Hybrid SUV Roundup

Published September 17, 2008

Hybrid SUVs combine the interior space and ride quality of an SUV with fuel-saving capabilities of hybrid cars. Some hybrid SUVs also offer towing capacity and off-road capabilities on par with conventional SUVs. The Ford Escape Hybrid, introduced in 2004, was the first hybrid SUV, as well as the first hybrid made by an American car company. Since then, more hybrids have been introduced as SUVs than any other vehicle segment.

The V8 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid, which achieves the same city fuel economy as a four-cylinder Toyota Camry, can tow up to 6,000 pounds.

Is the Hybrid SUV an Oxymoron?

Some environmentalists have criticized the hybrid SUV as a misapplication of gas-electric technology. It’s true that hybrid SUVs do not reach the level of fuel efficiency of smaller hybrids in terms of miles-per-gallon. Yet, miles-per-gallon is a non-linear and counter-intuitive form of measurement. An apparently small jump in fuel efficiency—for example, from 14 to 16 mpg—saves as much oil as increasing fuel economy from 35 to 50 mpg, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists.

Of course, if you don't require the extra space, towing capacity, or off-road capabilities, then a smaller vehicle with better fuel economy will require less gasoline—and save you money—in the long run.

Best Hybrid SUVs? That Depends on Your Needs.

With more than 10 hybrid SUVs currently on the market—and more in the works— consumers can choose features and pricing best suited to their needs:

Affordability and Maximum Efficiency: Ford Escape Hybrid, Mazda Tribute Hybrid, Mercury Mariner Hybrid, Saturn Vue Green Line
V8 Performance and Towing: Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid, Chrysler Aspen Hybrid, Dodge Durango Hybrid, GMC Yukon Hybrid
Seven-Passenger Seating: Toyota Highlander Hybrid
Luxury: Cadillac Escalade Hybrid, Lexus RX 400h

The List of Hybrid SUVs

In addition to gas-electric hybrid SUVs, our sortable list also include diesels and conventional small SUV alternatives—as well as plug-in hybrid and hydrogen SUVs in the works.

Name	Combined MPG	Technology	MSRP	Available	Description
Ford Escape Hybrid	32 MPG	Hybrid	$29,300	Now	The overall most fuel efficient SUV.
Mercury Mariner Hybrid	32 MPG	Hybrid	$29,800	Now	Slightly upscale version of the Ford Escape Hybrid.
Mazda Tribute Hybrid	32 MPG	Hybrid	n/a	Now	The Mazda Tribute Hybrid is basically a re-skinned Ford Escape Hybrid, using the same powertrain and many of the same interior bits.
Toyota Matrix	29 MPG	Small Car	$16,200	Now	A segment buster: part compact car, part sport wagon, and part small crossover utility.
Pontiac Vibe	29 MPG	Small Car	$17,400	Now	One of the premier “compact crossover” vehicles in the new segment.
Lexus RX 450h	28 MPG		$41,700	Now	Updated version of the luxury SUV with green stripes.
Saturn Vue Hybrid	27 MPG	Stop-Start	$24,200	Now	The Vue Green Line is the low-cost low-benefit hybrid SUV.
Toyota Highlander Hybrid	26 MPG	Hybrid	$33,700	Now	More affordable than the Lexus RX400h, more powerful than Ford's hybrid SUVs, and more efficient than GM's full-size SUV hybrids.
Lexus RX 400h	25 MPG	Hybrid	$42,000	Now	Everything a luxury SUV buyer seeks—in a greener package.
BMW X5 xDrive35d	23 MPG	Diesel	$52,000	Now	High-performance, luxury SUV. Now more efficient as a diesel.
Jeep Grand Cherokee CRD	22 MPG	Diesel	$34,400	Now	Following the success of the diesel version of the Jeep Liberty in 2005, Jeep now offers their newest diesel powertrain mated to the Grand Cherokee.
Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid	21 MPG	Hybrid	$50,500	Now	A new breed of full-size SUV that is significantly greener than its gas-powered counterparts
Mercedes ML 320 Bluetec	21 MPG	Diesel	$48,600	Now	The most popular Mercedes SUV, available in fuel-efficient clean diesel version.
GMC Yukon Hybrid	21 MPG		$50,500	Now	The sister vehicle of the Chevy Tahoe Hybrid. Same gas-saving improvements to the XXL platform.
Mercedes R320 Bluetec	21 MPG	Diesel	$49,100	Now	A big and heavy luxury station wagon with a clean diesel engine.
Cadillac Escalade Hybrid	20 MPG	Hybrid	$70,000	Now	The first eight-passenger luxury SUV hybrid. An odd mix of self-indulgence and green.
Mercedes GL320 Bluetec	20 MPG	Diesel	$59,200	Now	The biggest, bluntest, and heaviest clean diesel SUV from Mercedes-Benz.
Chrysler Aspen Hybrid	19 MPG	Hybrid	$44,700	Now	A hulking 5.7-liter V8 Hemi hybrid.
Dodge Durango Hybrid	19 MPG	Hybrid	$44,500	Now	It's a hemi hybrid. Lots of power and towing capacity. And the gas mileage doesn't completely suck.
Mercedes ML 450 Hybrid	22 MPG	Hybrid		2009	The Mercedes-Benz version of the Two-Mode system combines a 275-horsepower, 3.5-liter V6 gasoline engine and two electric motors.
Saturn Vue Green Line Two-Mode	30 MPG	Hybrid	$33,000	2010	The Two-Mode Hybrid version of the Saturn Vue is a solid high-efficiency V6 SUV.
BMW X6 Hybrid	n/a	Hybrid	n/a	2010	An SUV that has crossed over into sports car territory.
Porsche Cayenne S Hybrid	n/a	Hybrid	n/a	2010	The Porsche Cayenne Hybrid achieves better than 24 miles per gallon compared with less than 18 mpg for the conventional model.
Saturn Vue Plug-in	n/a	Plug-in Hybrid	n/a	2011	The leading contender for the first commercial plug-in hybrid—in the form of a small SUV.
Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid	n/a	Hybrid		2011	Combines a direct injection engine and hybrid gas-electric system for maximum benefit.
Chevrolet Equinox Fuel Cell	43 MPG	Hydrogen	n/a	Concept	A fleet of 100 Chevy Equinoxes running on hydrogen have been tested by more than 3,000 thousand real-world drivers.
Audi Q7 Hybrid	n/a	Hybrid	n/a	Concept	Refined and opulent, and now the hybrid version offers slightly better fuel efficiency.
Cadillac Provoq	n/a	Hydrogen	n/a	Concept	Over-the-top plug-in hydrogen-electric fuel-cell luxury hybrid concept SUV.
Volkswagen Touareg TDI	17 MPG	Diesel	$68,000	Discntd.	The Touareg TDI is defined by its powerplant, a mammoth 5-liter V10 turbo diesel engine that is engineered to cleanly burn today’s ultra-low sulfur fuel.