Hybrid SUVs are redefining the automotive landscape in 2024, offering an exceptional blend of power, efficiency, and luxury. This year, automakers are pushing the boundaries of hybrid technology, presenting a diverse range of vehicles that cater to various driving preferences and lifestyles.
Land Rover Defender 110 P300e
Very little in the way of compromise with Land Rover’s Defender hybrid SUV. You’ll know already that 21st century Defender has inherited its predecessor's go-anywhere abilities. Hybrid SUV power is new to the range: plug-in version on the longer wheelbase 110 model offers a surprisingly potent petrol/hybrid combination: top speed of 119 mph and 7.4 seconds to 60 mph. Push EV button on plush dash for electric power alone - plug in at home for overnight charging, taking nine hours on a standard domestic outlet - allowing you silently to enjoy those country villages without disturbing the thatch for some 27 miles. Ideal for hybrid SUV posing in those ultra low emission zones, too. Prices start at a not-unreasonable £69,700.
Mercedes-AMG GLC 63
No shortage of complexity on big Merc hybrid SUV, to stunning effect. Rear electric motor adds 201 bhp to 470 bhp from turbo-charged four-cylinder upfront. Result is staggering performance for such a huge vehicle: press Race Start to reach 60 mph in 3.5 seconds on the way to 171 mph, almost rivalling the AMG that Lewis Hamilton drives at work. Formula One technology is key, with recharging courtesy four regeneration modes, harvesting energy otherwise lost under braking. Mercedes-AMG say all 671 bhp is available at all times making this a ferocious four wheel-drive hybrid SUV companion. Focus on power means you’ll only have 7.5 miles of electric-only range available which may be a small price to pay, even if the cost of this super-powerful hybrid SUV isn’t: £108,995. Ask Mr Hamilton for a loan, perhaps?
BMW X5 xDrive50e
Munich have thrown the technical handbook at the latest hybrid SUV offering, adding 194 bhp of electric power to turbocharged 3.0-litre straight-six engine. That’s 483 bhp in total for your family hybrid SUV, with 60 mph in 4.8 seconds and 155 mph on the autobahn surely sufficient to get you to Berlin in time for lunch. That’s the slightly terrifying Sport button taken care of. Biggest selling point for many will be Hybrid mode, with 67 miles of electric-only running for silent progress to the supermarket in your luxury hybrid SUV. No range anxiety - curse of all-electric vehicles - because there’s the straight-six to take over seamlessly once battery is empty. You’ll need upgraded home charger for swift four hour charge time, and £79,265 - before ticking a single BMW options box - to put their X5 hybrid SUV in your driveway.
Lexus RX 350h
Parent company Toyota have turned Lexus into a marque that’s synonymous with smooth, luxury progress. Hybrid SUV power is the perfect way of achieving that. Upfront in RX 350h hybrid SUV is 2.5-litre four cylinder engine, augmented by electric power both front and rear for full four-wheel drive. Charging is through brake regeneration which means you’re never lugging around a heavy but empty battery awaiting attention. Advanced eCVT transmission means this hybrid SUV has no actual gears to worry about but does mean petrol engine revs super-high on way to 124 mph top speed. High-end appointments are what you’d expect from a Lexus, and along with the impressive - 45 mpg - economy of hybrid SUV power, basic price of £59,950 is, among this competition, eye-catching.
Porsche Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid
You read Porsche and you expect performance. Their latest hybrid SUV doesn’t disappoint. Brace yourself: this two and a half ton hybrid SUV is capable of 183 mph with 60 mph reached in a Lamborghini beating 3.7 seconds. For a quieter life, E-Power mode offers 47 miles of silent progress through salubrious suburbia. Try - if you dare - Sport Plus to add the Cayenne’s turbo-charged V8 into the mix and experience the brutal drama that the Cayenne can offer, with a sound to match from the titanium exhaust system. Luxury interior is all that we’ve come to expect from Porsche and is, frankly, peerless in the motor industry. Downside is that you may need to brace yourself for the price, not just the performance: tick no options boxes, hand over £139,100 and this Cayenne can be yours. Watch out supercar owners.
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