Road-trip friendly cars that can go the distance

Memorial Day is fast approaching and that means millions of Americans will be hitting the road for a family trip. The roads will be crowded and you should expect lines at gas stations. A car bred for long-haul driving, with bladder-bursting range, can give a distinct advantage, especially on cross-country journeys. To aid travelers, we have compiled a list of the best road-trip friendly cars that can go the distance.

If you are in the market for a new car or looking to rent one for travel, these best-fuel economy vehicles with their lengthy cruising ranges will help you reduce stops for fill ups.

For the summer travel season, regular gasoline retail prices are projected to average $3.63 per gallon with it peaking in May at $3.69 per gallon and ending at $3.57 in September. The U.S. Energy Information Administration expects prices to average $3.56 per gallon in 2013 compared with $3.63 in 2012, so there is some relief, but gas will continue to be a big part of the travel budget. Choosing a fuel-efficient model can provide dividends for years to come, no matter how gas prices fluctuate.

Find out how to maximize the gas mileage in your existing car, visit our guide to fuel economy.

The list below highlights the top three vehicles in a variety of categories that have the longest cruising range. Be aware, however, that not all cars that can go the distance have the best mileage. For example, in the large car category, the V6-powered Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger only get 22 miles per gallon overall and 32 highway in our tests, even though their range is over 420 miles. The Land Rover Range Rover Evoque has a range of 385, but it only gets 21 mpg overall and 29 mpg highway.

The vehicles that can travel far and return the best fuel economy are hybrids and diesels. The Volkswagen Passat TDI and Golf TDI have a 690- and 545-mile cruising range, respectively, with highway mileage around 50 mpg. The Toyota Camry Hybrid has a range of 650 and returns 43 mpg on the highway.