I recently drove my 2000 Sportage (bought new, now 322,000+ miles)to Vermont and back (from KY). This was with three adults in the car and a weeks worth of vacation "stuff" in the back (cloths, cooler, tools, etc). The best mileage I got was a little over 26 mpg, the worst was about 24. My wife averages about 25 to work and back around here, with just her in the car.

P.S. - on the trip we ran air conditioning pretty much all the time.

Lee