Engines/Fuel Economy

Compact SUVs offer both four- and six-cylinder engines. Midsize sport-utes typically come standard with six-cylinder engines, but can be had with four- and eight-cylinder power plants as well. Full-size SUVs feature V6 or V8 engines. The most economical four-cylinder compact SUVs can achieve combined mileage figures in the mid-to-high 20s, while most six-cylinder sport-utes average in the upper teens (though the handful of gas-electric hybrid models do much better than that). Full-size vehicles get between 12 and 20 mpg.

Safety

Family shoppers should find antilock brakes, front-seat side airbags, full-length side curtain airbags and stability control standard on every model. Rearview cameras are also increasingly standard, while high-tech electronics that warn inattentive drivers of blind-spot intrusion and impending collisions have migrated from strictly in the luxury realm down to mainstream brands. Shoppers should also be aware of crash test scores produced by NHTSA and the IIHS.