what model for family and cheap ride?
As if the criteria for choosing a family car were not complicated enough, now it is necessary, in addition, to ask the question of motorization. Not only to choose between petrol or diesel, but also between hybrid and/or plug-in hybrid… Sure, if you have easy access to a charging point – at home or at your workplace –, if most of your annual trips are made in town or outside and if your budget allows it, a plug-in hybrid that SUV can be a very good choice. Especially since the choice is now quite wide in new and used. But even if it means investment, you can also choose a good model.
To do this, L’AM created a small selection of five PHEV models, all of which went through our rigorous protocol of independent measurements. To draw two main pieces of information: what electrical autonomy does the battery offer and what fuel consumption when the battery is empty? Although the lens remains at least possibly empty of the battery, It is interesting to know the appetite of these SUVs without any electrical assistance, which can happen especially on vacation with long journeys on the motorway and in places where access to charging is not necessarily won.…
Also read: 3 scalable plug-in hybrid cars to buy with your eyes closed
A candidate stronger than the others
This selection consists of well-known models, except for one big novelty: the Renault Austral. Since he initially opted for the simple hybrid, it will be a few months before we see him emerge from the PHEV. In the meantime, it remains possible to choose between the French doublet Peugeot 3008/Citroën C5 Aircross, both with the same 225 hp powertrain, the Korean doublet Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson that also technically make common cause and the Volkswagen Tiguan , sad but still present with its 245 hp engine.
As is often the case with electrified vehicles, the Koreans claim very comfortable autonomy. And it is not so much due to the battery capacity as it stands at 13.8 gross kWh for the Sportage and Tucson when the opponent oscillates between 13 (Tiguan) and 13.2 (3008, C5 Aircross). Whether it is the Sportage or the Tucson, 30 km in the city without starting the 1.6 thermal is widely imagined while instead it is necessary to be satisfied with 40 to 45 km among competitors, who therefore have recourse to their thermal unit when faster. The gap is reduced slightly on all roads and many motorways, in other words routes that are not conducive to electric vehicles.
On the consumption side, 4 competitors are quite equal with the majority found around 8 l/100 km. Only the Tucson stays below the 7.5 l/100 km average, though all show marked highway appetite. Special mention to the Tiguan which, in town, is on par with the Hyundai by going below 7 l/100 km, which suggests, for these two SUVs, a fairly reasonable cost per kilometer most of the time, even the battery is empty. .
Top 5 plug-in hybrid SUVs: the main technical characteristics
| Model | Combined power | Total battery capacity | Checked weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| ModelCitroen C5 Aircross | Combined power225 hp | Total battery capacity13.2 kWh | Checked weight1,862kg |
| ModelHyundai Tucson | Combined power265 hp | Total battery capacity13.6 kWh | Checked weight1900kg |
| ModelKia Sportage | Combined power265 hp | Total battery capacity13.6 kWh | Checked weight1,892kg |
| ModelPeugeot 3008 | Combined power225 hp | Total battery capacity13.2 kWh | Checked weight1770kg |
| ModelVW Tiguan | Combined power245 hp | Total battery capacity13 kWh | Checked weight1,850kg |
Top 5 plug-in hybrid SUVs: verified power ranges
| Model | City autonomy | Autonomy on the road | Autonomy on the freeway |
|---|---|---|---|
| ModelCitroen C5 Aircross | City autonomy43 km | Autonomy on the road39 km | Autonomy on the freeway33km |
| ModelHyundai Tucson | City autonomy59km | Autonomy on the road51km | Autonomy on the freeway40 km |
| ModelKia Sportage | City autonomy62km | Autonomy on the road42km | Autonomy on the freeway35km |
| ModelPeugeot 3008 | City autonomy46 km | Autonomy on the road39km | Autonomy on the freeway33km |
| ModelVW Tiguan | City autonomy40 km | Road coverage33 km | Autonomy on the freeway30 km |
Top 5 plug-in hybrid SUVs: fuel consumption verified with an empty battery
| Model | City consumption | road consumption | Freeway consumption | Average consumption |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ModelCitroen C5 Aircross | City consumption7.8l/100km | road consumption8.8l/100km | Freeway consumption8 l/100 km | Average consumption8.1l/100km |
| ModelHyundai Tucson | City consumption6.8l/100km | road consumption7.1l/100km | Freeway consumption9.4l/100km | Average consumption7.4l/100km |
| ModelKia Sportage | City consumption7.3l/100km | road consumption8.1l/100km | Freeway consumption9.4l/100km | Average consumption8 l/100 km |
| ModelPeugeot 3008 | City consumption7.5l/100km | road consumption7.5l/100km | Freeway consumption8.8l/100km | Average consumption7.8l/100km |
| ModelVW Tiguan | City consumption6.8l/100km | road consumption8 l/100 km | Freeway consumption9.6L/100km | Average consumption7.8l/100km |
Verdict: a Hyundai Tucson that’s both efficient and powerful
In this selection of 5 plug-in hybrid family SUVs, one element stands out: the Hyundai Tucson. Even though it shares its technical base with the Kia Sportage, the Tucson both offers the most power range and consumes the least when its “battery” is empty.. While the heaviest! Icing on the cake, the Hyundai also offers the best acceleration / pick-up compromise, attesting to both the good health and good fluidity of its traction chain.
