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Compare the best hybrid 4x4s

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Rated 4.5/5 from 60,922 reviews

Best hybrid 4x4s of 2024

The differentiation between SUVs and 4x4 cars is a subtle one, but it essentially comes down to how capable a car is off road. Because while the SUV class emerged from off-road cars in the 1990s, many modern SUVs are two-wheel drive models that aren't really designed to venture off paved roads.

Either way, 4x4 cars tend to be a little heavier on fuel than conventional models, and while diesel was therefore once the default choice for such vehicles, that fuel has fallen out of favour in recent years, with petrol-electric hybrid technology taking up the mantle. In reality, though, thoroughbred 4x4 cars are pretty thin on the ground, while many of the models that do exist aren't available with a hybrid option, so a few conventional hybrid SUVs have crept into our rundown out of necessity. Nonetheless, here, we highlight 10 great hybrid 4x4 cars that will undoubtedly get you to where you need to go, while giving you the option of cruising about in electric mode as you wish.

Land Rover Defender 110

1. Land Rover Defender

9/10
Land Rover Defender 110 review
The Defender is such an iconic model that Land Rover reimagining it for the 2020s was both a hard job, and one that promised great success if they got it right. Happily, the rugged looking Defender nods just the right amount to the original model, while also being a thoroughly modern, desireable 4x4 car. Opt for the P400e plug-in hybrid version and you can get 100mpg economy (assuming you charge it regularly and run it in electric mode a lot), together with a 0-60mph time of 5.4 seconds.
BMW X5

2. BMW X5

10/10
BMW X5 review
Battery range up to 45 miles
Okay, so this is more of a road than off-road-focussed 4x4 car, but with a plug-in hybrid electric range of 50 or so miles, togther with super-low CO2 emissions and strong performance, the X5 has clear appeal. It's also astonishingly good to drive, while if you stick a set of all-season or mud+snow tyres on it and jack the air suspension up, it'll be pretty competent in the rough stuff. It's just a shame the xOffroad option pack (which adds underbody protection and off-road driving modes) isn't availabe with the xDrive45e plug-in hybrid model.
Range Rover
2024
Comfortable Cruiser Award
Highly Commended

3. Range Rover

9/10
Range Rover review
Big, luxurious, and now with a six-figure pricetag, the full-size Ranger Rover obviously requires deep pockets. Those with the means to afford it, though, will be getting one of the plushest cars on the market, and also one of the most capable off-road vehicles available. The fact you can also have the Rangie with two plug-in hyrbrid options - the P440e and the quicker, more powerful P510e model - only adds to the appeal.

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Range Rover Evoque

4. Range Rover Evoque

7/10
Range Rover Evoque review
Okay, so few of us are in a position to spend £100k+ on a new car, even if it's spread out over monthly repayments (and you save money on it through carwow!), but the good news is the Range Rover Evoque is far more attainable. It's the P250e plug-in model you'll be after if you want a hybrid Evoque, but whichever version you choose you'll be getting Range Rover's fantastic blend of luxury, plus go-anywhere appeal.
Kia Sorento

5. Kia Sorento

9/10
Kia Sorento review
Like the RAV4, the Sorento is argubaly more of a conventional SUV than a 4x4 car, but it's available both as a conventional hybrid and a plug-in model, and can tow 1,650 and 1,500kg respectively in those guises, which both come with four-wheel drive capabilities. It's also a seriously comfortable and impressive seven-seat SUV, all backed up by Kia's excellent seven-year/100,000-mile warranty.
Land Rover Discovery Sport

6. Land Rover Discovery Sport

7/10
Land Rover Discovery Sport review
Land Rover and its posh Range Rover cousin build some of the most capable 4x4 cars money can buy (which is why you'll see a few of them on this list), and while the firm has yet to offer an all-electric model, it has embraced plug-in hybrid technolgy. The P300e PHEV version of the Discovery Sport can cover up to 38 miles in battery mode, and while it's only a five seater (non PHEV models can seat seven), it is a comfortbale, refined car on the road, and a mighty impressive one off it.
Toyota RAV4 Hybrid

7. Toyota RAV4

8/10
Toyota RAV4 Hybrid review
The RAV4 is more of a road-focussed SUV than a bona fide 4x4, but pick the all-wheel-drive model, fit it with some chunky tyres and the 190mm ground clearance should be more than enough for grassy fields and the like, while the 'Trail Mode' is specifically designed for poor-grip off-road conditions. The RAV4 also looks suitably chunky, while there's also a plug-in hybrid model with an electric range of 46 miles.
Mercedes-Benz GLE

8. Mercedes GLE

7/10
Mercedes-Benz GLE review
Battery range up to 57 miles
Sure, the GLE is some way off being as capable off road as the chunky Mercedes G-Class, but it still has a healthy 201mm of ground clearance, while the pasenger grab handles on the centre console are both reassuring, and leather wrapped. The 350de model is also that rare thing: a diesel-engined plug-in hybrid, with a 136hp electric motor paired with a 194hp diesel engine. Battery range is up to an impressive 58 miles, while fuel economy is as high as 353mpg - though the latter assumes you will be charging up regularly, and running in battery mode almost all the time.
Jeep Renegade

9. Jeep Renegade

6/10
Jeep Renegade review
Jeep, like Land Rover and Subaru, has always built cars that will reach the parts rival vehicles will not, and the Renegade is, if you specify it in 4xe plug-in hybrid form, a crossover-SUV with four-wheel drive, fairly decent off-road credentials, and an electric-only range of 26 miles. Sure, the interior could be a little plusher, but if it's rugged charm in a small hybrid package you're after, look no further.
Subaru Forester

10. Subaru Forester

6/10
Subaru Forester review
Subaru has always been a bit of a niche player in the UK, but if you need a car to ford rivers, cross mountains and brave volvanoes (okay, we may be exaggerating just a little), a Subaru is likely to get you places many SUVs would balk at. Subaru has also taken up hybrid technology in recent years (albeit conventional rather than plug-in hybrid technology), while the Forester's 220mm of ground clearance and sophisticated four-wheel-drive system make it an extremely competent off-roader. Fuel economy may be a little disappointing compared to some hybrids, while the interior feels like it will outlast most of us, thought it could be a little more luxurious - but if you're after a hybrid 4x4 and are swung by its rugged charms, the Forester is certianly worth considering.

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Advice about 4x4 cars

Hybrid 4x4s FAQs

The term 4x4 can mean different things to different people, but at its core is the fact that the engine (or engine/motors) will power all four of the car's wheels. 4x4 cars are generally assumed to have greater off-road capabilities than traditional SUVs, though the terms are often used interchangeably.

Well, the 4x4 element should mean they'll fare better in low-grip conditions than two-wheel-drive cars, while the hybrid aspect should help bring better fuel economy. Plug-in hybrids are particularly strong in this latter area, and also bring with them low company car tax rates thanks to their minimal carbon dioxide emissions.

Many makers of 4x4 and SUV cars err towards plug-in hybrid rather than conventional self-charging hybrid technology, but Toyota has serious expertise the latter, so the RAV4 is worth a look here. Don't discount the Subaru Forester, either, as if it's proper off-road prowess you're after, it's a seriously impressive machine.

Mercedes may be going it alone with the diesel-plug-in-hybrid GLE, but this should offer strong economy even if you don't charge it up. BMW's plug-in hybrid know-how is also strong, so the X5 is well worth a look, but it's hard not to be drawn to the Land Rover Defender if you're after a PHEV 4x4 that will really be able to tackle the rough stuff.

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