Best Used PHEV SUVs under $30,000

What’s the best plug-in hybrid SUV available for under $30,000? Are there even any PHEV SUVs for that price? Yes, there are. Take a look at them here!

A Ranking of Used PHEV SUVs

You want a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), but the 2023 Kia Sorento PHEV has a manufacturer suggested retail price (MSRP) of $36,590. What about a 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe PHEV? It has a MSRP of $34,300. The 2023 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV is a little higher at $39,845. The 2023 Subaru Crosstrek PHEV and the 2022 Ford Escape PHEV have similar prices. The 2022 Lincoln Corsair Grand Touring hybrid jumps up to $51,810.

There are more and more plug-in hybrids becoming available in the SUV body style, but, as you can see, a lot of them will take a chunk out of your bank account. Still, there are several PHEVs that are affordable. In fact, this entire list is dedicated to used PHEV SUVs that are under $30,000.

2018 Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-In

Though Europe car buyers had access to the Mitsubishi Outlander plug-in hybrid for a few years already, the 2018 model was the first to arrive in the United States. This Mitsubishi was one of the first to bring that kind of recharged electric capability to SUVs. Thought it had a MSRP of around $35,000 at the time, a lot of those 2018 models are now sitting around $25,000. What does the 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV have to offer though?

A 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine makes 117 horsepower (hp), but two 60 kilowatt (kW) motors join in to make a combined total output of 197 hp. That electric power is stored in a 12 kilowatt-hour (kWh) lithium-ion battery pack. The drive battery can be charged with a standard 120-volt power outlet, taking about eight hours to fully recharge. Using its motors and a direct drive one-speed transmission, the Outlander is one of the few immediately affordable PHEVs in the SUV class to come in all-wheel drive (AWD). The 2018 Outlander PHEV doesn’t have the most impressive fuel economy, but it does get 74 miles per gallon of gasoline equivalent (MPGe). It gets around 25 mpg of combined city and highway driving.

This PHEV SUV doesn’t have any steering or braking issues, but there’s some lean around curves. The cabin is fairly quiet and comfortable. There’s a good amount of space for four adults to fit, but adding a fifth person to the group makes it tight. Passengers can stow their belongings in 30.4 cu-ft of cargo space behind the rear seats. As far as fun gadgets go, all 2018 Mitsubishi Outlanders have Apple CarPlay integration, blind-spot monitoring, a rear cross-traffic alert, a rearview camera, Bluetooth, a seven-inch touchscreen display, two USB ports, and dual-zone automatic climate control. There’s not a category that the 2018 Outlander PHEV doesn’t rank well in.

2022 Kia Niro Plug-In

This list is for the best used plug-in hybrids under $30,000, but a brand-new 2022 Nitro PHEV starts at $29,590. It’s one of the longest range cars on the market, able to get up to 560 miles. If you can find a good deal on a used 2022 model, you can hopefully save even more money while still getting a lot of modern features you’d want. The Niro is a relatively new vehicle, though, so any model year you choose should have plenty of features. The first model of this first-generation hybrid was a 2018 model. While the Niro is somewhat hard to find used, some 2019 Kia Niro PHEVs are available for around $25,000. Let’s take a look at some of those 2019 Niro stats.

All-electric range? 26 miles. Total driving range? Up to 560 miles. MPGe? The EPA marks it at 105 in city and highway driving. It takes a little under two-and-a-half hours for the battery to recharge at 240 volts. This SUV is front-wheel drive and uses an inline four-cylinder engine along with a 44.5 kW electric motor. Kia utilizes an 8.9 kWh lithium-polymer battery pack for the 2018 Niro. As Kia’s smallest SUV, the Niro is fun to drive. It accelerates well, has a Sport Mode to add a little boost of excitement, and doesn’t feel too heavy even though it does weigh 3,000 pounds.

The cabin feels more upscale than it is, and includes Bluetooth, a seven-inch touchscreen, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility, dual-zone automatic climate control, and keyless entry. The 2018 Kia Niro is a compact SUV, but most people won’t feel a crunch in the rear seat. Behind those rear seats is 1934 cu-ft of cargo space. It expands to 54.5 cu-ft with the seats folded down. A little of this and a little of that add up to make the 2018 Niro a decent and affordable PHEV SUV option.

2019 Toyota RAV4 Plug-In

When it comes to efficiency, the Toyota RAV4 PHEV is hard to beat. Although the 2023 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid starts at $30,225, previous models, like the 2019 Toyota RAV4 PHEV, are cheaper than that. The 2019 RAV4 hybrid was fully redesigned for 2019, so that’s why I singled out this model year to look at as opposed to the 2018, 2017, or 2016 models.

Two electric motors partnered with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine to make a combined 219 hp in the 2019 RAV4 PHEV. As we pointed out in our 2019 Toyota RAV4 hybrid review, the 219 hp in this plug-in hybrid beats out the regular RAV4, which has 203 hp. The continuously variable transmission (CVT) and 2.5-liter engine get 41 mpg in the city and 38 mpg on the highway.

The 2019 RAV4 is a comfortable car to sit in and it’s equipped with useful driver assists. This model benefits from the Toyota Safety Sense package which includes forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, automatic high beams, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, and pedestrian detection as standard features.

The RAV4 didn’t offer too much infotainment as standard features, but satellite radio, navigation, wireless device charging, heated rear seats, and synthetic leather upholstery were all available, so some of the XLE, XSE, and Limited models are equipped with those extra comforts. There are storage nooks in the cabin, but there’s also 37.6 cu-ft of cargo space behind the rear seats. Overall, the 2019 RAV4 PHEV is a solid choice in a sea of PHEV possibilities. It’s one example as to why Toyota has had such success with hybrid vehicles.

2019 Subaru Crosstrek Plug-In

The Subaru Crosstrek came in hybrid form before the 2019 model, but that was the first year the Crosstrek was offered as a plug-in. This SUV started with a MSRP of $34,995 when it first went on sale, but thankfully enough time has passed that you can find some used models for under $30,000. No matter which trim you get, you’ll end up with an eight-inch touchscreen, a six-speaker stereo, satellite radio, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and USB ports. The interior is even further enhanced with heated front seats, a six-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, and automatic climate control. There are also several standard driver assists like a rearview camera, blind-spot monitoring, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, and automatic emergency braking.

Under the hood are two electric motors. Subaru gives each of them a different task. Motor Generator One (MG1) sends power to the rear-mounted 8.8-kWh battery pack. It also acts as a starter for the 2.0-liter flat-four engine. The second motor, the MG2, helps push this 2018 Crosstrek PHEV with that 2.0-liter engine. The internal-combustion engine makes 118 hp and 149 lb-ft of torque, but when it works with the two electric motors, the result is 148 hp. Electric-only range equals 17 miles and the gasoline engine gets a combined 35 mpg, but together they get 90 MPGe. It’ll take about five hours using a 120-volt outlet to recharge the battery pack in the 2019 Subaru Crosstrek PHEV. Using a 240-volt charger drops that time down to two hours.

Subaru uses a CVT, which is OK, but we’ve voiced our issues with it the Subaru CVT in our 2023 Outback review, our Head-to-Head: 2022 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport vs Subaru Forester comparison, and our 2020 Subaru Impreza review. The good thing about Subaru vehicles, though, is their AWD system and extra ground clearance to tackle a bit of off-roading. There’s 36.5 cu-ft amount of leg room for rear passengers, and 20.8 cu-ft of cargo space behind them. If it’s a solo drive or a getaway for two, then the rear seats fold down, giving you 55.3 cu-ft for cargo. The abundant standard driver assists, standard AWD, and decent range all help earn the 2019 Crosstrek PHEV a spot on this list.

2016 Volvo XC90 Plug-In

Luxury plug-in hybrids are out there, but finding them for under $30,000 can be a challenge. Still, it can be done. The 2016 Volvo XC90 PHEV is an example of that. This PHEV started out with a $69,095 base price, but in 2022 there are 2016 models available for around $27,000. Yes, it’s older than some of the other vehicles on this list, but it’s also filled with luxury. Nappa leather was used for the seats and on the door panels, dashboard, and center console. The shift lever is illuminated, the SUV has a large panoramic sunroof, and there’s even a hands-free power tailgate. Eight-way power front seats (which include driver memory settings), navigation, voice controls, and Bluetooth are all included, too.

How does the XC90 T8 perform and function though? A turbocharged 2.0L four-cylinder engine delivers 316 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. A 9.2-kWh lithium-ion battery pack is bolted into the driveshaft tunnel. There’s also a rear-mounted 60-kW alternating current (AC) motor producing 87-hp. Finally, this SUV has a 46-hp electric motor placed between the gas engine and the eight-speed automatic transaxle. It all adds up to 400 hp and 472 lb-ft of torque.

There’s a bit of hesitation during acceleration, but the Volvo T8 handles well. It’s sharp and strong. Body control isn’t an issue. The EPA measures the 2016 Volvo XC90 T8 plug-in hybrid as having 14 miles of electric range and a combined city/highway fuel economy of 25 mpg. Both electric motors are capable of recharging the battery during deceleration or when sending torque to the wheels. A 240-volt charging station can fully recharge the battery pack in about two-and-a-half hours. Using a 120-volt outlet extends that time to seven hours. For those who want a luxury PHEV SUV that doesn’t cost upwards of $50,000, a used 2016 XC90 T8 is your vehicle.

There Are More to Come

There aren’t as many options for an affordable PHEV SUV as we’d like. We’re not there yet. However, the growing PHEV SUV market means this list of PHEVs under $30,000 could expand significantly in the next few years. It’s a growing market.

If you’re interested in immediately getting a PHEV SUV and have a bigger budget, consider expanding your search to new plug-in hybrids, too. The choices and features expand when you factor new vehicles into your search. Whether it’s a used or new plug-in hybrid, we have resources for you. To help with all of your PHEV decision-making, we’ve published several other lists including the Best Plug-In Hybrids of 2022, the Best Hybrid SUVs You Can Buy Right Now, and the Best Hybrids Under $25,000.