The Best Premium SUVs with an ECO or ZERO Label

Although the situation may change legally in the coming months, these are the best premium SUVs with an ECO or ZERO label

The hybridisation of engines has led to an improvement in fuel efficiency. In some cases the reduction is more than significant, while in others it is little more than an almost imperceptible boost.

In any case, the legislation allows a particular label to be assigned depending on whether certain requirements are met or not. Electric or hybrid cars, as well as others powered by gas, can display the ZERO or ECO label and, among these, SUVs are the most sought-after segment.

That is why we present a selection of the best SUVs with a ZERO or ECO label. Cars that, whether electric or hybrid, can display on the windscreen a badge that opens many doors.

Volvo XC90 B5

The Volvo XC90 B5 is a luxurious hybrid SUV since, as always, the Swedish brand spares no detail, either in its mechanics or its interiors. That is why, whenever you consider buying a premium SUV with a DGT ECO label, you must take into account the crossovers from Volvo.

In this case we are dealing with a hybrid car with a main diesel engine combined with an electric system. A powertrain linked to all-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic gearbox. As a result, the homologated consumption for this SUV is 6 litres of diesel per 100 km driven and CO2 emissions of 158 g per km.

The starting price of the cheapest Volvo XC90 B5 is for the Momentum trim at 68,650 euros, while the most expensive is the Inscription trim at 77,195 €.

Lexus RX 450h L

And when needs or tastes call for space in a premium SUV with an ECO label, the version with up to seven seats and an enlarged boot of the Lexus RX 450h, the Lexus RX 450h L, is one of the top cards in the deck of premium SUVs with an ECO label.

This large SUV measures 5 metres, which is 110 millimetres less than the five-seat bodywork, but it is more than enough room to fit an extra row of seats and enlarge the boot’s loading volume.

Increasing the space from the Lexus RX 450h to the Lexus RX 450h L also means increasing the price, from 78,300 euros for the Business trim.

Jaguar I-Pace

The 2019 Car of the Year is one of the crossovers of the moment, both for winning the award and for being able to avoid environmental restrictions as an electric car with a ZERO label.

This 4×4 offers the dynamism of a compact, in an SUV body with an elegant design and performance more typical of a sports car.

It has up to 480 km of range, reaches a top speed of 200 km/h, does 0 to 100 in 4.8 seconds and emits not a single gram of CO2 into the atmosphere. But all these benefits come at a cost, as the starting price of the Jaguar I-Pace is 79,100 euros.

Audi SQ5

If the Audi Q5 offers the features of a premium SUV, the Audi SQ5 TDI raises those qualities and combines them with high performance, and it carries the ECO label.

And this is a good example because, thanks to the combination of the diesel block and a light hybridisation system, or mild-hybrid, the engine produces 347 CV of power, a considerable amount, but the torque is where the attention should focus, as the Audi SQ5 TDI produces up to 700 Nm directed to all four wheels thanks to the quattro traction system.

And yes, although diesel is not going through its best moment, there are still reasons to choose diesel cars, all the more so in this case given that the Audi SQ5 TDI starts from 80,110 euros.

BMW X5 xDrive45e iPerformance

The BMW X5 xDrive45e iPerformance was presented after the summer of 2018 with the aim of going on sale during 2019. It is a PHEV SUV that is the hybrid, plug-in version of the base model, the BMW X5.

This BMW X5 xDrive45e iPerformance is a premium SUV with a ZERO label because it can travel up to 80 km in electric mode, or at least according to the manufacturer’s calculations based on the new WLTP cycle adapted to NEDC.

Either way, the powertrain of the BMW X5 xDrive45e iPerformance features a six-cylinder petrol engine producing 286 CV and an electric motor producing 112, for 394 CV in total and 600 Nm of torque. The output of both, or of whichever is active depending on driving conditions, is sent permanently to all four wheels and managed by an eight-speed automatic gearbox.

With this configuration, the consumption of this SUV is just 2.1 litres per 100 km on average, with CO2 emissions of 49 g/km.

Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid

The quintessential premium SUV on the market receives a brand-new blue sticker, a badge issued by the DGT as a ZERO label thanks to an electric-mode range of up to 44 km and a homologated consumption of just 3.2 litres per 100 km for a car that weighs 2,370 kg and has a combined power of 462 CV and a notable torque of 700 Nm.

But if these figures were not enough, the most powerful version of this hybrid Porsche Cayenne has been confirmed, the Porsche Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid, a brutal PHEV SUV with 680 CV and a ZERO label.

For now, though, the starting price of the available Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid is 93,090 euros. It is a significant cost, but it comes with a series of benefits that make it possible to display the CERO sticker on the windscreen.

Range Rover Sport HST

As unlikely as it may seem, a car with 400 CV, 550 Nm of torque, a homologated consumption of 9.3 litres of petrol per 100 km and CO2 emissions of 213 grams per km can enjoy the benefits of the ECO label.

This applies to one of the most luxurious SUVs available on the Spanish market. The Range Rover Sport HST MHEV is a behemoth capable of reaching 225 km/h and doing 0-100 in sports car times: 6.2 seconds.

Beyond these figures, it is important to note that the starting price of the Range Rover Sport HST is 113,400 euros, which makes it one of the most expensive premium SUVs with an ECO label.