The SUV has proved itself to be the car for the 21stcentury motorist, vanquishing the popularity of traditional MPVs and saloons. It doesn’t matter if it can’t actually go off-road; so long as it looks remotely rugged and has a high driving position, it’s going to sell.
However, these cars have often been referred to as gas guzzlers for a reason, and the ever-stricter emissions regulations can make continuing to produce these vehicles a tricky task. As such, manufacturers are increasingly turning to combining electric motors with petrol and diesel engines to improve fuel economy.
With vastly improved fuel economy and impressive performance, these are the hybrid SUVs you should consider.
Volvo XC90 T8 Twin Engine
The T8 badge denotes the flagship variant of a Volvo model. In years past, it would also point to a V8 engine under the bonnet, but this is no longer the case.
Today, the T8 is a ‘Twin Engine’ car, with a 2.0-litre paired to plug-in hybrid electric motors. It can go from 0 to 60mph in under six seconds, and Volvo claims it can achieve 83.1mpg.
Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV
Mitsubishi’s Outlander PHEV has been the most popular hybrid SUV of all over the past few years, and that’s understandable, as it not only looks the part and performs well, but it also represents good value compared with other plug-in hybrids.
Its claimed fuel economy is seriously impressive too, at 139.7mpg. Of course, this economy can only be found in the real world if you’re going to regularly take in journeys above the electric motor’s 35-mile pure electric range.
Range Rover P400e PHEV
This is one of the more luxurious choices on the list.
With an already-impressive 296bhp four-cylinder turbo engine paired with an electric motor for the best part of 400bhp, the P400e certainly has the performance for any given job, and a claimed 85.1mpg is also promising.
It accelerates from 0-60mph in just 6.4 seconds, which is a lot of speed for a lot of metal.
Toyota RAV4
Toyota has long been a pioneer of hybrid cars, courtesy of models such as the Prius. As such, it’s little surprise that it is among the first to convert one of its mainstream models into a pure hybrid.
The RAV4 is now only available in the UK with an electric motor and a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine, which produce upwards of 220bhp as a combined unit.
It claims 62.8mpg, and real world testing in the motoring press has actually proved that figure to be exceptionally close to the car’s true economy.
Lexus RX 450h
With claimed fuel economy of just 37.1mpg, the RX 450h is fairly thirsty compared to some on this list, though this claimed figure is arguably one of the more realistic you will find on the market.
It features a 3.5-litre V6 with almost 310bhp on-tap, and is a solid, kinder-to-budget alternative to some of the more luxurious cars on this list.
Porsche Cayenne e-Hybrid
Perhaps the most dynamic SUV on the market, from a brand that has long been pushing the electric agenda; it’s fair to say that the hybrid Cayenne was anything but a surprise.
Based on the entry level 335bhp 3.0-litre V6, the addition of electrification means over 450bhp in total and a claimed economy figure of 83.2mpg.
In the Cayenne range, the hybrid is only out-gunned by the ballistic 542bhp Turbo.
Mini Countryman S E ALL4
Even the more compact end of the SUV scale is becoming more and more hybrid friendly.
Mini’s hybrid Countryman is among the most impressive of them, with surprising off-road ability for a car bearing the badge famed for small superminis.
The car offers 220bhp, and claims 134mpg of fuel economy, though this is of course unlikely in most real-world driving scenarios.
Bentley Bentayga Hybrid
When it comes to luxury, few can beat Bentley, and it’s clear that the British marque is going to be gunning for the Range Rover PHEV’s ‘most luxurious hybrid SUV’ crown with this car.
The upcoming hybrid version of the Bentayga will feature a petrol V6 engine paired with electric motors, and given Bentley’s ties to brands such as Porsche and Audi through Volkswagen Group, we can expect this model to feel proven right out of the box.