The Best MPG Plug-In Hybrid SUVs of 2025

1

Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid

• Base Price: $34,490
• Maximum EPA Combined MPG: 48

The Niro PHEV is particularly notable for its fuel economy, which is easily the best among plug-in-hybrid SUVs, but its electric range ain't too shabby either. If you like the idea of a pint-sized runabout that can nurse the same tank of gas for months, Kia's smallest PHEV might be just the ticket.

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2

Ford Escape Plug-In Hybrid

• Base Price: $38,400
• Maximum EPA Combined MPG: 40

The Escape PHEV accelerates more slowly than most rival plug-in-hybrid SUVs. We can't argue with either its fuel economy or its electric range, though, and its cabin checks all the versatility boxes. You might be able to get a good deal on one, as this Ford is largely flying under the radar these days.

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3

Toyota RAV4 Plug-In Hybrid

• Base Price: $43,865
• Maximum EPA Combined MPG: 38

The RAV4 Plug-In Hybrid (formerly known as the RAV4 Prime) is basically the blueprint for what a compact PHEV SUV should be. It's quicker than the regular RAV4 Hybrid, it gives you a meaningful amount of all-electric range, and it's quite fuel-efficient, too.

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4

Lexus NX Plug-In Hybrid

• Base Price: $61,240
• Maximum EPA Combined MPG: 36

Wish the RAV4 Plug-In Hybrid were quieter and fancier inside? That's where the Lexus NX 450h+ comes in. It uses the same powertrain as its Toyota sibling, but Lexus lathers on plenty of luxury for the extra coin. You get a lot more cargo capacity in the Toyota, though.

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5

Hyundai Tucson Plug-In Hybrid

• Base Price: $39,380
• Maximum EPA Combined MPG: 35

The Tucson PHEV gives you head-turning style on the outside and Hyundai's sharp widescreen infotainment module inside, plus a generous helping of horsepower and a conventional automatic transmission (i.e., not a CVT). Throw in competitive range and fuel economy, and you've got a compelling package at a decent price.

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5

Kia Sportage Plug-In Hybrid

• Base Price: $39,690
• Maximum EPA Combined MPG: 35

Like the very similar Hyundai Tucson PHEV, the Sportage PHEV offers an impressive blend of fuel economy, range, power, cabin technology and value. It's one of the best plug-in hybrids for the money.

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5

Lexus RX Plug-In Hybrid

• Base Price: $71,260
• Maximum EPA Combined MPG: 35

The midsize RX 450h+ uses the same PHEV powertrain as the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid and the compact NX 450h+, so don't expect quite as much swiftness in this burlier package. The RX feels more substantial on the road, however, and its generous electric range and fuel economy might make it seem worth the rather high price tag.

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8

Kia Sorento Plug-In Hybrid

• Base Price: $47,990
• Maximum EPA Combined MPG: 33

The Sorento has finally found a way to one-up its corporate cousin, the formidable Hyundai Santa Fe. How? By offering a plug-in-hybrid powertrain, which is not available in the Hyundai. As Sorentos go, we think the conventional Sorento Hybrid is a much better value, but the Sorento PHEV does add a useful amount of electric-only range.

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8

Lincoln Corsair Plug-In Hybrid

• Base Price: $54,365
• Maximum EPA Combined MPG: 33

The plug-in-hybrid Corsair makes meaningfully more power than the Ford Escape PHEV on which it's based, but acceleration is still a weakness relative to other luxury PHEVs. Look past that and you'll find much to like about this Lincoln, but it needs a few more horses to win the race.

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10

Alfa Romeo Tonale Plug-In Hybrid

• Base Price: $45,995
• Maximum EPA Combined MPG: 29

The Tonale PHEV provides a useful 33 miles of electric range, but it's an uneven effort otherwise. Its ample power is unfortunately delivered in a nonlinear fashion, and the ride can be uncomfortably stiff. It's decidedly snug inside, too, for both people and cargo.

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10

Dodge Hornet R/T (Plug-In Hybrid)

• Base Price: $41,645
• Maximum EPA Combined MPG: 29

Based on the Alfa Romeo Tonale, the Hornet R/T is a subcompact plug-in-hybrid SUV that unfortunately punches below its weight. It doesn't feel as quick as the output numbers suggest, and unless you don't care about backseat and cargo space, you might find its versatility lacking.

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10

Lexus TX Plug-In Hybrid

• Base Price: $77,210
• Maximum EPA Combined MPG: 29

There's a lot going on with the TX 550h+, starting with the V6-based PHEV powertrain, which cranks out a formidable 404 horsepower. On top of that, you get ample electric driving range and nearly 30 mpg combined. The TX PHEV's price tag is lofty, but so is its skill set.

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13

Volvo XC60 Plug-In Hybrid

• Base Price: $58,050
• Maximum EPA Combined MPG: 28

Volvo's "T8" PHEV powertrain has been with us for many years, but why mess with a good thing? Stuffed into the compact XC60, it delivers serious acceleration along with competitive MPG and electric range.

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14

Volvo XC90 Plug-In Hybrid

• Base Price: $73,000
• Maximum EPA Combined MPG: 27

Although the XC90's beefy dimensions make the PHEV powertrain a bit less sprightly than it is in the XC60, there's still plenty of power here to put a smile on your face. In fact, we consider the XC90 PHEV to be the only truly competitive XC90 variant, as the lesser models simply don't have the oomph or efficiency to trouble rival SUVs.

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15

Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-In Hybrid

• Base Price: $40,445
• Maximum EPA Combined MPG: 26

Give the Outlander PHEV a chance — you might be pleasantly surprised. It has a lot of electric range, especially for the money, and its standard three-row seating layout is a nice bonus for families with small kids.

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16

Mazda CX-70 Plug-In Hybrid

• Base Price: $54,400
• Maximum EPA Combined MPG: 25

The CX-70 seems more comfortable in its own skin with the standard turbocharged inline-6 engine. Swapping in the PHEV powertrain means you drop down to four cylinders, and while the power output is muscular, the fuel economy doesn't improve relative to that inline-6. We'd say the PHEV is a questionable value given that Mazda starts its pricing nearly $15k higher.

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16

Mazda CX-90 Plug-In Hybrid

• Base Price: $49,945
• Maximum EPA Combined MPG: 25

The CX-90 PHEV is easily our pick of the plug-in Mazda twins, because the CX-70 is literally the same vehicle without the third-row seat. If you're going to buy an SUV that's almost full-size in length, you might as well have that third row in case you ever need it, right? But as with the CX-70, we're not convinced that the CX-90 PHEV is a good value. We'd be inclined to stick with the non-hybrid turbocharged inline-6 under the hood.

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16

Mercedes-Benz GLC Plug-In Hybrid

• Base Price: $59,900
• Maximum EPA Combined MPG: 25

The GLC 350e PHEV won't blow you away with its fuel economy, but just wait till you get a load of the electric range. If you're looking for a plug-in hybrid that can truly serve as an EV, this Benz deserves a close look. Its acceleration isn't too shabby, either.

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19

Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe (Plug-In Hybrid)

• Base Price: $60,490
• Maximum EPA Combined MPG: 23

Don't look here for great fuel economy or ample electric driving range — two things that PHEV buyers tend to value highly — but keep reading if you like the idea of a truly off-road-capable midsize SUV with swift acceleration and a capacious cabin. If you put the JGC 4xe in its proper context as a luxury PHEV SUV, you might find it to be an intriguing alternative to the status quo.

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19

Mercedes-Benz GLE Plug-In Hybrid

• Base Price: $71,350
• Maximum EPA Combined MPG: 23

There's a vanguard of new PHEVs with mega electric range, and the GLE 450e is a member of that club. With around 50 miles of EV driving before the gas engine needs to wake up, this burly Benz could function as a purely electric SUV around town for months on end.

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21

BMW X5 Plug-In Hybrid

• Base Price: $73,100
• Maximum EPA Combined MPG: 22

The X5 PHEV is one of the best plug-in hybrids in the world, period. You'll be hard-pressed to find a more robust blend of EV range, hybrid horsepower and combined fuel economy, and the X5 was already one of our favorite SUVs.

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22

Jeep Wrangler 4xe (Plug-In Hybrid)

• Base Price: $50,695
• Maximum EPA Combined MPG: 20

We prefer this particular PHEV powertrain in the Grand Cherokee 4xe, but the Wrangler 4xe does offer enough EV range to be a useful grocery-getter on electrons alone. Still, it's among the least impressive plug-in-hybrid SUVs in terms of efficiency.

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23

BMW XM

• Base Price: $159,000
• Maximum EPA Combined MPG: 14

The profoundly expensive XM continues to make no sense whatsoever, a fact highlighted by its abysmal 14-mpg combined fuel economy rating. You do get about 30 miles of electric range, so at least there's that. In any case, there's no question that the XM's twin-turbo V8 is one of the best gasoline engines in the business.

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Next Steps

Why are the final vehicles on this list rather inefficient? Couple of reasons. First, the EPA has fallen behind on its fuel economy estimates for PHEVs, especially German ones, so we simply don't have official MPG data for a number of today's plug-in hybrids. You can see for yourself — just look at all the "N/A" MPG entries in our Longest Range PHEV rankings. But more than that, there just aren't that many plug-in-hybrid SUVs on the market right now, despite all the PHEV headlines we see. That looks set to change in the years to come, especially with the advent of extended-range electric vehicles (EREVs), which will feature much larger battery packs and run on electric power all of the time, using the gasoline motor to feed a generator that keeps the electric powertrain humming. That's how the Chevrolet Volt worked, if you remember it, and a comeback for this technology is definitely in the offing. But in the meantime, there are a whole lot of intriguing PHEV SUVs on this list right now that seem worthy of test-drives to us. Pick a few and get to it! Or check out the most fuel-efficient hybrid SUVs if conventional (non-plug-in) hybrids are more your speed.

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