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Compare the most economical 4x4s

High-quality economical 4x4 cars from rated and reviewed dealers

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Most economical 4x4 cars of 2022

Most of us want an SUV, but equally most of us want to be environmentally sensitive (and save money at the pumps). The best compromise, then, is the plug-in hybrid SUV. These can usually run for around 30 miles on electricity alone before their combustion engines kick in. But bear in mind you’ll have to plug-in and charge-up a lot if you really want to maximise your fuel efficiency…

mercedes GLE SUV

1. Mercedes GLE PHEV (353mpg)

7/10
Battery range up to 57 miles
carwow price from
£749* / month (£64,670)
Diesel power helps the big Mercedes to an impressive 353mpg claimed economy figure, and it’s genuinely frugal on low-battery long-runs, too. It’s very heavy, which means it’s not much fun to drive, and it’s certainly not cheap. It’ll go a claimed 66 miles on a fully-charged battery, though.
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toyota RAV4 Hybrid

2. Toyota RAV4 PHEV (282mpg)

7/10
carwow price from
£287* / month (£31,951)
The RAV4 is one of the better plug-in hybrids around and manages impressive battery range (46 miles) and decent economy (you might get 50mpg) on longer runs using just the petrol engine. It’s pricey though, and you’ll have to keep its battery charged to get near to its claimed 282mpg economy figure.
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kia Sportage

3. Kia Sportage PHEV (252mpg)

8/10
carwow price from
£219* / month (£25,322)
A good looking car with a great interior, the Sportage should get around 30 miles of battery range in real life (it claims 42 miles) but, like most plug-in hybrids, will do more like 40mpg on a long run with a flat battery. Frequent charging and lots of shorter journeys should get you close to its 252mpg claim.
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volvo XC90

4. Volvo XC90 PHEV (217mpg)

8/10
Battery range up to 28 miles
carwow price from
£596* / month (£53,910)
The XC90 still looks great but it’s feeling a bit old inside these days, and like all PHEVs its fuel consumption will skyrocket if you’re driving it around with a flat battery. A recent update means a bigger battery and a potential 42-mile electric range. Keep it charged to get close to its 217mpg claim.
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hyundai Tucson

5. Hyundai Tucson PHEV (201mpg)

7/10
carwow price from
£230* / month (£27,465)
The striking Hyundai has 38 miles of electric range, and is a genuinely good car to drive - even if it isn’t the most comfortable on bumpy roads. As with any PHEV, keep its battery topped up to have a chance of keeping close to its official 201mpg fuel consumption figure.
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audi Q5

6. Audi Q5 PHEV (188mpg)

9/10
Battery range up to 32 miles
carwow price from
£426* / month (£43,741)
Audi’s slick Q5 plug-in hybrid offers up to 37 miles of electric range, but its 188mpg claimed fuel economy figure will dive on the motorway once you’re running the engine with no battery assistance. If you want a sleeker version, there’s the coupe-style Sportback model too.
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land-rover Discovery Sport

7. Land Rover Discovery Sport PHEV (188mpg)

7/10
carwow price from
£380* / month (£32,800)
The Discovery Sport’s hybrid system is one of the better ones, offering decent long-range fuel economy and up to 37 miles of EV range. It’s not the sportiest car ever though and, as ever, you’ll have to charge it frequently to get close to its 188mpg official figure.
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kia Sorento

8. Kia Sorento PHEV (176mpg)

8/10
carwow price from
£372* / month (£39,017)
We love the Sorento’s bluff, upright styling and it’s got a good hybrid system (claimed economy of 176mpg) - even if it’s a bit noisy at times. Kia says you’ll get 35 miles from a full battery, and on longer runs you should get similar economy to the diesel model (around 40mpg). Great interior, too.
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volkswagen Tiguan

9. Volkswagen Tiguan PHEV (149mpg)

8/10
carwow price from
£275* / month (£27,832)
In spite of updates, the Tiguan is starting to feel a little old, and the eHybrid model doesn’t offer the sort of performance you get from alternatives (its official economy is 149mpg). A claimed 30 miles on a full battery results in around 20 miles in the real world, and long-range economy is around 35mpg.
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bmw X3

10. BMW X3 PHEV (135mpg)

9/10
carwow price from
£571* / month (£42,960)
BMW’s plug-in systems are good, so you should get close to the claimed 30-mile range on battery power, but longer-haul economy suffers a bit. A solid all-rounder but the plug-in hybrid game is moving on fast - and the X3’s claimed economy of 135mpg is evidence of this.
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Advice about economical 4x4s

Economical 4X4 cars FAQs

In terms of on-paper figures, it’s the Toyota RAV4 plug-in hybrid that wins this, hands down, with a claimed 282.4mpg. You’ll only get that kind of economy if you’re religious about plugging it in and charging up the battery, though. For long-haul drivers, the standard RAV4 Hybrid claims between 47mpg and 50mpg, which is about as good as you’ll get with a petrol engined 4x4 - even if it is one that’s assisted by an electric motor and battery.

Again, the PHEV models reign supreme here — Mercedes’ GLE 350de being pretty much the only one. Again again, you’re going to struggle to get anything like it’s claimed 353mpg in the real world, unless you’re scrupulous about plugging in and charging up. For non-hybrids, you’re probably best-off with a diesel Mazda CX-5, which quotes up to 51mpg (and which pretty easily does that in real-world conditions).

The Mercedes GLE 350de reigns supreme here, but once again only if you’re looking at the official figures. Its claimed 353mpg looks spectacular on paper, but as ever with plug-in hybrids you’ll have to maximise its electric-only running to get the best from it. The Toyota RAV4 once again looks like a solid bet here for real-world economy, with the four-wheel drive version claiming 48mpg and you should get close to that if you’re careful. The Hyundai Tucson T-GDI hybrid is slightly more economical, at 49mpg, but is front-wheel drive only, so not an actual 4x4.

There are a few tips that will improve the economy of any car, not just a 4x4, such as making sure your tyre pressures are correct, taking excess weight out of the car, and making sure that your own driving style is as gentle as possible. 4x4s tend to be tall vehicles, of course, so slowing down on longer journeys will save you a bundle, as a car’s aerodynamic drag increases massively the faster you go. Avoiding unnecessary bodywork add-ons such as nudge-bars, side-steps, winches, spotlights, roof bars, and roof boxes will also help here. If your car has switchable four-wheel drive, then keeping it in two-wheel drive mode will help save fuel.

For more advice on how to improve your fuel efficiency, check out our guide on ways to get better MPG.

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