LUXURY GOES GREEN

A GUIDE TO UPSCALE PLUG-IN HYBRID SUVS

The Lexus NX 450H+ is a good choice for a smaller size SUV. Once a novelty, plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) are now mainstream and part of the lineup at most auto makers. Although they are transitional to the coming full electrification, PHEVs offer a lot of advantages for auto buyers, combining useful battery range with quite a bit more from the on-board gas engine. Typically, they can travel 400 miles or more without being refueled.

The plug-in hybrid format is well-suited to larger luxury SUVs, which tend to be heavy. As battery electrics, they would demand very big packs and longer charging times. PHEVs, even the larger ones, can carry small batteries and recharge in a few hours. The price advantage over full-battery cars may be temporary, but it’s there now. Here are a few choice luxury PHEV SUVs. It doesn’t hurt that most of them deliver exciting performance:

AUDI Q5 PHEV $51,695 WITH PREMIUM PLUS The all-wheel-drive five-passenger Q5 offers 362 horsepower with 369 pound-feet of torque, with 141 horsepower coming from the electric motor. Electric range is 23 miles and, thanks to the turbo four-cylinder motor, it’s fast—zero-to-60 miles per hour in 4.5 seconds is possible. The battery pack was enlarged to 17.9 kilowatt-hours for 2022, and that helps improve the car’s MPGe (miles per gallon equivalent) rating to 61. The exterior styling is relatively anonymous, but the upscale

interior is crisply modern, with a large central screen and digital dash. A long list of optional features will quickly push this Q5 over the $60,000 mark. The Premium Plus package, which you’re going to want because it includes adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping, and a panoramic roof, is $3,900.

BMW X5 XDRIVE45E $65,700 This is a driver’s SUV, powered by a turbo inline six-cylinder and an e-motor that together produce 389 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque. In press testing, it achieved 60 mph in 4.7 seconds. Electric range is a decent 30 miles. Not quite as fuel-efficient as some of the other SUVs in this review, the BMW achieves 50 MPGe. As with the Audi, a well-appointed interior (with wood trim and SensaTec upholstery) trumps the hard-to-find-in-the-crowd exterior styling.

JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE 4XE $58,465 Jeep had a runaway success when it added 4xe PHEV technology to the Wrangler, making it the most popular U.S. PHEV in the first quarter of 2022. That hastened the introduction of the upmarket Cherokee PHEV. The tworow midsize Cherokee 4xe sports a very luxurious interior. Options in the higher trims include a McIntosh 19-speaker audio and massage seats. The hybrid drivetrain produces a combined 375 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque, and features a turbocharged two-liter four-cylinder engine. Off-road ability is excellent, especially in the Trailhawk version. Electric range is 25 miles, with an EPA estimate of 56 MPGe. The Grand Wagoneer is likely to be soon available in a 4xe version.

LEXUS NX 450H+ $56,635 This upscale PHEV is based on another excellent car, the Toyota RAV4 Prime. Both vehicles offer 302 horsepower from a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine. Zero to 60 takes an official six seconds in the 450h+, though some testers have gotten it to go faster. The Lexus doesn’t offer quite the Toyota’s 41 miles of EV range, but it does deliver an impressive 37 miles. The Lexus is a good choice if you want a smaller SUV—it’s competition for the Audi Q5 and Volvo XC60 Recharge, also considered here. The 450h+ has 22.7 cubic feet of storage. A 14-inch touchscreen is optional, and dominates a nicely equipped luxury interior.

LINCOLN AVIATOR BLACK LABEL GRAND TOURING $88,520 With three-row seating for up to seven people and a length of more than 16 feet, this is a large and capacious PHEV SUV. The gasoline go-power is provided by a twin-turbo three-liter V-6, which combines with a 100-horsepower electric motor to produce a combined 494 horsepower with 630 pound-feet of torque. Electric range is 18 miles, and the MPGe rating is 56. Curb weight is a hefty 5,673 pounds. As expected for a car in this class, massaging seats are available, as is a 28-speaker premium stereo and leather. Standard features include soft-closing doors, active parkassist-plus, and rear-door sunshades.

VOLVO XC60 RECHARGE T8 EXTENDED RANGE $55,845 In its 2022 incarnation, the midsize T8 is capable of 35 miles of all-electric range— fairly good for a plug-in hybrid. (The range goes up to 41 miles in the sedanbased S60 Recharge.) The XC60 owner is buying both a very green electric car and a high-performance vehicle that offers 455 total horsepower (143 of it coming from the electric motor) and a huge 523 pound-feet of torque. It returns 63 MPGe, but also accelerates to 60 miles per hour in just 4.5 seconds. It’s a heavy vehicle at 4,758 pounds, but feels sprightly to drive. Yes, it’s a boxy Volvo, but the interior, with either cloth or Nappa leather, is a study in cool Euro design. There are advanced driver-assistance features, and of course state-of-the-art safety. The larger Volvo XC90 Recharge is also available, starting at $65,895.

The Lincoln Navigator Black Label Grand Touring, shown at top, has three-row seating for up to seven people. The BMW X5 XDrive 45e, shown below, has a particularly well-appointed interior.