Fuel economy: 17 city/24 highway mpg

A full-size SUV with seating for seven, the Ford Flex (about $29,000) still logs terrific fuel economy thanks to its aerodynamics and its EcoBoost engine. The 355-horsepower, 3.5-liter, V-6 EcoBoost engine delivers V-8-like performance while getting 16 city/22 highway mpg.

It is available on the SEL, Limited and Titanium trim packages, with all-wheel-drive. A 262-horsepower, 3.5-liter, V-6 engine, which gets 17 city/24 highway mpg, is standard on front-wheel-drive models. Standard features include a third-row seat that folds into the floor, dual-zone climate control, steering wheel-mounted climate and audio controls and interior ambient lighting.