Three years ago, it would have cost the average driver about $20 a week to power a midsized sport utility vehicle like the Ford Explorer. Today, it costs about $31.

Consumers, perhaps acknowledging that higher gasoline prices are here to stay, are turning away from large SUVs, according to our analysis of vehicle-sales data. At the same time, sales for smaller, more fuel-efficient SUVs are growing.

The five small sport-utes we recently rated get between 17 miles per gallon and 26 mpg overall in our tests involving a mix of city and highway driving. That’s much better than the 13 mpg to 16 mpg that many midsized SUVs manage. Yet while they’re called small SUVs, these vehicles easily can seat five and provide at least adequate cargo space.

Of the models in this round of testing, only the Honda CR-V EX earns our recommendation thus far. (We recommend vehicles that test well, show average or better reliability according to subscriber responses to our annual survey, and perform at least adequately if crash-tested or included in a government rollover test.)

The other four – the Hyundai Tucson GLS (V6), the Ford Escape Hybrid

(4-cylinder), the Nissan Xterra S, and the Jeep Liberty Limited (turbodiesel) – are all too new to assess reliability.

The CR-V joins previously tested versions of the Subaru Forester, Toyota RAV4 and the Toyota Matrix/Pontiac Vibe twins atop our ratings of 19 small SUVs. At $24,065 for the EX trim – it has a 160-hp 2.4-liter Four mated to a five-speed automatic transmission – the CR-V is the most expensive of the front runners. It joins the Forester and RAV4 as having performed especially well in government and insurance-industry crash tests.

Like the Honda CR-V EX, the Hyundai Tucson GLS (V6) comes with electronic stability control (ESC) standard. (We strongly recommend ESC, which works to prevent loss of control when wheels lose grip in a turn.) Derived from the Elantra sedan, the Tucson is nearly as spacious as its midsized sibling, the Santa Fe. Its 173-hp, 2.7-liter V6 delivers comparable thrust to the CR-V, but is thirsty at 18 mpg overall. Our test car cost $22,610.

At $31,140 with a 2.3-liter Four/electric motor combo – and optional safety and appearance packages – our Ford Escape Hybrid cost $3,000 more than the vehicle’s V6 gas-only version. Despite the Hybrid’s fuel-saving technology (its 26 mpg overall was tops in this group), you could spend more than five years recovering that cost difference in gas savings.

The Escape Hybrid’s comfortable interior and modest exterior dimensions, along with a continuously variable transmission (CVT), make this a good city SUV.

Best of this bunch at off-roading, the redesigned Nissan Xterra shares components with the automaker’s Frontier pickup and Pathfinder SUV. Our S version with a 265-hp, 4.0-liter V6, 5-speed automatic transmission and optional power, air-bag and towing packages cost $27,900.

While the Xterra has responsive handling and quick steering, it doesn’t feel as agile as car-based SUVs. The engine, one of the most powerful in its class, delivers just 17 mpg overall.

At 18 mpg overall, the Jeep Liberty Limited’s 2.8-liter Four turbodiesel doesn’t do much better, yet comes at a hefty price – ours was $30,105, with 5-speed automatic transmission, Selec Trac 4WD, and other options. The engine sounds like a farm tractor and acceleration is slow. In other aspects, however, this version is very similar to the conventional (and much-cheaper) Liberty V6. With diesel fuel costing more than gas these days, this may not be an economical choice.

Combining fuel economy, reliability, crash safety and standout performance, the Subaru Forester, Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4 remain our top picks for best all-around small SUVs. We especially like the CR-V for its roominess, the Forester for its ride, and the RAV4 for its nimbleness.