Why now is a good time to buy a hybrid SUV: Toyota RAV4, Subaru Forester and Hyundai Tucson leading new petrol-electric charge

The Japanese giant has taken a slow and steady approach to hybridisation that’s beginning to pay dividends. Having established its hybrid credentials with the Prius, it has begun to spread the technology across its range, including the latest RAV4.

Combining its popular mid-size SUV with a hybrid powertrain option was an instant hit, with the waitlist blowing out to six-months at one point. Toyota has managed to ramp up supply to meet the demand, but the fact a RAV4 Hybrid can be had from $35,490 before on-road costs (and stretch to $44,490) should help it stay popular.

The powertrain in this case is a 2.5-litre petrol-electric combo, which teams a four-cylinder engine making 131kW/221Nm with an electric motor making 88kW/202Nm; for a combined power output of 160kW for the two-wheel drive models.

The four-wheel drive version gets a different system, adding an on-demand 40kW/121Nm electric motor on the rear axle for a total system output of 163kW.

Fuel economy is rated at 4.7-litres per 100km for the two-wheel drive model, and 4.8L/100km for the AWD.

Arriving late to the party, Ford has opted to skip ‘conventional’ hybrid powertrains and jump straight to plug-in hybrid technology with its new-generation Escape.

Due to arrive by the end of September, the Escape PHEV will be the flagship of the new range that the Blue Oval hopes will be more competitive against the likes of the RAV4 and Forester.

However, unlike Toyota that offers a range of trim levels with the hybrid powertrain, the Escape PHEV is a single specification – the ST-Line priced from $52,940.

It is a more advanced system though, combining a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with an electric motor that makes a combined 167kW.

Crucially (and where a plug-in differs) is that the Escape PHEV can run on battery-power alone for approximately 50km. It also means an incredibly low fuel economy figure of 1.5L/100km.

It’s become something of an open-secret (or arguably a requirement for a modern SUV), but the new-generation Tucson due in 2021 will add a hybrid variant.

There are no official details yet, but reports from South Korea suggest it will be a parallel hybrid system, most likely the powertrain already seen in the Santa Fe overseas.

In the bigger SUV, the combination of a 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine and 44kW electric motor make a total system output of 169kW. But no details yet on its fuel efficiency.

There is a PHEV option too, with the Santa Fe also offered in selected markets with the same turbo petrol engine paired with a bigger 66kW motor and 13.8kWh lithium-ion battery.