Hybrid vehicles used to sacrifice interior space to house their extra powertrain components. This meant you had to pack more conservatively on road trips since you had less space to work with—especially if your buddies tagged along. This is no longer the case with the new generation of hybrid vehicles. You now can have the impressive fuel economy (and sometimes additional power) of a hybrid and plenty of space for friends, family, and all of your gear. Here are 15 hybrids roomy enough for your passengers and your Ikea boxes.
Hyundai Sonata Hybrid
With the battery placed under the trunk instead of behind the rear seats, the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid is flexible, practical, and fuel efficient. The 13.3-cubic-foot trunk is bigger than most of its competitors’ and this is one of few hybrid sedans that comes standard with 60/40 split-folding rear seats in case you need to haul a lot of gear and groceries. Should you need to drive your friends around, the rear seats fit two adults comfortably.
Toyota Prius
No other car is as synonymous with the word “hybrid” as the Toyota Prius, the automotive poster child of the green movement. Essentially a hatchback, the Prius has 27.4 cubic feet of cargo space that can be expanded to accommodate more stuff when you put the standard 60/40 split-folding rear seats down. With an EPA fuel economy rating of up to 58/53 mpg city/highway, you’ll also have plenty of range to keep the good times rolling long after non-hybrids have stopped to refuel.
Audi A3 e-Tron
Want something practical and eco-friendly but also luxurious and Teutonic? Then the Audi A3 e-Tron is your car. The A3 e-Tron has up to 13.1 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats up and 39.5 cubic feet with them down. You’ll also enjoy the hybrid powertrain’s maximum output of 204 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque, giving you the power needed to pass, merge, and accelerate with ease.
Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid
Those with an active lifestyle will enjoy the Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid because it’s got plenty of ground clearance—8.7 inches—to make it through the muddy and unpaved roads to your favorite campsite. It has 21.5 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats up and 50.2 cubic feet with them down, so you won’t have any reason to leave anything behind.
Ford C-Max
The Ford C-Max is the hybrid hatchback that’s fun to drive — it shares its bones with the Focus compact car — and practical for family or hauling duty. It’s go 24.5 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats that you can expand to 52.6 cubic feet, so it’ll handle your shopping sprees with ease. And should you find yourself on a winding road, you’ll also enjoy its engaging driving dynamics and the hybrid powertrain’s total output of 188 hp.
Lexus NX 300h
Known more for its insanely polarizing front fascia than anything else, the Lexus NX 300h is also practical despite the added hybrid powertrain components. The cargo can hold up to 16.8 cubic feet when you have passengers in the second row and 53.7 cubic feet when the back seats are down.
Lexus RX 450h
With a combined output of 308 hp from its hybrid powertrain, the redesigned Lexus RX 450h has no trouble hauling four passengers and their gear. With 18 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 55.9 cubic feet behind the front seats, you’ve got plenty to work with when it comes to mixing and matching your passenger and cargo loads.
Audi Q5 Hybrid
Stylish, Teutonic, and luxurious, the Audi Q5 Hybrid has a fuel economy rating of 24/30 mpg city/highway to give you as much range as possible. The crossover’s powertrain also produces a total output of 245 hp and 354 lb-ft of torque for quick getaways. The Q5 hybrid’s cargo capacity of up to 57.3 cubic feet means you can haul everything from Costco purchases to flatpack furniture without needing to borrow a truck.
Toyota Prius V
For families that want a something practical but don’t want a crossover, the Toyota Prius V is a fine choice. There’s up to 67.3 cubic feet of cargo space in the Prius V and the second row can recline as well as move forward and backward for maximum comfort and flexibility. With a fuel economy rating of 44/40 mpg, you’ll also go farther before needing to refuel.
Toyota RAV4 Hybrid
The Toyota RAV4 Hybrid offers standard all-wheel drive, a total output of 194 hp, and generous interior space for people and cargo. Featuring 35.6 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 70.6 cubic feet with the second row folded, the RAV4 Hybrid doesn’t sacrifice much cargo space compared to the non-hybrid variant. With the second row in place the RAV4 can seat four comfortably and still have enough cargo room for all of your odds and ends.
BMW X5 xDrive40e
As the first plug-in hybrid crossover sold by BMW, the X5 xDrive40e offers seating for up to five passengers and 34.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind the 40/20/40-split folding rear seats that’s expandable to 72.5 cubic feet. The x5 xDrive40e’s plug-in hybrid powertrain generates a total output of 308 hp, giving you plenty to work with when you’re hauling people and stuff.
Infiniti QX60 Hybrid
Returning for an encore for 2016, the Infiniti QX60 Hybrid has been refreshed and updated along with the rest of the QX60 lineup. The same hybrid powertrain consisting of a supercharged 2.5-liter I-4 paired to an electric motor remains and generates 250 hp and 243 lb-ft of torque. With a maximum cargo capacity of 76.5 cubic feet you can haul all kinds of stuff from shopping bags to furniture and baby gear. The pre-refresh QX60 is shown here; read about the 2016 QX60 in this article.
Toyota Highlander Hybrid
Available in the highest trim levels of the Toyota Highlander, the Highlander Hybrid is the all-weather family hybrid crossover. With up to 83.2 cubic feet of cargo space, you can load it to the gills with all of your sports gear when you’re not hauling the soccer team around.
Volvo XC90 T8 Twin Engine
Is the Volvo XC90’s 316-hp, super- and turbocharged 2.0-liter I-4 not enough for you? Then consider the plug-in hybrid XC90 T8 Twin Engine, which pairs an electric motor to the super- and turbocharged 2.0-liter I-4 for a total output of 400 hp and 472 lb-ft of torque, giving you all kinds of power. The T8 also doesn’t sacrifice cargo space, with 15.8 cubic feet behind the third row, 41.8 cubic feet behind the second row, and 85.7 cubic feet behind the front seats.
Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid
Going on sale in the latter half of 2016, the Chrysler Pacific Plug-In Hybrid is the first hybrid minivan that doesn’t sacrifice space and practicality for fuel economy. With the batteries placed in the Stow N’ Go seat tubs, the Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid offers 32.3 cubic feet behind the third row, 87.5 cubic feet behind the second row, and 140.5 cubic feet with the third row stowed and the second row removed. The Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid is reportedly going to be able to travel up to 30 miles in EV mode.
The post 15 Hybrids that Don’t Sacrifice Cargo and Passenger Space appeared first on Motor Trend.
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