When it comes to choosing the right hybrid car for you and your family, there are many wonderful options to choose from. One of them is whether to get a hybrid with all-wheel drive (AWD). This feature means that the hybrid of your dreams can handle a variety of year-round road conditions and still offer excellent driving range. AWD helps your car dig and gain traction on any road surface, including heavy rain or snow, mud or sand. When AWD is an optional trim level in a hybrid car, the price difference is typically only around $2,000 higher than the minimum base price.
A collection of the best all-wheel drive hybrid vehicles
In our list of the best AWD hybrid cars of 2021, we’ve selected a combination of sedans, crossovers, and SUVs across a range of price points to help narrow down your list to pick a possible new car.
Family SUV
2021 Toyota Highlander AWD Hybrid
All-wheel drive hybrid car buying recommendation: This excellent three-row SUV comes with Toyota’s impressive new suite of SafetySense 2.5 driver assistance features, including emergency braking, lane departure alert, and road sign assist. The Highlander was redesigned in 2020 to offer all-wheel drive in four trim levels. You’ll find seating for eight people and plenty of cargo space.
MSRP Starts at: $39,800.
MPG: 35 City/35 Hwy
Compact crossover
2021 Ford Escape SE Sport Hybrid
If you’re looking for great value for money and an impressive range, the Ford Escape might be for you. Standard features include Ford’s Co-Pilot 360 package, which provides emergency braking, lane keeping assist, and cross-traffic alert. The Escape was redesigned in 2020 to offer a more spacious rear seat.
MSRP Starts at: $29,765
MPG: 40 city/43 highways
Compact hatchback
2021 Toyota Prius LE AWD-e
Best All-Wheel Drive Hybrids Collection: Over 2 million of these faithful hybrids have been sold over 2 million units over the past 20 years, and for good reason. The compact hatchback gives you superior fuel economy, a spacious interior, and an impressive track record of reliability. It comes with a 1.8-liter engine trimmed with the popular LE AWD-e and includes advanced safety features.
MSRP Starts at: $28,130
MPG: 51 city/47 highways
limousine
2021 BMW 530e xDrive
All-wheel drive hybrid car buying recommendation: The plug-in hybrid version of this luxury sedan can reach 65 MPGe, but its 248-horsepower turbocharged engine still has enough performance. BMW’s xDrive is their AWD version. Includes an active driving assistant with blind spot detection, lane departure warning, and frontal collision warning.
MSRP Starts at: $56,200
MPGe: 65 combo
Luxury SUV
2021 Audi Q5 Premium 45 TFSI quattro
The Audi Q5 45 TFSI quattro is an elegant and luxurious hybrid SUV that comes standard with all-wheel drive and leather seats for all trim options. The rear seats fold down for 53.5 cubic feet of cargo space. The 362-horsepower engine produces 369 pound-feet of torque, and the hybrid AWD drivetrain extends the range for better fuel economy. In addition, you can travel up to 19 miles on pure electricity. The Q5 also received a 5-star safety rating from NHTSA.
MSRP Starts at: $43,300
MPG: 25 Combo
Medium-sized sedans
2020 Acura RLX Sport Hybrid AWD
All-wheel drive hybrids buying recommendation: The Acura RLX hybrids offer three electric motors and a 3.5-liter V6 engine for a total of 377 horsepower and 28 mpg. Reviewers consider Acura’s AWD system to be one of the best, and it also comes standard with a number of driver assistance features, including heated leather seats and a power sunroof. Despite being discontinued in 2021, the 2020 RLX Hybrid remains the top choice in the AWD Hybrid category.
MSRP Starts at: $54,900
MPG: 28 city/29 highways
Subcompact crossover
2021 Subaru Crosstrek hybrid
Best All-Wheel Drive Hybrid Car Collection: This Subaru is built for all-weather driving performance. The standard symmetrical all-wheel drive Crossover SUV hybrid is the most fuel-efficient Crosstrek ever. It has received the highest rating for front collision prevention from the IIHS. Before using the BOXER gas engine, you could only use an electric motor to drive it for 17 miles, for a total range of 480 miles.
MSRP Starts at: $35,345
MPG: 35 Combo
MPGe: 90 miles