Days 1 to 4: Los Angeles to Kansas City, Kan.
Total amount spent on gas
Rileys (SUV): $290.98
Fowlers (Midsize): $151.72
Pletchers (Hybrid): $99.84

Gas mileage
Rileys (SUV): 17 mpg (estimate was 15 mpg)
Fowlers (Midsize): 28 mpg (estimate was 25 mpg)
Pletchers (Hybrid): 39 mpg (estimate was 40 mpg)

Days 1 to 3: Los Angeles to Grand Canyon to Denver
The trip: Riley Family (SUV)

Day 1
Wasn't sure what to expect with the Lincoln Navigator because I've never driven one before, but it was beautiful and breathtaking.

FREE VIDEO Great gas challenge May 16: Three families driving across the country in different cars talk with "Today" hosts Matt Lauer and Katie Couric about how gas prices are affecting their vacation. Today show

It has a navigation system that talks, and  my kids have named it Michelle. We've also named the car “Romy,” so it's “Romy and Michelle's Big Vacation.” The car has plenty of room for all of our luggage. Such a comfortable ride — our legs don't hurt. I know we feel better than the other families after the long days of driving. It’s worth the extra cost of the gas for the comfort. We sat in horrible traffic in Los Angeles for the first 5 hours of the trip.

I'd put my foot on the gas for a few seconds then sit for a few minutes before we could move forward. We only had to stop once for gas but it was expensive — $2.96 per gallon in Ludlow, Calif. We didn't arrive at the Grand Canyon until 6 a.m. Saturday.

Day 2
We took a Jeep Safari tour with a place called Grand Canyon Jeep Tours. The tour guides agreed to wait for us until 2 p.m. so we could get a little extra sleep.

The tour was so much fun! We saw a coyote and an elk, and one of the tour guides was a Native American Indian. He played his flute for us while we looked at the great views of the Grand Canyon. I was so overcome with emotion that I cried.  We got a late start out of Grand Canyon but drove all night to get just inside the Colorado border. We stopped and stayed at a Super 8 Motel in Fruita. We stopped twice for gas and paid about $50 each time to fill up.

Day 3
We stopped in Vail on our way to Denver and took our time getting food and seeing the sights, since there was not as much driving to do. Got to Denver and stayed at a Super 8 Hotel.

We found the cheapest gas we've seen yet just outside Denver, at $2.26 per gallon for 91 octane premium gas. —Renee Riley

Total amount spent on gas
Riley Family (SUV): $194.13
Fowler Family (Midsize) $114.22
Pletcher Family (Hybrid) $60.41

Gas mileage
Riley Family (SUV): 17 mpg
Fowler Family (Midsize): 27 mpg
Pletcher Family (Hybrid): 40 mpg

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