Top 10: the hybrid SUVs with the lowest consumption on the market

These are the hybrid SUVs with the lowest consumption on the market. And it’s no coincidence: almost all of them are plug-in. But be careful, real-world consumption differs greatly from the homologated figure!

We asked our database to rank by consumption the cars that meet these two criteria: they must have SUV bodywork, and the propulsion system must be hybrid. The result is no surprise: if we use no other filter and sort by average homologated consumption, the hybrid SUVs with the lowest consumption on the market are almost all… plug-in hybrids!

We have to go all the way down to position 9 in the Top 10 before the first non-plug-in hybrid SUV appears, the Toyota C-HR. It is followed by two more non-plug-in hybrids, the Kia Niro and the Lexus UX. And as you can see, the relationship between size, power and consumption between the plug-ins and the non-plug-ins is staggering. A trick?

The 10 hybrid SUVs on the market with the lowest consumption

Real-world consumption vs official consumption

Well, in a way we could say it is a trick. A legal one, though. This happens because the consumption homologation cycle clearly favours plug-in hybrid cars. By having an electric-mode range that can be between 30 and 60 km (if they exceed 40 km, they qualify for the DGT ZERO emissions label) these cars are allowed to homologate very low consumption figures, since they cover part of the test cycle using the energy stored in the batteries, without consuming fuel.

But be careful, because in real use we will always see figures that at best triple these official consumption figures. And this is something that, in the case of plug-in hybrids, the entry into force of the new WLTP homologation cycle has not fixed. This cycle aims to deliver results closer to real consumption than the previous NEDC cycle. But in the case of plug-in hybrids, it does not achieve this.

Or did you really think that an SUV with more than 400 CV that weighs over two tonnes can average less than 3 l/100 km? It will do so occasionally, on a route where it is possible to drive in 100% electric mode. In real use, a Volvo XC-90 plug-in hybrid, for example, will not drop below an average cumulative consumption – even if you use its “electric” capacity – of 8 l/100 km. Be careful, that is not bad for a car like this; without plug-in hybrid technology, to achieve similar performance we would be talking about averages above 12 l/100 km.

Therefore, this technology makes a lot of sense, all the more so in large, powerful cars, to reduce emissions. Not to mention the advantages these cars gain from carrying the aforementioned ECO label or ZERO (depending on electric range) granted by the DGT.

More and more choice

The category of plug-in hybrids, and even more so for SUVs, is going to experience strong growth in the coming months. Until very recently we only found cars in the premium segment, but in our Top 10 of the hybrid SUVs with the lowest consumption, “popular” cars are already starting to appear.

The recently renewed Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, which has dominated plug-in hybrid car sales in Spain since its debut back in 2014, is starting to face tough rivals. Among them, the new Kia Niro plug-in hybrid, which suddenly becomes the SUV with the lowest consumption… and also the cheapest! Although be careful with the latter, since the price ranking can change depending on the discounts applied in each case.

A recent entry that has reached the very top of our Top 10 for both consumption and price is a car we liked a lot, as we told you in the road test of the Mini Countryman plug-in hybrid.

Otherwise, as curiosities in this Top 10 dominated by premium brands, it is worth mentioning that for the moment there is only one car that uses a diesel engine as its combustion engine, the Audi Q7 e-tron, which with a consumption of 1.8 l/100 km shares its place with the Outlander. The most powerful, as could not be otherwise, is a Porsche, the Cayenne S-E Hybrid. And you will surely miss some model from BMW or Mercedes-Benz.

But be careful, because the plug-in hybrid versions of the new SUVs from these premium brands are just around the corner, and soon the hybrids that cannot recharge their batteries by plugging into the electricity grid will disappear from the Top 10.

Technical specifications of the cars in this article

CrossoverRenault Captur26 versions · from 22,900 €

CrossoverAudi Q713 versions · from 86,940 €

CrossoverPeugeot 200811 versions · from 28,710 €

Off-RoadVolvo XC9010 versions · from 82,200 €

Off-RoadBMW X55 versions · from 96,150 €

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Off-RoadMitsubishi Outlander5 versions · from 50,800 €