Vik Thomas, Author at Hybrid Auto

Have you had the opportunity to know what hybrid cars are all about? Have you ever come across a list of hybrid SUVs 2018 which will help you decide which one of them you could buy later? Hybrid cars are all the rage in the last few years. A hybrid car is the one which is powered by two different engines. One of them is a gasoline engine which is of the more conventional sort while the other is an electric motor powered by a large battery. The horsepower of the car is maximized when both these engines work in unison. It is an eco-friendly solution when you choose to use less of gasoline by combining electric power with it. You can find a similar list of Hybrid compact cars here. Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid Starting off the list with a Porsche car definitely might have captured your attention. Porsche Cayenne E-hybrid is a luxury vehicle like no other. The fact that Porsche has already adopted hybrids in their stylish SUV is a welcome addition. The Cayenne E-Hybrid is a beast, capable of delivering 455 horsepower and accelerate from being idle to 60 miles per hour in just 4.7 seconds. The SUV is rather heavy as it weighs 5000 pounds, but it has got a gasoline engine which helps it achieve top speed. It has a 14.1 kWh battery and offers 46 MPGe. Bentley Bentayga Hybrid Just one look at the car and if you are a true automobile fan, you will swoon at its excellent build quality and the style oozing out of the vehicle at every curve. Bentley Bentayga Hybrid is one of the excellent designs that you will come across, in true Bentley fashion and the car is quite comfortable on the inside too. The posh interiors combined with its surprisingly good off-road capabilities and fuel efficiency make it a luxury car that delivers on all fronts. The electric hybrid motor manages to pull this large vehicle without any difficulty, but you might rely more on the Powertrain to get you through long distances in this luxurious SUV. Nissan Rogue Hybrid The Nissan Rogue Hybrid may look out of place when you directly put it against Cayenne and Bentayga models but it is more of a consumer’s vehicle. The average family commuter who is also interested in Hybrid technology will find the design appealing and the pricing palpable. The Rogue is powered by a 2.0-liter engine and has a 30kW electric engine. While the electric engine delivers 40 horsepower, which is quite minimal, you can rely on the gasoline engine to get up to 141 horsepower, providing the oomph factor the hybrid SUV needs. It has a spacious cargo area in the back. The top of the line model with an all-wheel drive costs about $33,000 making it a more affordable way to contribute to the environment. Acura MDX Sport Hybrid Did you see the word sport in this name? A sports hybrid car sounds new, right? It pretty much is, because the Acura MDX Sports Hybrid delivers a fantastic 321 horsepower combined with 289-pound-feet of torque, providing the muscular power the car needs to deliver a great driving experience. The gas version delivers a moderate 19 mpg in city conditions and 26 mpg when on the highways. While Acura may not be among the cream of popular car brands, it’s all-wheel-drive system gives you a handling like no other car, especially considering the size and speed of this hybrid SUV in 2018. Land Rover Range Rover PHEV The Range Rover PHEV is a great addition to the list of hybrid SUVs 2018 category because it is a rugged car that doesn’t focus on style but more on the performance aspect. The car comes from Land Rover and maintains the design aesthetics of a large car. While compact SUV lovers should look elsewhere, this particular model works great as it delivers 398 horsepower with 472-pound-feet of torque. The car has a 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline engine along with 13.1 kWh battery which can allow you to drive up to 30 miles. That’s definitely not a large number, but it's ideal for office commuting when your company is close by and you want to save on fuel costs. Audi Q8 The Audi Q8 is not an all-out hybrid model like the many cars listed here, but it is more of a mild hybrid which makes use of the 48-volt electrical system. The electric motor may get you to a very moderate distance before the exceptionally powerful V6 engine kicks in. Audi has been at the forefront of delivering great performing cars and the Q8 hybrid SUV is no different. Audi Q8 excels with 335 horsepower and 369-pound-feet of torque. The Audi Q8 falls under the luxury category with lush interiors and cabin technology allowing you to listen to songs, control temperature and so on seamlessly. The ride is not too tall, but it still has large wheels that provide a comfortable ride height that SUV lovers would enjoy. Volvo XC90 A spacious car, the Volvo XC90 provides the best of both worlds. While it excels at being an SUV with a reliable Powertrain, it also happens to be a hybrid and makes it easier on the environment. If you really care about eco-friendly adoption and don’t want to compromise on the performance factor, the Volvo model strikes a fine balance in this regard. The car is powered by a T8 plug-in hybrid engine and uses an all-electric motor. The interior is visually stunning with an all-black finish and comfortable seats that should make your long journeys feel less stressful. The wooden interludes between the seats provide a limousine-like experience while the car’s controls are all in the front for easy access to control temperature and other stuff. Mercedes Benz GLE 550e Forget about the electric stuff at all! When you are talking about Mercedes Benz, it’s all about comfort, luxury and the name of the brand that strikes a pleasant thought whenever you talk about it. If you own a hybrid Benz, it’s just icing on the cake. The electric range is disappointing at just 10 miles on a full charge, but the best part of the 550e is the twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 engine. The car also has an 8.7 kWh lithium-ion battery. When combined together, the exciting Mercedes Benz offers 436 horsepower, which is more than enough to keep you going on long, comfortable journeys with 479-pound-feet of torque. It is also equipped with additional features including steering pilot and adaptive cruise control for hassle-free driving on large lanes. BMW X5 xDrive 40e The BMW X5 was designed for driving in the city and it’s not something you can take off-road. Besides, the company won’t be seen aggressively promoting this hybrid SUV because it falls in the pricey category and is powered by a moderate electric motor to get it through. The vehicle does impress on the inside and is definitely worthy of joining the list of hybrid SUVs 2018 because of what it offers. It is powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine which is connected to an equally powerful 111-horsepower electric motor. The 9.2 kWh lithium-ion battery boosts the overall output, making it the complete SUV package that also has a spacious design to accommodate the entire family or bunch of members. Kia Niro The Kia Niro fills up a very empty spot in the list of hybrid SUVs 2018 because it is a subcompact crossover and there are hardly any such models in the category. It is a smaller car even though we are addressing it as an SUV. The spacious interiors and cargo room that you will find in a full-sized SUV may not be found in the car. However, it was not originally designed to fill up that space, but rather to offer a compact crossover solution. The Kia Niro with its 1.6-liter 4-cylinder engine and an electric motor delivers 139 horsepower. The 2018 model is a plug-in hybrid version and with the Sports Mode, you can experience better speed in this affordable variant which starts at $23,000. The 25 mile range it offers with its 9.6 kWh battery pack is not bad either, considering the pricing of the Kia Niro. The Bottomline A couple of other honorary mentions that we think should make it to the list of hybrid SUVs 2018 include the following: Lexus RX 450h HybridTesla Model XToyota RAV4 Hybrid Volvo XC60 The hybrid cars are fun to drive especially when they strike the middle ground between offering decent mile range on its electric motor and powerful horsepower when switching to the petrol engine The adoption rate of hybrid cars in 2018 and 2019 has been considerably increasing because of buyer’s attitude to contribute to a greener environment. Besides, electricity is easier to produce and use rather than opting for the controversial gasoline as the primary fuel. The Tesla is at the forefront of electric cars but if you like to go green right now, the hybrid SUVs 2018 are your best bet to avoid compromise in performance while experiencing what electric motors and batteries can do with larger cars.