Top five hybrid SUVs in Australia

When it comes to electrified vehicles, Australians all seem to have the same concern: our country is genuinely massive, and the all-electric range offered by EVs typically isn’t. This tends to ignore the logical point that most of us don’t drive from Brisbane to Broome very often, but who said humans are logical?

Fortunately, there is another way, and this is where hybrids and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) come swooping in to hold Australian drivers by the hand and allay their fears. Both types of vehicle combine a petrol or diesel-powered internal-combustion engine (ICE) with a battery-powered electric motor (the ICE essentially acting as either a power-booster or even back-up for the electric motor in a PHEV, and the electric motor acting more as a power booster in a standard hybrid).

So what exactly is a PHEV, and what is a hybrid SUV?

The difference between a hybrid and PHEV, in case the name doesn’t give it away, is that the latter needs to plug in to an external power source to recharge its battery, while the former has a battery that self-charges, typically via a process called regenerative breaking (PHEVs have bigger batteries however, which means more all-electric driving range). 

If you’re after a PHEV or hybrid SUV, Australia has plenty on the market, with more on the way (over 70,000 self-charging hybrids were sold in Australia in 2021; 3372 PHEVs were sold during the same period). 

Although the answer to the question “What is the best SUV hybrid?” is up for debate, we’ve attempted to determine the best hybrid SUV and plug-in hybrid SUV in Australia.

Toyota RAV4 Hybrid

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Why it’s here: Adaptability

Australia’s top-selling SUV is a Toyota hybrid SUV, and the RAV4 has earned that title for a reason, with most of those sales made up of hybrid variants. With prices starting from $36,900 plus on-road costs, two-wheel-drive (2WD) and all-wheel-drive (AWD) versions are available, making this reliable mid-size SUV perfect for city-driving or a spot of off-roading. 

MG HS +EV

Why it’s here: Affordability 

Chinese car manufacturer MG not only has Australia’s cheapest EV in the form of the MG ZS EV, but the cheapest PHEV with the MG HS +EV (both are priced from $46,990 plus on-road costs). The MG hybrid SUV offers a sizeable 63km all-electric driving range, thanks to its 16.1kWh lithium-ion battery, meaning you get a lot of bang for your buck.  

Lexus UX250h Luxury

Why it’s here: Comfort

It may be Lexus’s cheapest hybrid (from $52,025 plus on-road costs), but that doesn’t mean it skimps on the brand’s famed comfort and luxury. There’s an all-wheel-drive version available for about $5K more, but the front-wheel-drive base model of this Lexus hybrid SUV offers a decent combined fuel-consumption rating of 4.3L/100km. If you’re after a 7-seater, there’s also the Lexus RX 450h, with prices starting from $95,260 plus on-road costs.

Volvo hybrid SUV: Volvo XC60 Recharge Plug-in Hybrid

Why it’s here: Range

With prices starting at $97,990 plus on-road costs, the Volvo XC60 Recharge Plug-in Hybrid is at the upper end of the scale, cost wise, but there are benefits. The cabin is packed with an array of high-tech features, the fuel-consumption rating is a phenomenal 1.6L/100km and there’s a whopping 81km of all-electric driving range from its 18.8kWh battery. 

Subaru XV Hybrid

Why it’s here: Reliability

Subaru has made a name for itself by delivering reliable cars that pack in a host of features at an affordable price, which makes the XV Hybrid AWD SUV a solid choice for those dipping a toe in the hybrid waters. Priced from $36,790 plus on-road costs, the Subaru hybrid SUV pairs a horizontally-opposed e-Boxer four-cylinder petrol engine with a punchy permanent magnet AC synchronous motor inside the transmission. It's not the most efficient hybrid out there, but it offers everything Subaru buyers a looking for with a little extra fuel efficiency.

Hybrid and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles coming soon 

Fuel efficiency is now the name of the game, and many major manufacturers have significant new hybrid or plug-in hybrid offerings on the way.

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV

The dreaded “supply chain constraints” have delayed the launch of the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV in Australia, although it should hit our shores by mid-2022. Specs and prices are yet to be confirmed for Mitsubishi's hybrid SUV flagship, but expect three model grades (entry-level ES, mid-spec Aspire and flagship Exceed) and prices starting from around $50K plus on-road costs. 

Kia Sportage Hybrid

Kia Australia has stated it’s “working overtime” to bring the Kia Sportage Hybrid to Australia in 2023. Already available in overseas markets, the hybrid comes with a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine paired to a 44kW/264Nm electric motor powered by a 1.42kWh battery pack, for combined outputs of 169kW and 264Nm. Stay tuned for local pricing and spec of this Kia hybrid SUV in the coming months.

Honda hybrid SUVs

Honda is set to detail its new ZR-V SUV in the next 12 to 18 months, which will sit somewhere between existing HR-V and CR-V models. It remains to be seen whether the ZR-V will follow the HR-V's model of offering both non-hybrid and 'self-charging' hybrid powertrain options. It is also known that the next-generation CR-V is also not far off being revealed.

BMW X1 PHEV

Although not yet confirmed for Australia, the third generation of the X1 will offer two PHEV variants in Europe by year’s end - the xDrive25e and xDrive30e, which join the existing lineup of 48-volt mild hybrids in the refreshed X1 range. Both BMW hybrid SUVs offer an impressive 89km of all-electric driving range from a 14.2kWh battery pack.