Honda CR-V
The CR-V sits at the top of our list when it comes to compact SUVs. In every form, it's a reliable, efficient people carrier with the added bonus of dialed-in handling and a comfortable cabin. While both front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive are available up and down the lineup, the hybrid engine options are only in the upper trim levels. The nonhybrid CR-V is available in LX, EX, and EX-L trims and hybrid offerings start with the Sport and also include the Trailsport, Sport-L, and Sport Touring.
Performance
If you want the quicker one, the choice is clear. In nonhybrid form, the CR-V makes 190 horsepower from a turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder. The hybrid uses a larger 2.0-liter four-cylinder with two electric motors, making 204 horsepower. The extra power is noticeable. The nonhybrid takes 8.1 seconds to get to 60 mph. In today's traffic, that could feel slow, especially compared to the hybrid's 7.1-second acceleration to 60 mph.
Technology
Honda offers excellent set of driver assists even in its base models, and there are options for additional monitoring and alerts. All CR-Vs get a 9.0-inch touchscreen with phone connectivity and wireless charging. The higher trims get nicer gauge clusters and increasingly better stereo systems, so if you're an audiophile, you'll want a hybrid trim both for the additional speakers and the quieter engine.
Fuel Economy
It should be an obvious win for the hybrid here. The EPA says the hybrid will return 43 mpg city, 36 mpg highway, and 40 mpg combined for front-wheel-drive models and 40 mpg city, 34 mpg highway, and 37 mpg combined for all-wheel-drive models. The more off-road-focused TrailSport gets 38 mpg city, 33 mpg highway, and 35 mpg combined. In our 75-mph highway fuel-economy test, the all-wheel-drive Sport Touring Hybrid registered 35 mpg, slightly above its 34-mpg EPA estimate.
The nonhybrid is no slouch, though. The front-wheel-drive gas-only CR-V has an EPA rating of 28 mpg city and 33 mpg highway. All-wheel drive drops that to 27 mpg city and 31 mpg highway. When we tested an all-wheel-drive EX-L on the same highway loop, it delivered a real-world result of 31 mpg, so the mileage benefit here is really mostly for city drivers.
Price
With a starting price of $37,580, the hybrid CR-V is a $4,510 dollar jump from the base LX's $33,070.
Did You Know?
The hybrid CR-V has a slightly smaller cargo area due to additional electrical components. The hybrid offers 72 cubic feet with all seats down and 35 cubic feet with them up, 4 cubic feet less than the nonhybrid.
Our Recommendation
Go for the hybrid. It's quicker, the trim levels have more standard features, and it's quieter and smoother than the nonhybrid model. Along with the better fuel mileage, it's just a better driving experience.
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Hyundai Palisade
Hyundai’s three-row Palisade SUV started offering a hybrid option with its 2026 redesign. Shoppers have the option of choosing that powertrain in front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive configurations in nearly all of the Palisade’s trim levels, save for the base SE and off-road XRT Pro trims.
Performance
The Palisade comes standard with a naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V-6 engine making 287 horsepower. Optioning in the hybrid bumps the power output to 329 horsepower thanks to a turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine paired with two electric motors. Our reviews of the V-6 describe its 0-60 time of 8.0 seconds as "merely adequate," while we praise the hybrid's 6.6-second run as "significantly quicker."
Technology
Since the hybrid is available from the SEL trim up through Calligraphy, there's no affect on the available features whether you choose the hybrid or the nonhybrid. We find the middle SEL Premium trim to be a great choice for either powertrain, with a good mix of features including ventilated front seats and heated rear seats and a 360-degree camera.
Fuel Economy
With front-wheel drive, the V-6 Palisade gets an EPA rating of 19 mpg city, 25 mpg highway, and 21 mpg combined. With all-wheel drive, those numbers go down by 1 mpg across the board. On our 75-mph highway fuel economy test, the all-wheel-drive V-6 Palisade Calligraphy scored 25 mpg.
The hybrid Palisade should knock the V-6 out of the water, with an EPA rating of 33 mpg city and 35 mpg highway for the front-wheel-drive Blue trim level. We tested an AWD Palisade Hybrid and were slightly disappointed by the 28 mpg in our highway fuel-economy test, which is 2 mpg lower than the EPA rating for the AWD trim. Long-haulers may not see the benefit of the hybrid, but city commuters will see a bigger advantage in stop and go traffic.
Price
If we compare the recommended SEL Premium trims for both variants, the V-6 starts at $47,250 while the hybrid adds on a mere $2,320. If you live somewhere with expensive gas like Los Angeles, that's about two fillups these days.
Did You Know?
If you're planning to haul more than people in your Palisade, the V-6 is rated to tow 5000 pounds, while the hybrid is only rate for 4000 pounds.
Our Recommendation
Go for the hybrid. It's more refined and considerably quicker, which makes for less stressful merging and passing.
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Subaru Crosstrek
The Crosstrek is the hiking sandal of small SUVs. It's versatile, practical, and capable of going from city streets right to the trails. With seating for five and standard all-wheel drive on every trim, the Crosstrek is ready for unexpected guests or unexpected weather. The hybrid is only available in two Crosstrek trims, the midrange Sport or the fully loaded Limited. Shoppers who want a base model or the campsite-ready Wilderness trim with its extra ground clearance and tow rating are going to be non-hybrid only.
Performance
It's called a Crosstrek, not a Fasttrek. The standard 180-hp 2.5-liter four-cylinder drags the Crosstrek to 60 mph in 8.1 seconds. The hybrid adds two electric motors to the same 2.5-liter flat-four which brings the total output to 194 horsepower. It's quicker, but not by much, taking 7.7 seconds to get to 60 mph. The difference is noticeable in acceleration away from stoplights, where the hybrid feels more responsive, but neither Crosstrek is likely to win any drag races.
Technology
Both trims that offer the hybrid come with the 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster and 11.6-inch touchscreen
Fuel Economy
The Crosstrek is rated for up to 26 mpg city and 33 mpg highway, depending on the configuration. On our 75-mph highway fuel-economy route, the nonhybrid Crosstrek returned 36 mpg. The hybrid (wait for it) is rated for 36 mpg city, highway, and combined and we saw 35 mpg on our highway test. All of which leads us to say that if you're buying the Crosstrek with long road trips to mountain trails in mind, the nonhybrid might do just as well for you.
Price
Our recommendation for the nonhybrid Crosstrek is the Premium, which starts at $29,865, but to compare equal trims we should move up to the Limited which will set you back $34,470 for the gas-only engine and $37,470 for the hybrid.
Did You Know?
The regular Crosstrek has a space-saver spare tire under the cargo floor, but the hybrid uses that space for the battery, so no donut for you.
Our Recommendation
Go for the nonhybrid. Both the standard and hybrid Crosstreks offer 8.7 inches of ground clearance, making them equally capable on fire roads and desert runs. The hybrid is only a little quicker, and its fuel economy gains really only come into play in city driving. If the goal is roadtrips and off-road trips, save the extra money for one of those fancy camping mattresses.
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Ford Maverick
Here's one where there's no wrong answer. We love the Maverick with its mini-truck charm and daily-driver functionality. The hybrid is the base-engine for the Maverick, coming standard in three of its five trim levels-- XL, XLT, and Lariat. A turbocharged 2.0-liter gas-only engine is an option in the XLT, and this more powerful choice is the only engine available in the high-performance Lobo and off-road-oriented Tremor trims. All-wheel drive is an optional upgrade on the lower trims, but comes standard on Lariat and above.
Performance
The Maverick's hybrid powertrain pairs a 2.5-liter four-cylinder with a single electric motor for a combined 191 horsepower. It's quicker than it sounds, with an AWD version we tested getting to 60 mph in 6.7 seconds.
Ditch the hybrid and you get a turbocharged 2.0-liter four cylinder that spits out 250 horsepower and zings the little truck forward to 60 mph in 5.8 seconds.
Both hybrid and nonhybrid Mavericks can carry 1500 pounds of payload capacity and offer 2000 pounds of towing capacity. With the optional Tow package, that rating is upped to 4000 pounds.
Technology
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