Top 10 Plug In Hybrid SUV
What are the best plugin hybrid SUVs that you can buy for 2024? That’s what we’re going to find out.
For those who wanna save money with a hybrid but don’t want a fully electric vehicle, a plugin hybrid could be the perfect compromise and I’m gonna share the very best ones that you can buy for a variety of budgets from good to better to the very best.
Ford Escape
The first vehicle that’s in the number 10 spot, which is the Ford Escape Plugin hybrid. Although I don’t recommend buying the regular escape with the eco boost engines, the hybrid and plugin hybrid versions are a different story.
Surprisingly, Ford makes a fairly reliable hybrid system similar in design to Toyota using a simple naturally aspirate engine which they’ve been using for well over a decade.
When fully charged, it can travel around 37 miles or 60 kilometers on electric power before switching to hybrid mode.
And when the gas engine does turn on, it achieves impressive fuel economy up to around 40 miles per gallon or six liters per 100 kilometers.
So why is the escape plugin hybrid in last place on the list? Well, for one thing, you can’t get it with all wheel drive, which is a downer for some buyers.
It’s also a bit pricey and not all that impressive for what you get for the price, and there are ultimately better hybrids that just have better and safer reputations that you could buy instead.
Hyundai Tucson
So let’s move on to the next plugin hybrid SUVs And for the number nine and the number eight spot, we have a tie between the Hyundai Tucson and the Kia Sportage, otherwise known as the Sportage.
I’m putting these two together because they are mechanically identical using the exact same hybrid system.
Both of these SUVs are able to travel around 30 miles or 50 kilometers on electric power when they’re fully charged.
They also have pretty impressive power and have a great driving feel.
Hyundai and Kia are also known for their feature packed high tech interiors and they also have some of the longest warranties in the industry, which means you do get good peace of mind.
The downsides with these SUVs are a few, but they are significant. For one thing, they don’t have the best fuel economy when you drive them in normal hybrid mode.
Both of them are able to get up to around 35 miles per gallon or seven liters per 100 kilometers.
The other issue is that even though you get a very good warranty, the long-term reliability is a little bit questionable.
Kia and Hyundai just don’t have the best reputations in that department, so there are safer choices that you could buy instead.
BMW X5
Now for the next SUV and the number seven spot, we have something a little bit different.
Now, if you have a really big budget and you want a full-blown luxury SUV and a performance vehicle, well, the best plugin hybrid to go for is the BMW X5 X-Drive 50E among the high-end luxury SUVs, BMW makes one of the best plugin hybrids.
It has an impressive electric range of around 40 miles or 65 kilometers when charged and its hybrid mode Performance is incredibly strong thanks to BMW’s famous B 58 inline six cylinder engine.
Not only is this an incredibly smooth and powerful drivetrain, but it’s also fairly reliable for a German vehicle.
BMW has been using this engine since 2015 and most of its kinks are now really well sorted.
The X five is an SUV that really delivers it all, performance, comfort, luxury, and all in a super practical package, and it’s no surprise why it’s one of the highest rated vehicles for owner satisfaction by consumer reports.
Mazda CX 90
Now if you want an SUV that’s similar to the X five but just needs something that’s a lot more affordable, then take a look at the next SUV that’s in the number six spot and that is the Mazda CX 90.
Many have called the CX 90 an X five on a budget and I think that’s pretty accurate.
The plug-in hybrid version is an impressive vehicle able to travel around 25 miles or 42 kilometers on electric power when charged.
The hybrid system also has really impressive power and performance, and because it uses Mazda’s really well proven 2.5 liters sky active engine, the long-term reliability should also be excellent.
The CX 90 is also a very safe and spacious vehicle with room for up to seven. The interior also has a really luxurious feel and is really well equipped.
All in all, it’s an excellent SUV and one of the best plug-in hybrids to look at.
If you need a spacious seven seater and if you don’t need to have seven seats and just want to have a really huge cargo area, well you can also look at the CX 70 plug-in hybrid, which is basically the exact same vehicle only as a five seater.
Mitsubishi Outlander
Now let’s move on to the next SUV that we have That’s in the number five spot and that is the Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-in hybrid.
The Outlander has been the world’s best selling plug-in hybrid SUV for over a decade and there are many reasons for that.
It has a very well proven and fairly reliable hybrid system.
With excellent performance, it can easily travel over 38 miles or 61 kilometers on electric power when it’s fully charged and it still performs very well with excellent power.
When driven in normal hybrid mode, it is a very smooth and comfortable SUV to drive and the interior is also very spacious with plenty of great tech.
Another nice bonus is that Mitsubishi gives you the best warranty on the market, a 10 year powertrain warranty and a 10 year hybrid battery warranty, which is pretty impressive all things considered.
It is an excellent choice if you want a plug-in hybrid SUV.
Lexus TX 550H+
Now, if you want a plug-in hybrid that offers a ton of interior space, that’s perfect for families, but you also want something that’s super luxurious.
Take a look at my number four pick, which is the Lexus TX 550H+.
The TX is a large three row SUV and like the other ones on this list, it is able to travel around 30 miles or 50 kilometers on electric power when you charge it.
What’s really interesting about the TX plugin hybrid though is that this is the last Lexus crossover that you can buy that still comes with a naturally aspirated V six engine, which means you get top-notch refinement, smoothness, power, and reliability.
It is a very compelling package and a very luxurious one, but one that’s certainly not cheap to buy.
Lexus RX 450H+
The great thing is though, is that if you don’t really need all the space that you get with the TX, you can get most of the exact same benefits for a lower price with the next two SUVs on the list that are in the number three and the number two spots, and those are the Lexus RX 450H+ and the NX 450H+.
I’m putting these two together because they both share the exact same hybrid system, both use a naturally aspirated four cylinder engine with a hybrid setup that allows them to travel around 35 miles or 55 kilometers when fully charged on electric power.
They don’t have quite as much power as the V six engine in the TX, but they are a lot more fuel efficient when driven in hybrid mode, which is arguably more important for a hybrid.
Best of all though, you get the exact same amazing comfort, luxury and reliability that one would expect from a Lexus.
Lexus is not only known for making the most reliable and the longest lasting vehicles, but they also make some of the best hybrids and have been doing it for longer than most others.
All you really need to decide between these two is whether you want to have more space with the RX or you’re fine with a smaller, less spacious NX and can save yourself around 10 to 20 grand. Either way, you really can’t go wrong.
Toyota RAV4 Prime
As great as these SUVs are, there is one other plug-in hybrid SUV that you can buy that’s going to give you most of the same benefits at a more affordable price And that vehicle is my number one choice The Toyota RAV4 Prime, no question.
All things considered. The RAV4 prime is the best plugin hybrid SUV to buy.
It really delivers it all Incredible reliability, excellent safety, lots of space and features, and an excellent performing hybrid system.
It delivers a class leading electric driving range of around 42 miles or 68 kilometers when charged plus class leading power and fuel economy in hybrid mode, achieving around 40 miles per gallon or six liters per 100 kilometers.
There really isn’t too much that the RAV4 prime doesn’t excel at and it’s one of the easiest SUVs to recommend.
Its only real downside is limited availability, making it tough to get your hands on, but if you can do so, you are getting a real winner.