If not, what are some small SUVs (jeep patriot size or smaller) with good gas mileage?
Patriots come in a diesel model, and those get good mileage. You pay more for diesel per gallon, but you’ll save more overall. Plus a diesel engine that’s well taken care of will last 3 times as long as an unleaded fuel engine. Otherwise I’d go for something foreign like a Honda CRV or similar for good mileage. Hybrid/flex-fuel will do the best, but that technology is still new enough that I don’t trust it to be long lasting yet.