Canadians love SUVs, and it’s easy to see why. Many Canadian motorists have active, outdoorsy lifestyles that necessitate having a practical and capable vehicle, while our long winters make all-wheel drive an almost essential feature.
Gas prices have been rising in recent months, though, so many SUV owners may be considering a vehicle that is more fuel effcient but aren’t ready to sacrifice practicality. Thankfully, there’s no shortage of hybrid SUVs on sale in Canada. These vehicles offer buyers the best of both worlds by wrapping a fuel-efficient hybrid powertrain up in a capable, family-friendly package.
Scroll down to learn about all the best hybrid SUVs on sale in Canada for 2022. Readers should note that this list focuses on traditional hybrid SUVs only and does not include plug-in hybrid (PHEV) SUVs. Plug-ins can offer even greater efficiency and the ability to drive on battery power only for brief distances, but are typically more expensive than regular “self-charging” hybrids.
2022 Ford Explorer Hybrid
The roomy Ford Explorer Hybrid stands out on this list for its rather impressive towing capacity of 2,267 kg (5,000 lb), making it the perfect option for cottagers who may want to tow a small boat or jet skis, for example. Power comes from a 3.3-litre V6 engine and transmission-mounted electric motor with a 1.5-kWh battery, which together produce 318 horsepower. All Explorer Hybrid models are all-wheel drive.
Fuel economy: 10.1 / 9.0 / 9.6 L/100 km cty/hwy/cmb
Estimated yearly fuel costs: $1,920
2022 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid
The Hyundai Tucson Hybrid comes standard with a 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine and a small electric motor with a 1.49-kWh lithium-ion battery, which together produce 227 horsepower. A plug-in hybrid powertrain is also offered in the Tucson, but is quite a bit more expensive than the traditional hybrid model. All Tucson Hybrid models come with all-wheel drive.
Fuel economy: 6.3 / 6.6 / 6.4 L/100 km cty/hwy/cmb
Estimated yearly fuel costs: $1,280
2022 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid
The Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid is a very similar package to the Hyundai Tucson we mentioned previously, but is slightly larger and therefore a bit better suited to families. The Santa Fe Hybrid comes standard with a turbocharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine an electric motor and a 1.49-kWh lithium-ion battery, together producing 227 horsepower. The Santa Fe Hybrid is also all-wheel drive.
Fuel economy: 7.1 / 7.9 / 7.4 L/100 km cty/hwy/cmb
Estimated yearly fuel costs: $1,480
2022 Kia Sorento Hybrid
A similar package to the Hyundai Santa Fe, the Kia Sorento Hybrid has a 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine, electric motor, and 1.49-kWh battery with an all-wheel-drive setup that’s rated at 227 horsepower. The Sorento Hybrid is essentially the same vehicle as the Santa Fe Hybrid with different exterior styling and slightly different packaging. As one would expect, they have similar fuel efficiency.
Fuel economy: 6.4 / 7.0 / 6.6 L/100 km cty/hwy/cmb
Estimated yearly fuel costs: $1,320
2022 Kia Niro Hybrid
An entry into the subcompact segment, the Kia Niro is one of the smaller hybrid SUVs on sale today. It has a 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine and a tiny electric motor, which together produce 139 horsepower and a noteworthy 195 lb-ft of torque. With smart packaging and a well-engineered hybrid powertrain, Niro drivers can expect impressive real-world fuel economy, although it’s not available with all-wheel-drive. There’s also a PHEV and full EV version of the Niro available, but the hybrid model is the most affordable.
Fuel economy: 4.4 / 4.9 / 4.6 L/100 km cty/hwy/cmb
Estimated yearly fuel costs: $920
2022 Lexus NX 350h
The first luxury-badged entry on our list is the all-wheel drive Lexus NX 350h. This compact SUV features a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine and two electric motors with a total system output of 239 horsepower. A more powerful NX 450h+ plug-in is also available, although the two hybrid models have comparable fuel efficiency. One cool feature of this model is that it tells you what percentage of your drive was done on electric power.
Fuel economy: 5.7 / 6.4 / 6.0 L/100 km cty/hwy/cmb
Estimated yearly fuel costs: $1,320
2022 Lexus RX 450h/450h L
The mid-size Lexus RX SUV is also offered in hybrid guise via the 450h trim level. This hybrid luxury SUV comes standard with a 3.5-litre V6 engine and twin electric motors, giving drivers an all-wheel-drive setup that produces a healthy 308 horsepower. The RX 450h is also available in the extended wheelbase RX L body style, adding a third row of seating.
Fuel economy: 7.5 / 8.4 / 7.9 L/100 km cty/hwy/cmb
Estimated yearly fuel costs: $1,738
2022 Lexus UX 250h
The Lexus UX subcompact luxury SUV is only offered as a hybrid 250h in Canada. This model features a rather unique hybrid all-wheel drive setup with a 2.0-litre engine and three electric motors. In total, it is rated at 181 horsepower. While not very large, the UX 250h is highly fuel efficient, making it perfect for city dwellers or customers with small or budding families.
Fuel economy: 5.7/ 6.2 / 6.0 L/100 km cty/hwy/cmb
Estimated yearly fuel costs: $1,200
2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid
The Toyota Highlander Hybrid is a direct competitor to the Ford Explorer Hybrid, offering up comparable capability and fuel efficiency in a similarly sized package. Power in this three-row, all-wheel drive SUV comes from a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine and twin electric motors, with output rated at 243 horsepower. The max tow rating of the Highlander Hybrid sits at 1,588 kg (3,500 lb), which is less than the Explorer Hybrid’s rating of 2,267 kgs (5,000 lb).
Fuel economy: 6.7/ 6.8 / 6.7 L/100 km cty/hwy/cmb
Estimated yearly fuel costs: $1,340
2022 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid
The dependable Toyota RAV4 is a popular choice among Canadian motorists and is now available as an efficiency-minded all-wheel drive hybrid. All RAV4 Hybrid models come with a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine and two electric motors, with output rated at 219 horsepower. The Toyota RAV4 Hybrid is also built in Ontario.
Fuel economy: 5.8/ 6.3 / 6.0 L/100 km cty/hwy/cmb
Estimated yearly fuel costs: $1,200
2022 Toyota Venza
The Toyota Venza is somewhat unique in that it is only available with a hybrid powertrain. This sleek-looking, all-wheel drive midsize SUV features the same 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine and dual electric motors as the RAV4 Hybrid, which has the same 219 horsepower output. The Venza is slightly larger than the RAV4 and is therefore marginally less efficient.
Fuel economy: 5.9/ 6.4 / 6.1 L/100 km cty/hwy/cmb
Estimated yearly fuel costs: $1,200
Honorable Mention: 2023 Honda CR-V Hybrid
While the Honda CR-V Hybrid is not currently sold in Canada, it will arrive here for the 2023 model year. What’s more, it will also be produced domestically, with this electrified SUV set to enter production at Honda’s Alliston plant in Ontario. The CR-V Hybrid, which has been available in the U.S. since 2017, features a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine a pair of electric motors, with this setup producing a respectable 212 horsepower.
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