Hybrid time: Surging gas prices match surging hybrid compact SUV sales
The average price for a gallon of gas is higher now than when you started this sentence, or so it seems.
The national price per gallon for regular unleaded is about $4. In Georgia, drivers are paying a little less — about $3.62 per gallon on average on Thursday, according to AAA — after the state suspended its gas tax. But in Georgia, it was about $2.78 a month ago.
Owning a car is a long-term proposition with long-term costs, and aside from insurance, one of the highest variable costs of ownership is what you pay at the pump. Fortunately, automakers planned for more high-volume hybrids even before electric vehicle interest plateaued and sales waned. Now, the compact SUV class, which is the highest sales volume segment, has more hybrid models than ever before.
The Toyota RAV4 Hybrid led the charge a decade ago. Now, the 2026 RAV4’s hybrid powertrain is standard. It’s not just the hybrid leader — with nearly half the hybrid market share — it also sets the pace for the segment. The reborn Jeep Cherokee returned as a standard hybrid — a Jeep first. The Subaru Forester and Mazda CX-50 recently joined the Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage and Honda CR-V with compelling hybrid options. The 2027 Nissan Rogue will arrive as a hybrid, another first, replacing the stopgap Rogue plug-in hybrid.
Hybrid powertrains scale up and down, appearing in larger SUVs such as the 2027 Kia Telluride and Toyota Grand Highlander as well as smaller models such as the Subaru Crosstrek and Toyota Corolla Cross.
It’s hybrid time, and the market can’t get enough. Hybrid sales grew from 9.8% of the market in the third quarter of 2024 to 12.8% in the third quarter of 2025, according to Cox Automotive. That 12.8% marks a doubling of hybrid market share since 2022. It’s essentially the only powertrain type growing in popularity.
Here’s a look at how last year’s trendsetters have become this year’s segment leaders. Note that all prices include skyrocketing destination fees. The EPA-estimated savings are based on fuel costs over five years compared with the average new vehicle, which was 28 mpg combined in 2024.
Your savings, like your mileage, will vary.
2026 Toyota RAV4
Price range: $33,350-$44,750 (AWD adds $1,400)
MPG combined: 43 mpg with AWD (in base SE and LE trims)
EPA-estimated savings: $2,750
No one sells more hybrids than Toyota — with a hybrid market share of 46% — and the RAV4 is the bestselling car in America that is not a truck. The redesigned 2026 RAV4 leans into Toyota’s dominance as a standard hybrid and an available plug-in hybrid. The hybrid powertrain can be had with front-wheel drive for the first time, and that helps keep costs low for this all-season winner.
2026 Honda CR-V Hybrid
Price range: $37,080-$44,000
MPG combined: 37 mpg with all-wheel drive (40 mpg with FWD)
EPA-estimated savings: $1,750
The hybrid version of the CR-V outsells the gas version, as it should. It’s one of the best-driving hybrids and Honda’s commitment to good steering and better-than-usual handling pairs well with its design for large and roomy interiors, even if the tech is pleasantly basic.
2026 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid
Price range: $34,050-$43,675
MPG combined: 38 mpg with standard AWD (most trims get 36 mpg)
EPA-estimated savings: $2,000
With standard AWD and an industry-leading warranty, the Hyundai Tucson Hybrid makes its case for best overall value, and that’s before factoring in the lowest starting price on our list of AWD hybrids. The Tucson Hybrid also eases the transition for reluctant buyers, as its 6-speed automatic transmission makes it operate like a traditional car. Stylish and value-packed, with one of the better infotainment interfaces, the Tucson Hybrid deserves a long look. Hyundai also makes a gas-only and plug-in hybrid version.
2026 Kia Sportage Hybrid
Price range: $31,735-$41,835
MPG combined: 35 mpg with AWD (42 mpg with FWD)
EPA-estimated savings: $1,500
The same traits of the Tucson Hybrid apply to the mechanically related Kia Sportage Hybrid. The big difference is Kia offers it in a base FWD version that nearly tops the efficiency crown in the segment at 42 mpg. It takes the value crown with the lowest starting price.
2026 Ford Escape Hybrid
Price range: $35,385-$38,705
MPG combined: 39 mpg with standard AWD
EPA-estimated savings: $2,250
The Escape Hybrid slips by in the shadow of rivals in part because of an early engine fire recall, but also because of the discontinuation of the model at the end of this model year. Like Hyundai and Kia, Ford offers the Escape in gas, hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains, but despite the hybrid’s standard AWD and above-average MPG rating and reasonable price, it never gained much traction.
2026 Mazda CX-50 Hybrid
Price range: $36,245-$41,945
MPG combined: 38 mpg with standard AWD
EPA-estimated savings: $2,000
Launched new in 2025 with a hybrid system lifted from the Toyota RAV4, the CX-50 Hybrid gives Mazda its lone hybrid without a plug. It’s more powerful and more efficient than the gas-only CX-50, and Mazda equips it with more standard features than rivals plus a refined, spartan interior.
2026 Subaru Forester Hybrid
Price range: $36,180-$42,995
MPG combined: 35 mpg with standard AWD
EPA-estimated savings: $1,500
Also launched in 2025 and perhaps the most overdue hybrid in the class given Subaru’s earthy reputation, the Forester is one of the more welcome entrants. A quieter and more refined Forester, the hybrid excels with its robust AWD, reassuring standard safety features and capable off-road bona fides.
2026 Jeep Cherokee
Price range: $36,995-$44,995
MPG combined: 37 mpg with standard AWD
EPA-estimated savings: $1,750
The newest hybrid compact SUV might be the most surprising. After a three-year hiatus, Jeep resurrected the Cherokee as a standard hybrid with AWD. It has the kind of quiet composure and smooth operation Jeep is not known for, while leaning into the brand’s iconic SUV looks.
Robert Duffer is an editor for Kelley Blue Book and Autotrader. He’s covered the automotive industry since 2012, as a syndicated columnist and senior editor.
The Steering Column is a weekly consumer auto column from Cox Automotive. Cox Automotive and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution are owned by parent company, Atlanta-based Cox Enterprises.
