So if the full-size SUV is dead, one economical option is to go with a car-based crossover. Another one is to take it to the next level and get a hybrid, though AWD systems can compromise fuel efficiency even with those models. So why not skip it and go 2WD? Take the Ford Escape Hybrid; the Boston Globe has a nice write-up on the 2WD edition, which achieves a stellar EPA rating of 34 city/30 highway—and that's with the stricter 2008 guidelines.

The Escape Hybrid can run up to 25 mph on electric power alone, and also puts out far fewer emissions than the gas-powered model in this mode. The report said that spotty interior quality and poor crash test scores tempered their enthusiasm. But you can't knock its fuel economy; even the hybrid AWD only nets 29/27 in comparison, which averages out to 4 mpg less. Hold out a few more months, and you can get the 2009 version, with improved engines all around—including for the four-cylinder hybrid.