- 2013-2017 Ford C-Max Energi
- 2018-present Kia Niro plug-in hybrid
- 2014-2018 Audi A3 Sportback e-tron
- 2014-2021 BMW i3 with range extender
- 2015-Present Volvo XC90 T8
Plug-in hybrid crossover SUVs offer tantalizing fuel savings. But their high price often offsets any cost savings. Luckily, several forward-thinking automakers have been offering plug-in hybrid crossover SUVs for nearly a decade. Today, you have several excellent options for used plug-in hybrid crossovers, including a few you may be able to find for under $20k. Because of hybrid vehicles’ low maintenance costs and low operating costs, these used PHEVs make great investments.
2013-2017 Ford C-Max Energi
2017 Ford C-Max Energi | Ford
Kelley Blue Book compiled a list of the best used plug-in hybrid available for $20k or less, and had to include the 5-door compact Ford C-Max crossover car. This is because the Ford C-Max was the company’s first hybrid-only vehicle. The C-Max Energi was the plug-in variant that offered 95 MPGe, 20 miles of all-electric range, and 39 mpg in hybrid mode. When optioned with the SYNC3 infotainment system, it even included Apple CarPlay/Android Auto as early as 2017.
See a list of used cars with Apple Carplay.
2018-present Kia Niro plug-in hybrid
2023 Niro | Kia
This era of the Kia Niro offered numbers ahead of its time: 105 MPGe and 46 mpg in hybrid mode. It also boasted 26 miles of all-electric range. As a result, most Niro owners hang onto their plug-in hybrid crossover SUVs, and they are, unfortunately, a bit harder to find cheaply on the used market.
2014-2018 Audi A3 Sportback e-tron
2021 Audi A3 e-tron | Audi
This entrant is more of a hot-hatch than a crossover SUV, and it’s a luxury vehicle. But it’s surprisingly affordable on the used market. It got 83 MPGe/35 mpg in hybrid mode. But its all-electric range was only 16 miles, so it’s a solid option for PHEV enthusiasts with a short commute. Some rare examples of this used plug-in hybrid crossover even have adaptive cruise control–on model years as early as 2016.
2014-2021 BMW i3 with range extender
2020 BMW i3 | BMW
The BMW i3 was a compact crossover. But it still turns heads and features one of the most interesting pieces of technology on this list: a gasoline-powered range extender. The i3 is essentially a fully electric crossover vehicle with 72 miles of battery range, with a gasoline-powered generator. If you fill up both the battery and the gas tank, you can drive for 150 miles. You’ll get 117 MPGe/39 mpg in hybrid mode.
2015-Present Volvo XC90 T8
2023 Volvo XC90 T8 | Volvo
While the used Volvo XC90 T8 doesn’t make KBB’s list of used plug-in hybrids you can easily find for under $20k, this crossover SUV is still worth mentioning. This is because the XC90 is one of the only plug-in hybrids available with a third row of seating. The XC90 is labeled as a “twin-engine” PHEV; it features a 2.0-liter I4 gasoline engine driving its front wheels and a 14-horsepower electric motor/generator at its rear wheels. The EPA only rated the 2015 XC90’s all-electric range at 13 miles, but Volvo did increase its battery size for the 2018 model year and again in 2021. The XC90 T8 earned an electric efficiency rating of 64 MPGe and a hybrid-mode efficiency rating of 25 MPG (combined city/highway).
Keyword: 5 Used Plug-In Hybrid Crossovers and SUVs You Can Buy Today