Hybrid SUVs That Save Thousands In Fuel Costs Over Time

Gas is at the highest it’s been since the 2008 financial crisis. In some places, 93 octane is $9.99. The current national average is between $4.08 and $4.15 per gallon for regular 87 octane. While there was a major push in the late 2010s and early 2020s for all electric vehicles, there’s since been a steep decline, not only in sales, but also in interest in the American market. This is also due to the dissolving of the federal tax credit as well as a weaker charging infrastructure compared to some countries.

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A good trade-off to the gas prices, as well as electric vehicles, is a hybrid powertrain. Honda, for example, has mostly ditched its electric vehicle program and is instead focusing more on hybrid platforms. Hybrids have the convenience of being able to be filled up at the pump without gouging your wallet. In this list, we’ve taken the five-year average gas price of $3.50 and multiplied that with the average annual mileage over five years, which equates to 75,000. Divide that by each vehicle’s combined MPG divided by the five-year national average, and you have how much you would save within those five years.

10

Toyota Grand Highlander Standard Hybrid (FWD)

Average Fuel Economy: 36 MPG

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The Toyota Grand Highlander is the answer that people have been looking for when it comes to the space and capability the regular Highlander can not provide. The Grand Highlander comes in three different power trains, including one non-hybrid variant and two hybrids. The miles per gallon actually varies pretty widely based off of which powertrain you choose.

The most frugal of them all is the standard hybrid powertrain with front-wheel drive as opposed to all-wheel drive. The Hybrid Max powertrain, compared to the standard turbocharged gas four-cylinder, only gets 26 miles per gallon combined compared to the gas’ 24 miles per gallon. Regardless, a combined 36 miles per gallon for a midsize vehicle of this size is wildly impressive.

9

Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid (FWD)

Average Fuel Economy: 36 MPG

Hyundai

The Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid is a good case study on how different the MPG offering is compared to the non-hybrid variant. While the front-wheel-drive version of the hybrid gets the best gas mileage of all of them, the standard model that is also front-wheel drive only gets 24 miles per gallon combined.

What’s also interesting is the fact that hybrids are usually the more powerful (recently, anyway) of the two powertrain offerings. However, the turbocharged four-cylinder that is considered to be the standard powertrain of the Santa Fe is more powerful than the hybrid. It shows in capabilities like towing, where the hybrid can only tow 2,000 pounds, but the XRT, with the worst gas mileage of 22 MPG combined, can tow 4,500 pounds.

8

Hyundai Tucson Hybrid Blue

Average Fuel Economy: 38 MPG

Hyundai

The Hyundai Tucson Hybrid comes in many different trim levels and many different offerings. The Hyundai Tucson Hybrid Blue trim is a good example of how to best outfit your car to achieve the highest MPG possible.

It is their economically focused trim that is considerably lighter and comes with smaller wheels. If you notice, electric vehicles and hybrids (cars in general) have better gas (fuel) mileage with different wheel sizes. The standard Hyundai Tucson doesn’t have terrible gas mileage either, with 28 miles per gallon combined with the front-wheel drive model.

7

Ford Escape Hybrid

Average Fuel Economy: 39 MPG

Ford

The Ford Escape comes in four different powertrain offerings, including a plug-in hybrid. Besides the plug-in hybrid, there is a standard hybrid model that offers an impressive 39 miles per gallon combined. Get it while you can, though, because after this year the Escape will no longer be on sale.

The standard base engine with the front-wheel drive drivetrain also gets an incredible 30 miles per gallon combined. It’s powered by a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that has a combined output of 192 horsepower. While it might not be the most powerful of the four powertrains, it is one of the more economical.

6

Honda CR-V Hybrid

Average Fuel Economy: 40 MPG

Honda

The Honda CR-V Hybrid is the more popular of the bunch and is marketed as the sportier variant compared to the base engine. So much so that the majority of its trims are “Sport” to some degree. Not that it offers that much more horsepower over the 190 horsepower that the base engine outputs. It does, however, output a substantial amount of torque over the standard powertrain.

The hybrid system carries a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that outputs 204 horsepower and 247 pound feet of torque. That being said, the standard 2026 CR-V can still get a combined 30 MPG.

5

Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid

Average Fuel Economy: 42 MPG

Toyota

Toyota hybrid products are always some of the best on the market. The Toyota Corolla Cross is a prime example of that, as it achieves impressive numbers with or without the hybrid. Without the hybrid, the standard front-wheel drive standard model gives 32 miles per gallon combined.

The cargo capacity and the fuel economy are probably this model’s biggest selling points, as subcompacts don’t really offer much in the way of other capabilities. The hybrid is substantially more powerful with a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that outputs 196 horsepower.

4

Kia Sportage Hybrid (FWD)

Average Fuel Economy: 42 MPG

Kia

Who could’ve guessed that the Kia Sportage Hybrid would’ve made the list, let alone near the top of it. The 2026 Kia Sportage hybrid also offers plentiful features at a lower cost than the Toyota RAV4 and the Honda CR-V.

The front-wheel-drive drivetrain is the most impressive at 42 miles per gallon combined, but the all-wheel-drive offers perfectly fine fuel economy at 35 miles per gallon combined. The standard hybrid is also considerably more powerful than the standard powertrain, with 232 horsepower. The plug-in variant offers the most with 268 horsepower.

3

Toyota RAV4

Average Fuel Economy: 43 MPG

Toyota

The newest generation, 2026 RAV4, has really upped the ante. Not only does this come standard with a hybrid powertrain, but it’s also one of the most economical compact SUVs on the market.

The true variation of miles per gallon for the RAV4 comes into play between front-wheel drive and all-wheel-drive, plus the different trim levels. The most economical variants are the ones that offer a front-wheel-drive drivetrain. The front-wheel-drive variant also offers competitive power with 226 horsepower. The all-wheel drive boosts it to 236 horsepower.

2

Lexus UX 300h (FWD)

Average Fuel Economy: 43 MPG

Lexus

The 2026 Lexus UX 300h is the only luxury offering on this list. It might just be Lexus’s most unassuming vehicle. You used to be able to choose between hybrid and standard. Now the UX only comes in a hybrid powertrain.

The UX comes with a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing a combined 196 horsepower. The real difference in fuel economy offerings is going to be between front-wheel drive and all-wheel-drive, but even then, it’s not that different. The all-wheel-drive has a combined fuel economy of 41 miles per gallon.

1

Kia Niro Hybrid

Average Fuel Economy: 53 MPG

Kia

If you want Prius-level fuel economy ratings but want an SUV with slightly more cargo capacity, the 2026 Kia Niro Hybrid is for you. This hybrid has an estimated range of 600 miles. This isn’t even the plug-in hybrid variant.

While the Niro also comes in a plug-in hybrid variant, this is one of the only models on the list that is offered with a full electric powertrain. Don’t expect to do lap times in this, as the 1.6-liter engine only outputs about 139 horsepower combined.

Sources: Kia, Hyundai, Ford, Lexus, Toyota, Honda, Fueleconomy.gov