Putting the pieces together: midsized SUVs car-or truck-based? five passengers or more? The right choice depends on your needs.(Product/Service Evaluation)

Few types of vehicles present as confusing a selection today as sport-utility vehicles. That's because there's now a wide array of different versions, each with advantages and disadvantages.

In the past few years, CONSUMER REPORTS testing has reinforced the fact that for everyday driving, car-based models--those built on a carlike, unibody platform with fully independent suspension--are almost always better than traditional truck-based models. They tend to provide more ride comfort and better handling, and they typically get higher gas mileage.

The trade-off is that with lower ground clearance and all-wheel-drive systems that don't have low-range gearing they're not equipped for serious off-roading (something most SUV owners don't do anyway).

Traditional models, which use a heavier-duty body-on-frame construction, are usually better for towing and difficult off-road conditions. But they typically deliver a stiffer ride, cumbersome handling, and, because they tend to be heavy poor fuel economy.

Increasingly SUVs of both types are serving as minivan alternatives, with many models offering a third-row seat. This increases capacity from five passengers to six, seven, or eight, depending on the model. But the third-row seats are typically small, hard to reach, and suitable mainly for kids. When used, they also dramatically reduce cargo capacity.

The six midsized SUVs we tested for this issue represent all these types. Three are car-based models: the Nissan Murano, the Mitsubishi Endeavor, and the Chrysler Pacifica. Two, the Toyota 4Runner and the Chevrolet TrailBlazer EXT, are truck-based SUVs, while the Mitsubishi Montero incorporates features from both.

Three models--the Pacifica, Montero, and TrailBlazer EXT--have third-row seats; the Murano, Endeavor, and 4Runner seat only five. The prices, as tested, ranged from $30,792 for the Endeavor to $38,422 for the Montero.