Indeed, the Hurricane engine is more efficient than its V8-powered sibling, but as this is still an exceedingly heavy vehicle, the smaller engine can only do so much. The 4×2 Grand Wagoneer with the new 3.0-liter returns 15/21/17 mpg city/highway/combined, compared to 13/19/15 mpg for the 4×2 V8. With 4×4, the Hurricane manages 14/20/17 mpg, better than the V8’s 13/18/15 mpg.
According to the EPA, the 4×2 Grand Wagoneer with the Hurricane engine will cost $600 less in annual gas bills based on 15,000 miles per year. That saving doesn’t make up for the fact that the Hurricane engine costs $2,000 more than the standard 6.4-liter V8. Then again, what’s $2,000 for a vehicle that starts at nearly $90,000? Besides, looking at the Hurricane’s outputs, it’s clearly a better engine on paper.
