Biggest Gas Guzzlers

Typically the bigger the autos and the higher their performance, the more gas they’re going to need. That’s not considered a good thing in these enlightened times, on a planet with a finite supply of fossil fuels. Hence, numerous organizations keep track of which vehicles require the most juice, and they publish lists of the best performers and worst offenders.

Two such organizations supplied lists and information for this collection of the latest and not-so-greatest gas guzzlers: Edmunds.com and the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. The council provided its 2011 Meanest Vehicles for the Environment list. Edmunds.com, in addition to fuel economy, takes into account emissions and other factors.

To give more depth of perspective, Edmunds.com, used official EPA fuel economy numbers for combined city and highway driving, and  current national-average fuel prices from AAA to determine a monthly fuel cost for the vehicles on their list (assuming 1,250 miles driven monthly). “We feel that monthly fuel cost is an excellent metric because it makes comparison between vehicles much more transparent,” a representative explained. “You’ll notice that the vehicles with highest monthly fuel cost, shown below, are all high-performance vehicles, or they are large SUVs/trucks/vans with large V8 engines.”

Click ahead to see which specific makes and models are guilty as guzzlers.

By Colleen KanePosted August 23, 2011

MPG city: 11

MPG highway: 15

The 2011 Mercedes-Benz M-Class ML63 AMG midsize SUV (pictured here) costs $400 a month to run on premium gas, and so does the Mercedes-Benz G-Class G55 AMG full-size SUV with off-roading capability, says Edmunds. The Mercedes-Benz G-Class G550 SUV with off-roading capability costs $369 per month to run on premium gas.

MPG city: 10

MPG highway: 16

The 2011 and 2012 Chevrolet Express G2500, pictured here, costs $373 per month to drive using regular gas, according to Edmunds.com. Another model from Chevrolet G2500, also makes the list with 13 miles per gallon city and 18 miles per gallon highway.

MPG city: 8

MPG highway: 15

The Bugatti Veyron is chic, but mean enough to the planet be called out by ACEEE for its poor mileage. Its 8 miles per gallon for city driving makes it the worst in fuel economy for city driving on the group's 2011 Meanest Vehicles for the Environment list.

MPG city: 13

MPG highway: 18

The Lincoln Navigator (FFV) sport utility vehicle earned a slot on ACEEE’s 2011 Meanest Vehicles for the Environment list, and not for the first time.

MPG city: 11

MPG highway: 16

Edmunds.com reports the 2012 Lexus LFA sports coupe costs $400 a month to run on premium gas.

MPG city: 10

MPG highway: 16

The GMC Savana 3500 cargo van, pictured here, which has a 6.0 Liter engine, costs $373 monthly to run on regular gas (2011 or 2012 models). The GMC Sierra K2500 (Class 2B) pickup truck also scored as a gas-guzzler with 12 miles per gallon city and 17 miles per gallon highway.

MPG city: 11

MPG highway: 14

The Ford F-150 Raptor off-roading pickup truck (pictured here) and the Ford F-250 (FFV) (Class 2B) fared not much better on the ACEEE list, with 12 miles per gallon city and 16 miles per gallon highway.

MPG city: 13

MPG highway: 18

The Dodge Ram 2500 Mega Cab (Class 2B) is a maxi-pickup truck. It has plenty of room for passengers and it chugs down plenty of gas, earning it a spot on the ACEEE’s 2011 Meanest Vehicles for the Environment list.

MPG city: 11

MPG highway: 18

The Bentley Mulsanne performance luxury car, pictured here, is guilty of guzzling, and the Bentley Continental GTC convertible also has a ravenous appetite for gas, with 11 miles per gallon city and 18 miles per gallon highway, according to the ACEEE Meanest Vehicles for the Environment list.

MPG city: 11

MPG highway: 17

The 2010 BMW M6 luxury sports car, pictured here, and the high performance M5 both cost $369 monthly to run on regular gas, says Edmunds.com.