What mid-size hybrid or PHEV SUV do you recommend on a $70,000 budget?

I would like to buy a mid-size hybrid or PHEV SUV. My budget is $70,000. Charging or range is not a problem because most of my driving is around the city. What is your recommendation?

Thank you – Ross

Mark Richardson: If charging and range is not a problem, then I wonder why Ross is not considering an all-electric vehicle?

Miranda Lightstone: Maybe we aren’t getting the whole story here, and Ross takes regular longer road trips outside the city. Or, perhaps, it’s a matter of keeping that safety net of a gas-powered engine “just in case.”

Richardson: It could also be because Ross sees better value in a car that doesn’t consume a lot of rare earth minerals and high-tech battery components. Whatever the case though, here’s a quick lecture before I move on: somebody who lives and drives around a city and who can charge easily will normally be much better served by a fully electric vehicle.

Lightstone: There are some clear advantages to driving a full-EV city car, most notably a saving on the price of fuel, which also means eliminating the need to search for a gas station in an urban sprawl where they may be hard to come by. Oh, and while I don’t know which city Ross is writing from, currently, Toronto and Montreal boast the most EV-only city-centre parking spots that also offer on-site charging – more than 1,000 each.

Richardson: Ross is also asking for a recommendation for a hybrid-powered SUV, but hybrids don’t usually offer much return when they’re used for urban driving. They’re best on the highway, where they can coast at speed with little demand on the engine. In the city, with all its stop-and-go traffic, the hybrid motor is little used.

Lightstone: Most hybrids will switch entirely to EV mode when coasting on the highway at certain speeds, just like the 2025 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV I drove recently. It was happy to silently cruise the open roads, but gas-only when I hit the city with lots of lights and traffic. Another reason to ditch the gas engine entirely if it truly is being used for city-only driving and can be easily parked and charged.

Richardson: But Ross is asking us specifically for recommendations for a mid-sized plug-in hybrid or conventional hybrid. The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV is good value for money, but it’s a compact SUV and probably too small for him. He wants something a size larger.

Lightstone: It would have been helpful if he’d told us his reasons for a mid-size vehicle. People often buy something larger than they really need, and the extra size is just wasteful.

Richardson: My go-to choice is the Toyota Highlander hybrid, which is reliable and holds its value better than most. The hybrid is about the same cost as the traditional gas-powered alternative, but if you want the same upgraded seats and climate control, you’ll need to pay an extra $3,000.

Lightstone: Good choice, but how about a BMW X5 xDrive45e? A new one is above what he wants to spend, but used prices on 2021-2023 models are within Ross’s budget. It boasts about 50 kilometres of electric range, which is high for the segment and might mean he’ll barely touch the gas engine with city-only driving and charging at home.

Richardson: The X5 is a capable machine and its technology is impressive. I’m wary of recommending any of the premium German brands as used vehicles, though, because the maintenance costs can be high. A transferable extended warranty makes all the difference, of course.

Lightstone: Agreed. There’s always the Mazda CX-90 PHEV that has a gorgeous interior and drives well. It feels large on the road, though, and may offer more interior space than Ross is looking for.

Richardson: You know, the Mazda is an excellent choice. If Ross doesn’t want the third row of seats, he can consider the CX-70 PHEV instead, which is otherwise almost identical. The three-row SUV can actually be bought with fewer features and its basic version is about $4,000 cheaper than the better-equipped two-row, at around $55,000 before taxes.

Lightstone: Another good one from Mazda, for sure. My final two cents would be to have a look at the Honda CR-V Hybrid. It’s the smallest of the lot we’ve suggested, but again, if Ross doesn’t really need a third row, it will be much easier to manoeuver and park around the city.

Richardson: Too small – Ross is asking specifically for a mid-sized SUV and despite growing with each generation, the CR-V is still considered compact. I think he’ll be much happier with a Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid, which is actually less expensive than the regular Santa Fe.

Lightstone: That’s a rare deal, when the hybrid version is the cheaper option. The Santa Fe is a great vehicle that comes really well equipped, and the 1.6-litre turbocharged engine performs well if he wants to have a little fun outside the city.

Richardson: The gas-powered version is more of a higher-performance vehicle, with greater towing capacity than the more usual equivalent of the hybrid. It’s good value for money, starting at just over $46,000 before taxes, so Ross could easily afford the leather seats and bigger screens of the Luxury all-wheel-drive version that rings in at around $10,000 more.

Lightstone: We’ve given a wide range of hybrid SUV choices here for Ross from the more modest Outlander to the much more upscale BMW X5, all offering the space he requires and within his budget (either new or used).

Richardson: I’ll recommend the Toyota Highlander and the Hyundai Santa Fe hybrids for value and quality, but I’ll also urge Ross to reconsider an all-electric vehicle.

Lightstone: I’ll stick by the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. After all, it was the top-selling PHEV SUV in Canada last year. But if he’s looking for something that feels and looks more upscale, the Mazda CX-70 PHEV is a great option.

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