Between their roomy interiors, off-road potential, commanding view of the road, and cargo versatility, SUVs have a lot going in terms of all-around versatility. Though, some of this comes at a cost—SUVs and crossovers almost universally get worse fuel economy than comparably equipped sedans. Cutting out gasoline altogether and transitioning to electric vehicles (EVs) would remedy that, but not everyone’s ready to take that plunge. Luckily, there are some great hybrid SUVs in the new-car market that reach an excellent middle ground.
There are several different types of hybrid cars these days, but the most familiar are known as "parallel" hybrids. The Toyota Prius uses this sort of traditional hybrid system, in which the electric motors and the gas engine are connected to the wheels. Mild hybrids feature electric powertrain assistance but can’t do more than glide in electric mode. Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) split the difference between regular hybrids and EVs; they use battery packs that can charge like an EV and provide meaningful electric range (but usually less than 30 miles). For simplicity’s sake, we’ve focused only on traditional hybrid SUVs here instead of plug-in hybrid SUVs.
These aren’t a big group, and almost all are unibody crossovers rather than rugged body-on-frame machines. We’ve left off hybrid versions of the BMW X5, Mercedes GLC, Porsche Panamera, and Volvo XC90, as we’ll save them for another guide. The same goes for electric SUVs like the Tesla Model Y, Lexus RZ, and Volvo EX90. Let’s take an in-depth look at the options below, all with solid rankings, from compact models to big comfortable brutes.
The Best Hybrid SUVs of 2025
- Ford Escape Hybrid
- Honda CR-V Hybrid
- Hyundai Tucson Hybrid
- Kia Niro
- Kia Sorento Hybrid
- Kia Sportage Hybrid
- Lexus RX Hybrid
- Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid
- Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid
- Toyota RAV4 Hybrid
Ford Escape Hybrid
Over the past couple of years, Dearborn’s designers gave the ol’ standby Escape sharper edges and a healthy addition of in-car technology. The optional hybrid powerplant, a 2.5-liter four-cylinder mated to a 94-kW electric motor for 192 horsepower, is a far more satisfying drivetrain than the three-cylinder base model. It isn’t quite as quick as the optional 250-hp 2.0-liter turbo, but it delivers 42 mpg around town and 36 on the highway.
In the city, that’s 16 to 19 mpg more than the non-hybrid Escapes and roughly matches the fuel economy of the Toyota RAV4 or Honda CR-V hybrids. The Escape Hybrid is also an engaging driver, with responsive handling and more personality than the those rivals. Like them, the Escape Hybrid comes in front-wheel drive (FWD) and all-wheel drive (AWD) configurations. Ford also offers a PHEV Escape, but it's priced near $40,000.
The Escape is roomy inside, with a rear-seat specifications on par with others in the segment. There are plenty of nice safety features and in-car tech, but some of the nicest gear costs extra.
Honda CR-V Hybrid
Honda completely redesigned CR-V Hybrid back in the 2023 model year, and the newest version delivers more distinctive styling and slightly better fuel economy. Affordable, quiet, smooth and roomy, the CR-V Hybrid has a great deal to offer and is a known quantity for many shoppers. Good news for enthusiasts: It’s surprisingly fun to drive, too.
Available on the Sport, Sport-L, and Sport Touring trims, the hybrid powertrain consists of a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine mated to a pair of electric motors driving the wheels through a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). The combined 204 hp that you'll get from an Escape Hybrid, but the CR-V is a more subdued machine to drive. It’s not slow, but it isn’t as peppy as some other Honda products. According to the EPA, it will return 43 mpg in the city and 36 on the highway in FWD form, or 40 and 34 mpg, respectively, with AWD. Those are significant gains compared to the gas-powered 2025 CR-V.
At 41.3 inches, the Honda CR-V Hybrid rear legroom matches the Hyundai Tucson Hybrid and Kia Sportage Hybrid, and beats the Escape Hybrid. and a bigger cargo hold with 36.3 cubic feet behind the rear seats. Honda also provides greater cargo space and more active-safety gear than Ford.
Hyundai Tucson Hybrid
Redesigned a few years ago with attractive and very distinctive styling, the Hyundai Tucson is one of the best compact crossovers on the market. It has class-leading rear legroom, lots of features, and a big cargo hold—even though it’s dimensionally much smaller than the larger Hyundai Santa Fe. It also offers regular, hybrid and PHEV powertrains. If there’s a flaw here, it’s that the Tucson Hybrid isn’t quite as efficient as its rivals from Ford, Honda, and Toyota. Like its competitors, Hyundai’s hybrid is a little more powerful than its entry-level gas-only models, and more fun to drive as a consequence.
The Tucson Hybrid’s turbocharged 1.6-liter engine mates with an electric motor for a combined output of 231 hp. A six-speed automatic transmission and AWD are standard. It maxes out at 38 mpg (city and highway) in the Blue trim, and 35 mpg on the other hybrid models. Hyundai's use of a traditional automatic gearbox delivers punchier performance, particularly when you need to accelerate on the highway.
Hyundai does offer a Tucson PHEV, but it's base price is about $6,000 more and positions the regular hybrid as a better deal. The Korean automaker bundles in lots of active-safety features and plenty of in-car technology, and a few nice extras like a blind-spot live view in the dashboard when turning or merging. It’s also got lots of style. Tucson shoppers might also dig the fact that Hyundai tends to offer a more extensive warranty on its cars than other brands.
Kia Niro
If maximum mileage in a crossover is what you’re after, look no further than the 2025 Kia Niro. Closer to a tall hatchback than a proper SUV, the Niro promises an astounding EPA-estimated 53 mpg in the city and 54 mpg on the highway, making it one of the most efficient crossovers on the market.
Excellent fuel economy has always been the Niro’s calling card, but a recent redesign went a long way toward making it genuinely desirable. Sleek styling has made this formerly drab vehicle look cool, and its infotainment system is packed with tech features and easy-to-use screens. The FWD Niro still isn’t a performance machine, however, with a standard 139-hp powertrain consisting of a 1.6-liter four-cylinder gas engine, electric motor. The optional PHEV Niro gets 180 hp, but the standard version is quick enough for most drivers.
Inside, the Niro has nearly as much room as larger compact SUVS like the Tucson, and a surprisingly spacious cargo hold. It’s comfy, practical and well-equipped, and at 53 mpg around town, it’s hard not to like. For those who want even more efficiency, Kia also offers a fully-electric Niro.
Kia Sorento Hybrid
The Kia Sorento is a roomy, tech-rich SUV, with the Sorento Hybrid adding great fuel economy into the equation. Unfortunately, the off-road capable X-Pro SX Prestige trim doesn’t come as a hybrid, but there’s still a whole lot to like here.
To start, the 2025 Kia Sorento Hybrid is powered by a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine and an electric motor. Combined output is 227 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. FWD and a six-speed automatic transmission are standard, and like many of the choices listed here, you can also get AWD. An available Sorento PHEV is a very slow machine in electric mode and hard to recommend over the regular hybrid.
The Sorento Hybrid feels lively and eager, and it delivers good acceleration at highway and city speeds. The addition of a “real” six-speed automatic transmission instead of a CVT is a benefit here, as it adds to the engagement and driving excitement. The transmission doesn’t ruin fuel economy, either. According to the EPA, the FWD Sorento Hybrid returns up to 36 mpg, while AWD drops that to 34 mpg.
Kia Sportage Hybrid
A different take on the same basic platform and hardware as the Hyundai Tucson, the Kia Sportage Hybrid is just as roomy and kid-friendly. It’s also got a slightly sportier personality, though like the Sorento, the more off-road-capable X-Pro model isn’t available with the hybrid powertrain. Power comes from a turbocharged 1.6-liter engine mated with an electric motor and a six-speed automatic transmission.
The Sportage Hybrid defaults to FWD and but AWD is available for an extra $1,800. The FWD Sportage Hybrid returns 42 mpg city and 44 highway, numbers that make it a more serious rival for Toyota and Honda’s hybrids than the Tucson. The AWD Sportage is EPA-rated for 38 mpg in the city and on the highway.
On the outside, the Sportage is just as distinctive as the Tucson, but its cabin is a little nicer. The one-piece digital display integrates two screens, including a 12.3-inch infotainment display running Kia’s easy-to-learn UVO system. Kia also offers a PHEV Sportage, but its base price is about $11,000 higher.
Lexus RX Hybrid
First introduced in 1998, the Lexus RX was one of the first luxury crossovers and renowned for its build quality. Not only that, it was one of the first SUVs to offer a hybrid powertrain, which arrived in 2005. It’s been the luxury brand’s best-selling model ever since, and for almost two decades it was America’s best-selling luxury SUV of any kind.
The RX 350h gets a 246-hp hybrid powertrain based on a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine paired with a CVT and standard AWD. The 366-hp RX 500h uses a turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine, a six-speed automatic transmssion, and Lexus’ performance-oriented Direct4 AWD system. A plug-in hybrid model, dubbed RX 450h+, which puts out an impressive 304 hp.
The RX 350h is a serious fuel-sipper by midsize luxury SUV standards, returning 37 mpg city and 34 mpg highway, far better than rivals like the Jeep Grand Cherokee or Genesis GV80. The RX 500h doesn't do as well, at 27 mpg city and 28 highway, but it also offers much more responsive performance than any previous RX. Comfy and quiet, the Lexus excels as an easy-to-live-with cruiser, but it still has less cargo space than comparable SUVs.
Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid
Although it costs a little more than the regular version, if you’re going to buy a Toyota Corolla Cross, the hybrid is the one to have. Introduced back in the 2023 model year, the Corolla Cross Hybrid mates the regular version’s 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with a trio of electric motors, providing standard AWD and 196 hp, a 27-hp bump over the non-hybrid. It also returns 45 mpg city and 38 mpg highway, 16 and 7 mpg better than the standard AWD Corolla Cross, respectively. In the long run, those fuel savings will eat up the former's $4,000 base-price premium.
Better still, the Corolla Cross Hybrid is quiet and surprisingly fun to drive. The engine gets a tad loud on the highway when you push it hard, but it’s much less gruff than the standard version, which feels unrefined and cheap. The Corolla Cross Hybrid also comes with lots of standard safety features and feels very well built, though it does have some drawbacks.
Like the regular version, the back seat is absurdly small for an SUV of this size, and nowhere near as comfy as the Kia Niro’s. Nor is cargo room all that great, and although it feels well made, the interior feels very basic compared to the Korean automakers’ efforts. Still, it’s affordable, durable, hassle-free to use, and well-equipped, and that’s all many buyers want.
Toyota Grand Highlander Hybrid
The familiar Toyota Highlander Hybrid is one of the most popular and fuel-efficient midsize SUVs on the market. The Grand Highlander is all of that in a larger package. It sits on the same basic platform but has a properly sized third row and more chiseled, handsome styling. The Grand Highlander also offers a choice of hybrid powertrains including a 362-hp Hybrid Max powertrain, similar to the one in the Lexus RX 500h.
The standard hybrid uses a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine mated to an electric motor for 245 hp, while the Max gets a turbocharged 2.4-liter four and a beefier electric motor capable of delivering much more potent performance. Although their fuel mileage isn’t quite as impressive as the regular Highlander Hybrid, they still do really well compared to most three-row SUVs. The standard Grand Highlander Hybrid returns up to 37 mpg city and 34 mpg highway, while the Max averages 26 mpg and 27 mpg, respectively.
Compared to its smaller brother, the Grand Highlander Hybrid features more passenger and cargo spac with little tradeoff in performance or economy. Plus, Toyota offers this larger version in LE trim, which undercuts the Highlander Hybrid's base XLE variant by $2,000.
Toyota RAV4 Hybrid
Toyota has been slow to adopt EVs and move toward full electrification, instead focusing on hybrid and fuel-cell technologies. The result is a group of hybrid vehicles that offer power and smooth operation on top of exceptional fuel economy. The RAV4 Hybrid is a great example of that, delivering up to 41 mpg in the city while providing good power and acceleration. It’s an all-around better choice than the discontinued Toyota Venza.
The RAV4 Hybrid is powered by a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and two electric motors that collectively produce 219 hp. With standard AWD, this crossover makes a wonderful all-weather companion, and its generous cargo space adds to its versatility. Ride and handling characteristics are on point, though it’s clear Toyota prioritized comfort over performance.
An avaialable RAV4 Plug-in Hybrid is more efficient and powerful than the standard RAV4 Hybrid, but it's also more expensive.
