2026 Hyundai Tucson Plug-In Hybrid

The Tucson Plug-in Hybrid adds medium-range electrification to Hyundai's already excellent compact SUV. And when we say medium range, we mean just enough for an electric-only commute to work and back if you're an average American. Call it 29.3 miles in our testing, even if the EPA says it's good for 32 miles. You'll also give up a little cargo space relative to every other Tucson variant. Those are small compromises for what's otherwise not just a good compact SUV but also a good hybrid.

Based on our testing, the regular Tucson Hybrid might be the only way to improve the PHEV reviewed here. It offers slightly better combined mpg according to the EPA and shaves nearly eight grand from the PHEV's price tag (for the lower-spec Blue trim). You'll give up the plug-in's commute-worthy electric-only range, but it's still worth considering. So is the Toyota RAV4, which for 2026 is exclusively hybrid-powered; its lineup includes a PHEV model with up to 52 miles of range. There's also a Mazda CX-5 Hybrid (no plug-in, sorry) and the Tucson's near mechanical twin, the Kia Sportage Hybrid.

Part of the appeal of the Tucson Plug-in Hybrid is its conventional six-speed automatic transmission. What's so special about an automatic transmission, you say? Well, nothing if it's bolted directly to a gas engine. But there are very few hybrid-powered cars and SUVs sold today with conventional automatics. And there are even fewer with shift paddles that allow you to control what gear you want and when. Most hybrids couple electrification with a continuously variable transmission, deleting the torque converter as rapidly as they erase your sanity. They drone every time you accelerate with purpose. But that's not what happens in the Tucson PHEV. Here, you put your foot down, and the engine speed increases in proportion with vehicle speed, which is just as it should be.