These days, driving a big truck or SUV doesn't necessarily mean big compromises at the fuel pump. Gas prices are high, and they'll likely stay that way. Realizing this, many buyers have issued a call for vehicles that offer not just haul-it-all brawn but fuel-efficiency as well. Manufacturers have responded in kind, rolling out a wealth of gas-sipping hybrid options in the SUV segment.

For SUV and pickup buyers interested in saving money at the pump, here are the 10 most fuel-efficient trucks and sport-utility vehicles currently sold in the U.S. Rankings are based on the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) miles-per-gallon ratings for city and highway travel. More specifically, we used the EPA's combined fuel economy formula: 55 percent of city mpg rating plus 45 percent of highway mpg rating. The rating for each vehicle below is expressed in mpg as a city/highway ratio.

All ratings apply to base models equipped with a manual transmission, except where indicated otherwise with an asterisk. For pickups, all ratings pertain to a regular-cab/standard-bed configuration. Likewise, all ratings apply to 2WD models, with the exceptions being the Mercury Mariner and Jeep Patriot.

Each model was allowed only one appearance on the list. The exception is the Ford Escape, which makes a repeat appearance as a result of being available in both gas-electric hybrid and regular gasoline versions.

1. Ford Escape Hybrid — 36/31*



2. Mercury Mariner Hybrid — 32/29*



3. Lexus RX 400h — 32/27*
   
   Toyota Highlander Hybrid — 32/27*



4. Saturn Vue Hybrid — 27/32*



5. Jeep Patriot — 25/29



6. Ford Escape — 24/29
   
   Ford Ranger — 24/29
   
   Mazda B-Series — 24/29



7. Honda CR-V — 23/30*



8. Jeep Compass — 24/27*



9. Saturn Vue — 23/29



10. Toyota Tacoma — 23/28
    
    Hyundai Tucson — 23/28
    
    Kia Sportage — 23/28