2008 Volvo C30 T5 Hatchback 2-door 2.5l on 2040-cars

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12 best hybrid SUVs for 2022

If you're searching for the best hybrid SUV, the truth is there actually aren't that many choices. While there's an endless sea of those powered solely by gasoline, those that add batteries and superior fuel economy to the mix are few and far between. The very good news, however, is that the choices you have are actually excellent. The top-selling and top-rated Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4 are not only available as hybrids, for instance, but are actually at their most appealing as hybrids.  Luxury hybrid SUVs are a different story. While Lexus offers each of its crossover SUVs as a conventional hybrid, those of other brands are by and large plug-in hybrids that provide a relatively brief amount of all-electric propulsion, superior fuel economy and higher prices that are somewhat countered by EV tax rebates. We include both conventional hybrids and plug-in hybrids in the below list of best hybrid SUVs. All are listed alphabetically within each category. Best small hybrid SUVs   |   Best midsize hybrid SUVs Best luxury hybrid SUVs   |   Best luxury plug-in hybrid SUVs Best small hybrid SUVs Honda CR-V Hybrid Why it stands out: Best-in-class back seat space; hybrid's distinctive EV-like power delivery; middle lower LATCH anchorCould be better: Antiquated and glitchy tech interface; a bit dull Hybrid fuel economy: 38 mpg combined (AWD only) Read our 2022 Honda CR-V Review Consider the CR-V the baseline for any compact SUV search. Objectively speaking, it's tough to beat due to its massive cargo capacity, voluminous back seat, well-balanced driving dynamics, competitive pricing and features, strong safety ratings and well-regarded reliability. In terms of its hybridness, we like that Honda's distinctive hybrid system sees most of its propulsion handled by the electric motor (the engine rarely powers the wheels directly), resulting in a more EV-like, torque-rich power delivery and a less obtrusive gas engine. For the vast majority of compact SUV buyers, and especially families, the CR-V Hybrid checks every box.    Hyundai Tucson Hybrid Why it stands out: Beautiful interior; excellent infotainment and safety technology; traditional automatic transmissionCould be better: No spare tire; styling a tad outrageous Hybrid fuel economy: 37-38 mpg combined (AWD only) Plug-in hybrid electric range: 33 miles Plug-in hybrid fuel economy: 80 MPGe Read our 2022 Hyundai Tucson Review The Tucson is the new kid in town and it's made quite an entrance.

Volvo Concept XC Coupe leaked [w/video] [UPDATE]

Last month, Volvo gave us a teaser of its new Concept XC Coupe, set to debut at the Detroit Auto Show. And now, just a few days before the doors open at Cobo Hall, leaked images of the stylish new crossover showcar have leaked online, courtesy of CarBuyer.co.uk.
The Concept XC Coupe is a sort of high-riding successor to the very attractive Concept Coupe that wowed us at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show. With its burlier dimensions and hatchback configuration, the Concept XC gives us a better glimpse at Volvo's new styling direction, which is expected to debut in production form on the next-generation XC90 crossover. We've already seen some leaked sketches of the new XC90, and it sure does look like this Concept XC.
We don't have any further details about the Concept XC Coupe, but from the images, we can see that it will use a four-passenger seating configuration, with rear seats that fold flat. There are also exterior badges for surround radar and a 360-degree camera system, suggesting some new safety tech fitting of safety-minded brand.

Embrace one-pedal driving in EVs and PHEVs

I just came back from a trip out to California, where I was able to drive the new 2022 Volvo XC60 Recharge in its new extended-range form (you’ll find that review on Autoblog tomorrow). One of the newly-added headline features for this plug-in hybrid SUV is true one-pedal driving. This is one-pedal driving in a PHEV, not a full battery electric vehicle, and as of now, one-pedal driving in PHEVs is exceedingly rare. Other plug-ins may offer levels of braking regeneration, but one-pedal driving is typically a feature reserved for full EVs. Adding the feature to the Volvo is a huge boost to the driving experience for me, and I sincerely hope we see it in even more PHEVs soon. In case youÂ’re new to the one-pedal driving game, hereÂ’s a quick explainer. ItÂ’s called “one-pedal” because most of the time, youÂ’re only using one pedal to accelerate and decelerate. Press in to accelerate; let off evenly and gently to decelerate via regenerative braking. The trick at the end is in slowing down the final few mph and bringing the car to a stop smoothly, which typically requires some practice and time spent figuring out how best to modulate the throttle pedal. Once youÂ’re stopped in a car with one-pedal driving, it should hold itself in place when you have your foot off the throttle, allowing you to relax your legs at lights. Applying pressure to the brake pedal would be unnecessary so long as traffic doesnÂ’t necessitate quicker deceleration than what the car is capable of via letting off on the throttle. The point, of all of the above, is that one-pedal driving in an EV or PHEV simply makes driving easier. Once you learn the car, not having to swap back and forth between the throttle and brake pedals makes stop-and-go traffic (or any kind of driving) a lot more relaxing to manage. The point of this story is to call out the lack of this feature in some EVs and nearly all PHEVs. Some of you may have already hit the comments to voice your disdain for one-pedal driving, but do note, while IÂ’m advocating for the feature to be present in all EVs, IÂ’m not advocating for it to be a required always-on feature. In fact, you should be able to turn it off and on at your whimsy. Many car manufacturers already offer one-pedal driving in their EVs, but companies like VW, Audi, Porsche and to a certain extent, Mercedes, do not. This is slightly irritating, mostly because those companies make some of the most desirable EVs on the market today.