Last updated April 24, 2024 by
Neil Briscoe
Best hybrid SUVs of 2024
We all want an SUV these days, but we’re probably all equally aware that the weight, height, and general bulk of most SUV models means that they use more fuel than a hatchback or estate.
A decade ago, you’d have squared that circle by choosing a diesel engine option, but these days that’s more than a little unfashionable. Thankfully, for those who want a big car without too many big bills, hybrid and plug-in hybrid models have swept in to fill the diesel gap.
There’s been an explosion in the choice of hybrid SUVs recently, so you can now choose from as big and beefy as you like, to as small and compact as you might need, as well as choosing between conventional hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and even more exotic parallel hybrids.
Carwow’s expert reviews team has picked the 10 best hybrid or plug-in hybrid SUVs you can buy right now.
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The Defender has been a huge hit for Land Rover, to the extent it has actually eclipsed its similarly competent Discovery sibling. Why? Well, first the Defender is an iconic nameplate, successfully reimagined for today's drivers' needs and, second, because it's a newer car underneath, which means it's also available as a plug-in hybrid, where the Disco is not. The Defender P400e (Land Rover's name for the PHEV version) can cover up to 27 miles in electric mode, can go from 0-62mph in around five and a half seconds, and can return up to around 100mpg if you plug it in regularly. Not bad figures for a seriously practical and desirable SUV, even if it's a fairly large car, especially if you go for one of the longer-wheelbase models. If you want to go further, and in more comfort, there’s a choice of plug-in Range Rover and Range Rover Sport models with electric ranges topping 70 miles.
The Audi Q5 plug-in hybrid won’t make you laugh out loud because it's so fun on a twisty road, but it's a highly competent and practical family SUV, and offers seriously impressive comfort levels and desirability. The interior is a masterclass in posh, well-made design, with all the tech you could want (even if, as with almost all cars, you'll have to pay extra for this). A 32-mile official range isn’t bad, either. The Q5 PHEV is badged '50 TFSI e' by Audi, just to help you narrow things down.
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The XC60 is something of a Goldilocks car in Volvo's SUV line-up – it's a bit bigger than the XC40 and a bit smaller than the massive XC90. That means it's practical without being intimidating to drive on the road. You still get the usual Scandinavian cool design inside and out and bundles of safety tech you would expect from Volvo. The cabin looks a bit old compared to newer competitors, but the upside of that is an infotainment system that’s much easier to operate (partly because it has fewer functions). On top of this, the plug-in hybrid system offers as much as 51 miles of electric-only range, which is decent. You can choose between a T6 version with 350hp, or a T8 with a frankly wild 455hp.
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The new Volkswagen Tiguan is a bigger and more expensive car than the outgoing model, and it’s far more technologically advanced, with an infotainment screen that (optionally) stretches to 15 inches across, and which will get ChatGPT artificial intelligence built into the voice control later this year. It’s also coming with a new plug-in hybrid setup that combines a battery with a choice of petrol turbo engines to offer as much as 71 miles of electric range, and a full-battery-and-full-fuel-tank range of almost 600 miles. It looks and feels posh (and spacious) inside, but it’s not very exciting to drive, and that big screen takes some getting used to.
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The Lexus NX is not only very handsome, it’s comfortable, practical and impressively luxurious inside too, even if the infotainment isn't quite as good as the systems found in rival cars. Being a Lexus, however, means that reliability and build quality should all be beyond reproach, and while the NX may not thrill as much as the BMW X3 does on the open road, it's a supremely relaxing car to drive. Lexus dealers have incredibly good reputations, too. Lexus offers the NX as both a conventional hybrid (IE one that you don't need to plug in), or as a PHEV, which you can plug in, and which can return greater economy as a result. It can officially travel an impressive 49 miles on battery power, too. You'll need to pay a fair bit extra for the PHEV model, though, so the conventional hybrid is the model to go for, unless you will benefit from the lower tax of the PHEV as a company car.
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Cupra used to be the sporty sub-brand of SEAT, but was spun off into a standalone marque a few years ago. Don't let that slightly complex gestation put you off, though, as the Formentor is a seriously handsome and capable vehicle. Offered with a range of petrol engines, the eHybrid PHEV model has an official range of up to 36 miles, and you can eke up to 239mpg out of it if you recharge regularly and drive around on electric power most of the time. Strong interior build quality and interesting paint options are among the Formentor's other talents, while it drives very nicely indeed, too. Just remember that the PHEV model does sacrifice a good bit of boot space to the regular petrol versions.
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The Kia Sorento is a big, seven-seat SUV, and is emblematic of Kia's ascent over the past few years, as this model is both the brand's biggest and most expensive model, and should give established premium manufacturers sleepless nights, as it's really rather nice to look at, and posh inside. Offered as a conventional and plug-in hybrid, the Sorento also comes with Kia's class-leading seven-year warranty but it might be worth waiting for the new version, which arrives shortly.
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Toyota is, of course, the past master when it comes to making hybrid cars, so it’s little wonder that the new C-HR makes for a good hybrid. You can choose between 1.8-litre and 2.0-litre hybrid models, and there’s a plug-in hybrid arriving shortly, with a potential 41-mile electric-only range. The standard hybrid models are impressively economical already — 60mpg is do-able — and it’s a good car to drive too, feeling sportier than some of the competition such as the Renault Captur or Nissan Juke. It is quite cramped on the inside, though, with a small boot and very dark rear seats thanks to those shallow side windows.
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If you can tell the latest Mercedes GLC apart from the old one, then you either have exceptional eyesight or you work for Mercedes. In spite of the sameness on top, underneath this GLC shares all of its bits with the current C-Class saloon and estate, and so it gets both the impressive cabin from that car, and the long-range plug-in hybrid option. Impressive cabin? Well, yes in the sense that it looks smart and the big touchscreen infotainment system is good to use, but not so much in the sense that some of the cabin looks and feels too cheap for a car that costs as much as this. You also lose a whole hunk of boot space to the battery (the regular diesel model gets 600 litres, this one has only 400 litres) but on the upside, you get an unbeatable electric-only range — 80 miles if you’re being gentle, with a maximum EV speed of up to 87mph.
The Ford Kuga is one of the more handsome SUVs you can buy, and one of the better to drive, too. It inherits some of the sweet steering and suspension balance form the Focus hatchback. In the cabin, there’s a glossy new touchscreen, which is more feature-packed than the old one, and while the dashboard looks a little cheap, it’s all very well bolted together. Roomy, too. You can choose between a conventional hybrid and a plug-in hybrid, which has a claimed electric range of up to 42 miles.
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