New Or Used? The Best Hybrid SUVs and What They Cost New and Used
There are so many good options; here's what you need to know to decide: New or used?
It’s a question we get all the time, and until a few years ago, there wasn’t an easy answer: Which are the most fuel-efficient hybrid SUVs on the market?
The good news for you, dear reader, is that now there are a lot of choices for hybrid SUVs, and many have been on the market long enough that you can actually find them gently used with plenty more miles to go.
Thanks to lighter-weight materials and more efficient powertrains, modern tech, and electric power thanks to plug-in hybrids, you can now widen your search to a long list of great cars.
This story is 100% human-researched and written based on actual first-person knowledge, extensive experience, and expertise on the subject of cars and trucks.
What Makes These Hybrid SUVs The Best?
When shopping for a hybrid SUV, new or used, you want a few things: A car that is known for going the distance—and remember, even the good ones can have issues or recalls—that has a solid tech interface that will be current for at least a few years and that has enough space and comforts for your daily routines and occasional road trips. You may also need space for kids, car seats, pets, luggage, and tall passengers.
So we looked at the mid-size two-row and 3-row SUVs that can do all those things, as well as the base price for a hybrid model and the average used price, according to Cars.com, for a 3-4 year old model with less than 50,000 miles. We did not include the smaller compact SUVs that often eliminate key features and luxuries like rear seat air vents, leather seating options and a panoramic sunroof; those are already a good value and most offer good fuel economy. If that’s what you’re hoping for, you can find that list here.
Here are the best SUVs for tech, reliability, and fuel economy, how they’re priced new and what they go for gently used.
The OG of Great MPG: Toyota Highlander Hybrid/Grand Highlander Hybrid
Back in the day, this was the only SUV that offered tiny-car-like MPG with space for families, gear, and more—for my family, it was also a roof-top box, a bike rack, and space for the dog’s bed. And still, only stopping for gas a few times a month.
Fast forward, and the Toyota Highlander Hybrid is now available in two versions: The smaller Highlander and the larger Grand Highlander. While the two vary greatly in looks and interior features, they carry the same powertrain and get about 35 MPG.
The Highlander Hybrid is outfitted with many upgrades as standard features and is priced from $46,820, and the Grand Highlander Hybrid, which offers a less-optioned base trim, starts at $44,710. Used, the Highlander Hybrid can be found for about $35,000; because the Grand Highlander Hybrid is still a new model, there are not many on the used market, and most carry a hefty price of $47,000+.
The Cute, Clever and Capable Kia Sportage
The modern era of the Kia Sportage has been a favorite of ours for its roomy cabin, ample cargo space, and more-for-the-money technology. In fact, Kia was one of the first to add Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, phone-as-key, and wide screens.
The Sportage was redesigned for 2026, and before that in 202, with both updates adding even more nice features, though the hybrid engine, which gets about 42 MPG, remains the same. You can’t go wrong either way. There’s also a plug-in hybrid, or PHEV, version for those who want all-electric driving. The 2026 hybrid model is priced from $30,290; fairly priced used from $21,000.
The Ever Popular, Always Fun Honda CR-V Hybrid
Honda’s reliability—not only mechanically, but also reliably well-equipped, easy to drive, and, in the hybrid model, efficiency inspires loyalty among fans. This also means the Honda CR-V Hybrid can be slightly higher-priced than its competitors, but it also carries a higher resale value.
Last redesigned in 2021, the current design still feels fresh, even in a used model. For 2025, Honda added a Trailsport Hybrid model for drivers who want something a bit more rugged and capable. The Honda CR-V Hybrid gets about 38 MPG and has a starting price of $35,630; used from $28,000.
The Perennial Favorite: Toyota RAV4 Hybrid
Toyota is the workhorse and innovator of hybrid powertrains, leading the charge in the auto industry, which is following in Toyota’s footsteps. The Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, which only comes in AWD, offers 7 trim options for a wide range of basic-to-luxe features. Toyota is phasing out its gas-only powertrains, so for 2026, the RAV4, which will have an all-new look and feel, will only be offered in hybrid or plug-in hybrid electric (as it has been for the last few years).
Toyota hasn’t announced pricing for the 2026 model yet, but for 2025, the RAV4 Hybrid starts at $32,850; used models can be found with low mileage from about $29,000.
This Newcomer Ads A Refined Feel: Mazda CX-50 Hybrid
Mazda has a lot of fans for its fun-to-drive cars and SUVs designed with a more elevated look and feel, so when the company brought the CX-50 to market, there was understandable excitement. But even better? The company partnered with Toyota to add a hybrid version; it has the same power and fuel economy but all the Mazda interior touches and drive feel.
The Hybrid was just added to the lineup in 2025, so used models are a bit scarce for now, but they do exist. New, the Mazda CX-50 Hybrid is priced from $33,970; used, it starts at about $35,000.
An Elegant Outlier: Toyota Crown Signia
Toyota’s march toward all-hybrid lineups continues with the Crown Signia, a refined SUV designed to be as efficient as it is elegant. It replaces the Toyota Venza, which returned to the market for just a few years but also presented an elegant hybrid option. The Crown Signia is estimated to get about 38 MPG and starts at $44,090; the Venza also gets about 38 MPG and can be found used from about $37,000.
A Solid Option for a Mid-Size SUV: Hyundai Tucson Hybrid
Hyundai is always a good choice: comfortable, confident, and tech-forward, the more-for-the-money Tucson compact SUV offers some nice options across the hybrid lineup, including all-wheel drive, and at higher trim levels, luxuries like leather seats are included.
Last redesigned in 2022, new or used models should have a similar look and feel, and it’s also available in a PHEV for all-electric driving. The Hyundai Tucson Hybrid gets about 38 MPG and starts at $33,465; used buyers will find it priced from about $25,000.
One Of Our Favorite 3-Row SUVs: Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid
A couple of years ago, Hyundai went out on a limb and gave the Santa Fe a huge makeover, giving it a boxier, more spacious look and feel, and better capability for driving on dirt and snow. The hybrid powertrain, however, isn’t our favorite for its low power output of 231 HP; buyers who load up all 3 rows with people and stuff may feel the engine strain. However, if that isn’t an issue for you, its 36 MPG is certainly a lure.
New, it’s priced from $36,150; used buyers will find lots of options, from the new body style priced from about $40,000 to the older body style priced from about $26,000.
Seating for 7 and Style All Day Long: Kia Sorento Hybrid
We’ve loved the Kia Sorento since the company took it down to the studs a decade ago and gave it chic Euro styling and an elegant interior. In the time since, the Sorento has added updated tech and comforts, a flat front screen, a PHEV edition, and for 2025, it got an exterior makeover and added the more rugged X-Line. The Kia Sorento Hybrid, which gets about 36 MPG, starts at $38,890; used, it starts at about $30,000.
Finally: The Hybrid Subaru Forester is Here
It took a while for Subaru to get into the hybrid game; there were a few models here and there, but the most popular for families and road trippers are just getting here, starting with the 2025 Subaru Forester Hybrid. Estimated to get 35 MPG and with standard AWD, this rugged little off-roader will find a lot of fans over the coming years. The Subaru Forester Hybrid starts at $36,595, and while there may be some used models out there, they’ll likely be priced competitively with new models.
The Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe Is the Most Capable Hybrid on the Road
Jeep jumped ahead of the hybrid curve a couple of years ago, going PHEV with a battery/electric option called the Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe. When regularly charged, it delivers about 26 miles of electric driving, can hold its charge to be used when the driver decides, and when driving on gas and electric is estimated to get 56 MPG. This 4WD trail-ready SUV is known and loved for its capability and beautiful style, but all that comes at a price; it starts at $50,695.
Honorable Mentions: Not All Fuel-Efficient SUVs Are Hybrid
Many car companies decided to invest in creating efficiencies in other places, such as lighter-weight materials, smaller engines, and more aerodynamic design, to get close to hybrid-type MPG. Our honorable mentions for models that do this include the Chevy Equinox, which gets about 27 MPG, the Ford Bronco Sport, also coming in at 27 MPG, and the Nissan Rogue, which gets 32 MPG and will see a new hybrid model on the market soon. All of these have been recently redesigned and offer more features and capabilities in newer models, but are also make an excellent used purchase.
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