Best Hybrid All Wheel Drive Cars – Hybrid was an automotive word that described a slow-moving, spaceship-shaped, expensive object. Today, hybrid versions of some SUVs now offer the most horsepower, the best acceleration, all while keeping the most miles between you and the gas pump. Thanks to high-capacity batteries and more efficient software to communicate between the electric motor and the internal combustion engine, hybrid models are now the coolest kids. Well, almost as cool as a plug-in hybrid or electric car.
None of the SUVs and crossovers on this list need to be charged, so there’s no need to pull out a 50A extension cord to keep them running. Just use them like you would any other SUV and they’ll give you solid mileage while transporting your family in comfort and safety. This list does not include vehicles with 48-volt mild hybrid systems. These systems, such as the eTorque technology available on the Jeep Wrangler, do not add additional peak or electric range with the engine off and are primarily used to quickly stop and start the engine to save fuel and recover braking energy.
Best Hybrid All Wheel Drive Cars
With compact crossovers replacing sedans as the heart of the American car market, no manufacturer can afford to be left behind. So of course Ford builds the Escape Hybrid and has for decades. Combining a 2.5-liter Atkinson cycle engine and an 88-kilowatt electric motor, Ford’s hybrid system has proven itself over time. Although the Escape Hybrid has a smaller fuel tank than non-hybrid models, the front-wheel-drive Escape Hybrid has an EPA-estimated range of 582 miles between fill-ups, the most of any Escape. All-wheel drive is also available.
Toyota Rav4 Xse Hybrid Awd First Drive: Come For Awd, Stay For Comfort
Ford has added a hybrid model to its recently updated Explorer, the first for a three-row SUV. This new hybrid SUV combines a 3.3-liter V-6 electric motor with a combined 318 horsepower. Not that sharp. The setup also helps the Explorer maintain its 5,000-pound towing rating. The tradeoff is mileage that’s not much better than most gas-powered SUVs the Explorer’s size—the EPA rates it at 27 mpg when equipped with rear-wheel drive. That number drops to 25 mpg with all-wheel drive. The Explorer handles well, but the hybrid drivetrain needs improvement. The transitions between the electric motor and the gas engine are sharp, and the spongy brake pedal only adds to the unnatural feel. Nevertheless, it has the environmental merit of its name, and it will impress some of your neighbors. Probably.
Living with the Honda CR-V Hybrid is easy. We know, having just completed a 40,000-mile long-term test with one. The hybrid powertrain combines a 2.0-liter inline-four with two electric motors that together produce 212 horsepower. That’s 22 horsepower more than the standard 1.5-liter turbocharged inline-four that now powers all non-hybrid CR-Vs. All-wheel drive is also standard in hybrids, as the rear wheels are powered by an electric motor when forward slip is felt. Fuel consumption, not surprisingly, is very good. The EPA rates the CR-V Hybrid at 40 mpg city, 35 mpg highway and 38 mpg combined. In our own 75 mph highway fuel economy test, our CR-V Hybrid managed just 29 mpg, but managed a range of 400 miles on a single tank.
Think of the Kia Sorento as a four-cylinder version of the Telluride with hybrid and plug-in hybrid options. At the heart of the hybrid system is a 177-horsepower 1.6-liter turbocharged engine mated to a 59-horsepower electric motor for a total of 227 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, sent to the front wheels via a six-speed transmission. Automatic gearbox. . . The EPA gave it 37 mpg combined and 36 mpg highway ratings, but in our own highway testing, the Sorento Hybrid fell short at 31 mpg.
Hyundai upped its hybrid game this year, adding hybrid power to the midsize Santa Fe. Under the hood is a 1.6-liter turbocharged engine with 178 horsepower and 59 horsepower. A six-speed automatic is the only transmission for the hybrid. Transitions between electric and gas lines are smooth, and the Santa Fe’s cabin is pleasantly quiet. In our own testing, we beat the EPA-estimated 30 mpg highway rating by 1 mpg, but more impressive is the hybrid model’s 540 miles of highway range on a single tank.
Honda Cr V Hybrid Review: Simply Really Good (but Electrified)
The Hyundai Tucson is smaller than the Santa Fe, but its compact size doesn’t stop it. The Tucson comes standard with all-wheel drive and gets an EPA-estimated 37 mpg city and 36 mpg highway. That beats the regular 2.5-liter gas-powered Tucson by 13 and 7 mpg, respectively. Zero to 60 mph is improved by 1.7 seconds over the base Tucson’s all-wheel drive.
Not to be confused with the Kia Niro Plug-in Hybrid or Kia Niro EV, the hybrid Kia Niro uses a 1.6-liter inline-four and an electric motor for a combined output of 139 horsepower. There’s no “gas-only” model to differentiate it from rivals like the Mazda CX-30, Volkswagen Taos, and Subaru Crosstrek. This is the most affordable hybrid on this list. For just under $26,000, the Niro gets an EPA-estimated 49 mpg combined fuel economy rating, the best of any hybrid on sale today.
Finally, the updated Lexus NX is here. Entering an all-new generation with sharper looks, LED lighting and a bigger cargo space, the NX looks like a grown-up in the subcompact luxury SUV segment. The 350h uses two electric motors and a 2.5-liter inline-four that produces 239 horsepower. The plug-in hybrid 450h+ is the faster of the two with 302 horsepower from its plug-in hybrid drivetrain. Both come standard with all-wheel drive, but the NX350h’s $14,600 starting price is cheaper.
The Lexus RX pioneered the luxury crossover class when it was introduced for the 1999 model year. It was also one of the first luxury hybrid cars. And it is still one of the most popular. Two electric motors in the 3.5-liter V-6 hybrid, with a total of 308 horsepower, but this is not a performance SUV. The Lexus RX is designed to cover the miles with minimal trouble and return a solid mileage of 450 hours of driving. The 450h is rated by the EPA to deliver 30 mpg combined, while the three-row 450hL is rated at 29 mpg.
The New Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid
This is one of those hybrid crossovers where the hybrid part is a much bigger part of the equation than the crossover aspect. The Lexus UX250h is a subcompact with minimal rear seat space and a small cargo area. But it’s EPA-rated at 42 mpg combined, making it the most fuel-efficient hybrid SUV on the list. But most UX hybrid models have a slightly lower rating of 39 mpg. The UX comes with a full range of active safety features as standard, which is rare in this price range. The Lexus UX also handles well with quick steering and well-tuned suspension.
The Toyota Highlander Hybrid uses Toyota’s proven hybrid powertrain, combining a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with two electric motors. It’s a big step up from the previous unit, which barely managed to beat the standard model. Official EPA numbers have the two-wheel-drive Highlander Hybrid rated at 36 mpg city, 35 highway and 36 combined. Equipped with Toyota’s all-terrain 3.5-liter V-6, the standard Highlander manages just 21 mpg city, 29 highway and 24 combined. That means the hybrid gets 50 percent better mileage.
The standard 203-horsepower Toyota RAV4 is a hoot. However, add a hybrid system to make the RAV4 Hybrid and total output rises to 219 horsepower with much better low-end torque. This improves the zero to 60 km/h time by 0.7 seconds to a respectable 7.4 seconds. Unlike the Ford Escape, the RAV4 Hybrid comes standard with all-wheel drive. Add in its EPA rating of 40 mpg combined, and the RAV4 Hybrid is easily the best model in the lineup. Hybrid SUVs offer a solid combination of performance, fuel economy and practical size that are likely to appeal to a wide range of buyers. The RAV4 was the fourth best-selling vehicle in the United States in 2021, behind the Chevrolet Silverado, Ram 1500 and Ford F-Series.
Remember the Toyota Venza? Well, forget the Venza, the new one is only offered as a hybrid. And a relatively large hybrid with on-demand electronic all-wheel drive, an EPA-estimated 39 mpg combined. The trick is in the proven combination of a 2.5-liter engine and a hybrid engine from Toyota with a capacity of 219 horsepower. It’s a sweet car, even if it’s more expensive and not as efficient as the RAV4 Hybrid, with which it shares a powertrain and platform. Much better than the old Venza.
Volvo Xc60 Review 2023
Yes, he’s still working on the 1986 Nissan 300ZX Turbo project he started in high school, and no, it’s not for sale yet. Austin Irwin was born and raised in Michigan, and despite being bombarded with hockey bombs during a not-so-successful high school and college career, he still has all the teeth. He loves cars from the 80s