If you want to reduce your fuel costs, and you’re not prepared to downsize to a smaller family hatchback or saloon, a hybrid SUV could be perfect for you. The best plug-in hybrid SUVs can cover more than 50 miles on electric power alone. That’s enough to offer you a taste of what owning an EV is like without bringing on the crippling anxiety that results in being forced to rely on the UK’s unfinished EV charging infrastructure.
Or, if you’d rather not faff around with charging cables, there are plenty of self-charging hybrid SUVs available that offer diesel levels of fuel efficiency and just enough electric range to potter around your town without burning a drop of petrol. They’re almost always cheaper than their PHEV counterparts, too.
Scroll down for our list of the best hybrid SUVs on sale today. We’ve provided a brief round-up of each cars strengths and weakness to give you a top-level look at the market. However, if you need some extra detail, we’ve included links to our in-depth reviews on each car. If find something that tickles your fancy, head to Parkers cars for sale to start shopping.
The best hybrid SUVs for 2024
Editor's choice: BMW X5
A tremendous all-rounder fighting hard to stay ahead
We also found that, when driven gently, the X5 can cover an impressive 50 miles on electric power alone. You won’t get anywhere near the X5 PHEV’s official fuel economy figures in the real world, though. BMW says it can return as much a 350mpg, but that figure expects you to charge up regularly and complete most of your journeys on electric power. On a long motorway jaunt using the petrol engine, expect that to be more like 45mpg.
Read our BMW X5 review
Pros
- One of the best SUVs to drive
- PHEV has a long electric range
- Practical and spacious interior
Cons
- Feels unwieldy in town
- Prices start from £82,000
Porsche Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid
A hybrid SUV that’s quick enough to monster most sports cars
With a full charge, the Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid also has a maximum electric range of 46 miles – and Porsche says it can return up to 166.2mpg on the WLTP combined cycle. Naturally, the harder you drive it, the more that figure will drop. You also sacrifice some of the Cayenne’s cornering ability to the additional weight of the hybrid system. The extra power makes up for that, though.
Read our Porsche Cayenne review
Pros
- Staggering performance
- Surprising fuel economy
- Excellent build quality
Cons
- Expensive options
- PHEV battery blunts handling
Lexus NX
Top-shelf quality and diesel-like efficiency
You can also have the NX with a plug-in hybrid powertrain. Lexus claims the system can return 313.9mpg on the WLTP combined cycle, but you won’t get anywhere near those figures in the real world, especially if you do a lot of motorway miles. Still, it can drive for up to 42 miles on electric power alone and it’s quick in a straight line, dispatching the 0–62mph sprint in just 6.3 seconds. The catch? Well, the NX isn’t a very fun car to drive. But not everyone’s a petrolhead – so, if you value comfort above all else, it could be perfect for you.
Read our Lexus NX review
Pros
- Comfortable ride
- Good electric range
- Great infotainment
Cons
- Average practicality
- Not particularly exciting
Honda CR-V
Efficient, sturdy and reliable. As sensible as SUVs get
The latest CR-V is also available as a self-charging and plug-in hybrid for the first time, with Honda claiming up to 50 electric miles are possible from a charge. You can't get a plug-in CR-V with four-wheel-drive, however. This Honda's interior might not look the most cutting-edge, but it's impressively user-friendly in this day and age. Combine that with a practical and spacious interior and the CR-V ticks all the right boxes for a family car.
Read our Honda CR-V review
Pros
- Smooth hybrid systems
- Excellent fuel economy
- Well-designed and spacious interior
Cons
- Quite expensive compared to rivals
- There are more exciting rivals
Toyota Yaris Cross
The Goldilocks combo for growing families
The Yaris Cross doesn’t completely filter out all the sensations of the road and its controls are just heavy enough at speed to feel engaging. The suspension is on the firmer side, too, but it’s seldom uncomfortable – and that added dash of granite in the dampers helps to make the car feel planted when you thread it down a fast country lane. A recent update has given the Yaris Cross slightly more power and more interior technology, too.
Read our Toyota Yaris Cross review
Pros
- Supremely fuel efficient
- Perfectly sized for its market
- Smooth hybrid powertrain
Cons
- Interior is a little drab
- Ride quality is a bit brittle
Hyundai Tucson
Stylish transport for those prioritising comfort over fun
The latest model is spacious, comfortable and loaded with clever technology, including a particularly attractive widescreen infotainment system and a pretty touch-sensitive climate control panel. A recent refresh continues to make it one of the most eye-catching cars in its class.
Read our Hyundai Tucson review
Pros
- Spacious interior and boot
- Intuitive infotainment system
- Excellent build quality
Cons
- Efficiency suffers on the motorway
- Adaptive suspension is pointless
Kia Sorento
A versatile and award-winning seven-seat SUV
You can have a Sorento with a self-charging hybrid or plug-in hybrid powertrain, both of which are based on the same 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine. The PHEV is a great choice, offering an easy 80mpg on shorter journeys and around 40–50mpg on longer runs. The self-charging hybrid is less efficient and less powerful which means it labours on faster roads as it relies more heavily on its petrol engine. It isn’t cheap, though. Prices start from £42,995, which gives you a lot of car for the money.
Read our Kia Sorento review
Pros
- Flexible interior
- High-quality interior and well-built
- PHEV great around town
Cons
- Unsettled ride
- Third row of seats aren't suited to adults
Mercedes-Benz GLC 300de
Plug-in hybrid diesel SUV that’s great for munching miles
There are faults. The GLC’s low-speed ride is harsher than you’ll find on some track-ready hot hatchbacks and it’s far from being the most gratifying SUV to thread down a country lane. But its ride smooths out well once you hit the motorway, its seats offer loads of support and its cabin is very well equipped.
Read our Mercedes GLC review
Pros
- Great long-distance capability
- Diesel economy when out of battery
- Stylish, well-equipped interior
Cons
- Harsh low-speed ride
- Unrewarding steering
Range Rover Sport
British luxury SUV is at the top of its game
The Range Rover is also one of the best-looking SUVs around, and has an outstanding interior mixing all of the latest technology and high-quality materials. A recent update has, however, removed key physical controls in place of a touchscreen – something we think is a reverse step.
Read our Range Rover Sport review
Pros
- Gorgeous interior
- Excellent to drive
- Impressive hybrid engines
Cons
- Expensive to buy
- No seven-seater option available
Skoda Kodiaq
Efficient, hugely spacious SUV ticks all the right boxes
The previous Kodiaq was hardly small inside, but this new Skoda is vast inside, and will work perfectly as a family car. The new plug-in hybrid setup deserves high praise, too, with around 60 electric miles possible from a charge in real-world conditions. The one downside is whereas petrol and diesel Kodiaqs are available with seven seats, you don't get the option of a third row with the plugin hybrid.
Read our Skoda Kodiaq review
Pros
- Superb fuel economy from PHEV
- Generous interior space
- Stylish and user-friendly cabin
Cons
- PHEV is only available with five seats
- Expensive optional extras
Which hybrid SUV has the most room?
The Skoda Kodiaq is one of the most spacious hybrid SUVs you can buy, as its boot can carry up to 910 litres in its boot. The Kia Sorento is very roomy too and, unlike the Kodiaq, you can have it with a hybrid powertrain and seven seats. And if you don’t need to use the third row of seats, it can carry more than 600 litres of luggage. The Hyundai Santa Fe, though not included on this list, makes for an excellent hybrid SUV and is hugely spacious.
Which hybrid SUV is the most economical?
The most efficient hybrid SUVs are those that revert to running like a standard ‘self-charging’ setup once their PHEV range is depleted. This includes most of Toyota and Lexus’s models, including the Lexus NX included on this list. The Mercedes GLC 300de deserves a mention, too, because once the electric range is out, you’ve still got the back-up of an efficient diesel engine to rely on.
What hybrid SUV has the best range on electric power only?
The Mercedes GLC 300e 4Matic AMG Line has the longest electric range of any plug-in hybrid SUV on sale today. Its motor is powered by an enormous 31.2kWh battery pack which, to put that into perspective, is only 4kWh smaller than the battery used to power the fully electric Honda e city car. It means the GLC PHEV can cover 80 miles on electric power alone.
Which hybrid SUV is the most reliable?
The Toyota Yaris Cross or Honda CR-V are the best hybrid SUVs to opt for if you’re concerned about reliability. Toyota and Honda both have a great reputation for building dependable cars. Toyota also offers a 10-year warranty on its new cars, the condition being that you service them at one of its dealers every year.
What is the best hybrid SUV for a family?
The Hyundai Tucson is one of the best family SUVs on sale because it offers a great mix of affordability, fuel economy, practicality, and build quality. It isn’t the most exciting car in its class to drive, but what you sacrifice in driver engagement, you win back in comfort. You also get a very reassuring five-year warranty.
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