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Best plug-in hybrid cars, SUVs and minivans for 2024

We’re fans of electric vehicles, but they have their shortcomings. TheyÂ’re not available in as wide of a range of body styles as gas-powered cars, and theyÂ’re still limited by range and charging infrastructure. Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) offer a great compromise, though, allowing for all-electric driving, but also having a gas engine for when you need more power or to travel long distances. Choosing a plug-in hybrid vehicle also allows more options; for instance, you canÂ’t get an all-electric minivan in the U.S. Â… yet. But with those extra PHEV offerings, it might be difficult to know where to start shopping. WeÂ’ve narrowed it down a bit, bringing you the best plug-in hybrids for 2024, as voted on by Autoblog staff, in various segments to help you pick a great PHEV based on your budget and needs. Best luxury plug-in hybrid large/midsize SUV: Volvo XC90 Recharge Despite showing its age, the Volvo XC90 remains an excellent three-row crossover in terms of design, comfort and safety, and the XC90 Recharge plug-in hybrid only improves the formula with both power and efficiency. Interestingly, with the gas motor powering the front axle and the e-motor powering the rear, the XC90 Recharge operates as a rear-wheel-drive car when only using electric power, and front-wheel-drive when only using gas. The powertrain is good for 455 horsepower and 523 pound-feet of torque, with a 5-second 0-60 time. It can travel 32 miles on electricity alone. Runner-up: Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid   Best mainstream plug-in hybrid large/midsize SUV: Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe Do you want an American PHEV with style, refinement and off-road capability? The Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe combines all that with a turbocharged 2.0-liter and electric motor good for 375 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque, as well as an electric range of 26 miles. That means you can enjoy your favorite trails in near silence and make fewer trips to the gas pump on the way there. Runner-up: Kia Sorento Plug In-Hybrid   Best luxury plug-in hybrid compact/subcompact SUV: Volvo XC60 Recharge Volvo borrows the formula from the XC90 and places it in a smaller package to get the XC60 Recharge. It has the same 455 horsepower and 523 pound-feet of torque, but it drops the 0-60 time to 4.5 seconds while offering 35 miles of electric range. You can even pony up for the Polestar Engineered trim to get the Ohlins suspension, Brembo brakes, 21-inch forged wheels and unique styling.

2016 Porsche 919 Hybrid sharpens up to defend its titles

Porsche made a clean sweep of LMP1 racing last season, winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans as well as the FIA World Endurance Championship for both drivers and manufacturers. And now that it's back on top of the podium, it's not about to step down again without putting up a fight. To that end, witness the newly revised 919 Hybrid. Revealed ahead of the season's start with the Prologue event at the Paul Ricard circuit in France, the 2016 Porsche 919 Hybrid is an evolution of the version that debuted in 2014 and trounced the competition in 2015. But Audi and Toyota – with their similarly revised R18 and TS050 – will be at least as hungry this year to dethrone Porsche as Porsche will be to retain its titles, so the racing engineers in Weissach have made made a number of revisions. The chassis and basic engine architecture, of course, are the same, with a two-liter turbocharged V4 assisted by a brake energy recovery system at the front and exhaust energy recuperation at the back. But the engine now uses less fuel, so it can run longer between pit stops – a vital element of the strategy when racing for hours on end. The aerodynamics were made more adjustable so that the team can switch between three packages depending on the type of track they're running. While they were at it, those notoriously exacting German engineers managed to cut some excess weight out as well. And instead of the three different color liveries like last year, this season the 919 Hybrid will run under a common livery of black, white, and red – which hopefully won't get mixed up with those of its rivals from Audi and Toyota. We guess we'll all find out when the season kicks off in earnest at Silverstone in mid-April. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. FIA World Endurance Championship WEC, LMP1 Ready for title defence: the new Porsche 919 Hybrid Stuttgart. World debut of the new 919 Hybrid: Two days before the official Prologue for the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) at Paul Ricard, France, Porsche is presenting its race car for this season. Strong development characterises the new 919 Hybrid' technology. The powertrain became even more efficient, the aerodynamics were even more specific for the various race tracks and the weight of single components was even more reduced. "The over 900 hp strong Le Mans Prototype is ready for the title defence," said Fritz Enzinger, Vice President LMP1.

German carmakers recall 630,000 diesel vehicles in Europe

Mercedes, Opel, Porsche, and Volkswagen will recall over 630,000 cars in Europe, according to reports Friday. No diesel car has been able to get under the legal emissions limit in real-world driving, according to a German government investigation. While only Volkswagen Group has been using a specific "defeat device", other carmakers have been playing with their exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) systems. Depending of the manufacturer, the systems have been cut off at a certain temperature. In a specific test cycle the systems operate to fulfill the legal requirements, but in everyday use the limits are exceeded. According to the magazine Der Spiegel, the supplier Bosch is behind this programming and has provided it to all German automakers. The mentioned carmakers have announced recalls, but many other manufacturers are also mentioned by name in the report, including Alfa Romeo, Chevrolet, Dacia, Fiat, Ford, Hyundai, Jaguar, Jeep, Land Rover, Nissan, Renault, and Suzuki. PSA Group, which produces Peugeot, Citroen, and DS cars, declared yesterday that its offices were raided following an emissions investigation. Related Video: News Source: AutocarImage Credit: Getty Images Government/Legal Green Recalls Mercedes-Benz Porsche Volkswagen Opel Emissions Diesel Vehicles diesel emissions investigation