 swap now powering Guerra's LS. Avoiding shaved sheet metal or a tucked wiring loom, the appearance is clean and tidy with an OEM-plus aura. The A/C, power steering, and cruise control are all still intact and operational, while the B-series' weak link ignition system is modernized by way of Hondata's coil-on-plug conversion with a Rywire coil plate and engine harness included. The high-quality wiring is a welcome addition as Guerra notes that the car included some frustrating wiring issues provided by its previous owners, but he was fortunately able to work them out.The OEM-style intake is based on a Comptech Ice Box with a velocity stack that routes outside air to an Integra Type R factory intake tube before feeding a Skunk2 throttle body and Ultra Street intake manifold. Exhaust is routed through a PLM header and Thermal cat-back system and a Vibrant Ultra Quiet resonator was added to control drone. It's not pushing big peak power or running on the ragged edge, but instead offers a huge improvement over the Integra's original output while remaining entirely reliable and doesn't force Guerra to give up any of those create comforts that come in handy on his lengthy drives up and down the California coast.More modern touches were applied to the interior, starting with an S2000 gauge cluster swap and a flocked dash. Just in front of the updated cluster is a Renown Champion HP steering wheel that Guerra fitted with a custom mount for the cruise control buttons. The original seats were pulled for a pair of Corbeau buckets with upholstery that matches perfectly to the suede pillars and headliner.The Parts HunterDuring the build process, Guerra was a regular at local junk yards in search of replacement parts for his Integra as well as offering to help his fellow enthusiast outside of the state or country that might be in search of something he had access to. In addition, he spends his free time coming up with his version of some much-needed Integra replacement parts which he offers through his Ninety93 website with the promise to add more as development continues.Getting his hands on a starter chassis for such a cheap price came with its fair share of issues, as he states, "It needed a lot of attention, but it was definitely fun to build, nonetheless. It pushed me to learn how to do things on my own such as powdercoat and understand what parts work and don't work with the DA chassis, and even quickly trouble shoot anything wrong with the car. The idea behind the build was to have something modern and aggressive with some old school appeal while also steering away from the rest of the other Integra builds you usually see."The tale of the $500 mechanic's special isn't over just yet. "The car still has a long way to go as 2022 rolls in and I have big plans to change the look of the exterior very soon, along with other small things here and there."Car: 1992 Acura Integra LSOwner: Enrique GuerraInstagram: @pincheenriqueEngine GS-R swap; Hasport engine mounts; PLM header; Skunk2 intake manifold, throttle body; ITR intake arm; Comptech Ice Box intake; Thermal R&D cat-back exhaust; Vibrant ultra-quiet resonator; ATI crankshaft pulley; RC 440cc injectors; MPC Motorsports fuel rail; Grams 255lph fuel pump; custom catch can; Rywire Motorsports Electronics engine harness, coil-on-plug plate; Mishimoto aluminum radiator, slim fans, silicone hoses w/heat shrink clamps; G Development titanium hardware; Hondata S300 V3 management, coil-on-plug conversion kitDrivetrain B16 transmission; OEM LSD; Innovative DC2 shift linkage, half shaft, axlesSuspension Megan Racing coilovers; Skunk2 front/rear camber kits; Buddy Club extended ball joints; K-Tuned traction bar; Password:JDM 3-pt. shock tower bar; Hardrace front control arm bushings; ASR rear LCA w/spherical ends, subframe, 24mm sway bar w/spherical end links, trailing arm bushings; G Development titanium hardwareBraking Wilwood DynaPro 6-piston front calipers, rear calipers, 12.9 front/rear rotors, parking brake cables, stainless linesWheels & Tires 16x8 Volk Racing TE37; 225/45 Toyo Proxes R1R; Rays Engineering lug nutsExterior JDP Engineering carbon fiber lip, trunk spoiler; Seibon carbon fiber hood; VIS carbon fiber hatch; Tracklife Composites carbon fiber brake caliper ducts; Cactus Composites side mirror plates; Imagine Racing carbon fiber mirrors; I-Sport carbon fiber window visors, hatch visor; custom carbon fiber wiper cowl; JDM 1-piece headlights, fenders, front bumper, bumper support, thin moldings; Wings West side skirts, rear bumper cover; OEM optional sunroof visorInterior Corbeau seats; flocked dash; S2000 gauge cluster; Renown Champion HP steering wheel w/custom-mounted cruise control; NEXT Miracle X-bar roll bar; Phase2Motoring floor mats; ZOOM Engineering carbon fiber rear view mirror; Cactus Composites carbon shift plate, S2000 cluster bezel; Mugen sport pedals; JDM manual seatbelt conversion, armrest w/cupholder, Gathers optional rear speaker covers; suede headliner, pillars; Optima battery relocated to trunk; custom subwoofer enclosure, Pioneer double-din head unitThank You I just want to thank my old friends who got me into Hondas 10 years ago and to all of the friends I made along the way. Also a huge thanks to Patrick for all of these amazing shots and also all of the big to small companies that support making replacement and performance parts for these very old cars

After months of teasers, the wait is finally over. The 2023 Honda Civic Type R has been revealed, and unlike previous years, the performance-oriented model launched on American soil with IndyCar driver Colton Herta behind the wheel. For a long time, Americans were banned from purchasing the Civic Type R, but this time Honda is making a statement by doing the global reveal in Los Angeles.The Type R joins the Si and Sport models in the Civic's lineup and stands as the pinnacle of performance in Honda's portfolio. The 2023 model will be the most powerful Honda car in America, with Honda promising more power than ever before.Untamed PerformanceWhile Honda is still tightlipped about its horsepower and torque numbers, we're told it will have more power than before. That means we'll see figures north of 306 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque—the numbers for the current Type R. The familiar 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbo returns, except this time it will be mated to an improved six-speed manual transmission with rev-matching. As of this time, Honda is not planning to offer an automatic transmission in the Type R.Honda says the new Type R will be rewarding and addictive to drive. With an enhanced suspension system and steering performance, we're told the driving feel is direct and engaging, though we'll have to wait until this fall to try it ourselves. But with more power, a new, lightweight chassis, more body rigidity and improved high-speed stability, it sounds like the Type R has everything to deliver a thrilling experience behind the wheel.Just as important, Honda made sure the Type R would stop confidently. The 19-inch wheels are wrapped around Michelin Pilot Sport tires, which should provide sharp grip on the corners and under hard acceleration and stopping. While Honda didn't reveal any specs, the big, red Brembo calipers up front will make sure the Type R brakes properly.With its compact, hatchback body, loads of power and handling hardware, the Type R stands out in the segment. This time, however, it will have more competition. Newcomers such as the Toyota GR Corolla and Hyundai Elantra N have gotten the enthusiast's attention, and the Volkswagen Golf R is back for a new generation. While the GR Corolla and Golf R get all-wheel drive traction, the Civic Type R and Elantra N are front-drive only. But the Honda will continue to stand out with its power numbers. The Elantra N makes 276 hp and the GR Corolla pumps 300 hp, and we expect the updated Type R's numbers to be between 307 and 315 hp. That means the Golf R—with its 328 hp—should continue to be the most powerful of the group.Even if the power numbers don't increase by a lot, there will be a lot to like about the new car. The current-generation Type R continues to be among our favorite hot hatches in the market.Mature ExteriorDespite the 11th-generation Civic gaining a more mature styling, the Civic Type R does a good job distinguishing itself from the rest of the lineup. While the entire Civic lineup lost its race boy design, the new model will be more appealing to those who thought the previous design was too wild. The new Type R is longer, wider, and lower than the outgoing model, and every aerodynamic element is there for a reason.From the front, the honeycomb grille in the lower fascia gives the Type R a distinctive look, and sporty elements on the fascia stand out. Other dynamic cues include air vents on the hood and behind the front wheels. If that's not enough to differentiate it from the rest, the red Honda logo and Type R badge on the grille pop out.From the profile, the side skirts help redirect the wind for better aerodynamics. Unlike any other Civic, the second half of the rear doors expand outward to give the Type R more hips. The rear continues to be the best angle, with a massive wing that's hard to miss and a redesigned rear diffuser that houses the signature three-round exhaust system.There will be five different colors available—Rallye Red, Racing Blue Pearl, Crystal Black Pearl, Sonic Grey Pearl, and Historic Championship White. The latter is exclusive for Type R and one that's famous among Honda enthusiasts.A Familiar InteriorThe red bucket seats and red carpet—two signature elements for the Type R—are back. Comfortable and supportive, the suede-like seats should be able to keep the driver and front passenger tight when the driving experience gets intensive. A numbered Type R badge is now placed on the passenger's dash.A new +R driving mode will show exclusive graphics with engine rpms, indicator lights and gear position indicator displayed at the top, while the bottom display will have other information selected by the driver. A stopwatch to record lap times and the ability to share driving videos is also incorporated in the infotainment system.The rest of the cabin will be familiar to Civic drivers. A honeycomb mesh grille expands across the dashboard and houses the air vents. The HVAC controls are backlit for a premium look, and the digital instrument cluster is standard. Like the top-trim Civic Hatchback, the Type R comes with a 9.0-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as three USB ports.Is the 2023 Honda Civic Type R Worth It?We'll have to wait a little longer to find out the Type R's performance figures, but from what we've seen so far it looks like Honda's promise of delivering a thrilling driving experience might be fulfilled. The 2023 Honda Civic Type R will be on sale this fall, and we can't wait to get behind the wheel. Although Honda didn't mention pricing, we don't expect it to increase too much from the current generation, which starts at $38,910.