2022 Honda CR-V Touring.Supplied
We drive a 2014 Acura MDX. It’s in great condition, a reliable car (it’s our third MDX) and very comfortable to drive. However, our two university-aged kids will be moving out of province for school this fall, so we anticipate long car trips in the near future. With raising gas prices, we thought it’s a good time to look for a smaller hybrid SUV (downsize from a seven-seater to five). Or do we stick with a smaller gas SUV? We need reliability, comfort and some luxury, like keyless entry, heated seats and nice finishes. Also, four-wheel drive is a must for driving to the cottage in the winter. What are your recommendations? – Fatima and John
Petrina Gentile: There are many options if you’re looking at a compact hybrid or gas-powered SUV. And more keep coming to the market every year.
Mark Richardson: The thing to remember is that hybrid vehicles are most efficient in stop-and-go city traffic, constantly recharging from braking. On the highway, there’s little advantage to them. So if Fatima and John are looking to make long car trips, they’re probably best to stick with a gas vehicle.
Gentile: I agree. There’s also a price premium for hybrids and they definitely don’t need anything as big as the Acura MDX because the kids are moving away. A small gas-powered vehicle with five seats is all they need.
Richardson: The Acura RDX is the obvious first stop, a size down from the MDX they’re used to. There’s a new model for 2022, so it will offer all the technology and “nice finishes” they’re looking for, but they probably don’t need its 272-horsepower engine. Maybe the Honda CR-V is more what they want.
Gentile: You can’t go wrong with a Honda CR-V – it’s fuel efficient, practical and dependable. But, if they want to pay for those extra luxury touches, then the refreshed RDX is the way to go. It’s upscale, filled with technology and handles beautifully.
Richardson: Sure, the RDX is nice and costs about one and a half times what the $31,470 CR-V costs, but if Fatima and John are serious about using less fuel, they should be serious about having the CR-V’s less-powerful 190-horsepower engine, too.
Gentile: If they want to go green, they should definitely consider the Toyota RAV4 Prime, plug-in hybrid. It’s the best of both worlds.
2021 Toyota RAV4 Prime.Brendan McAleer/The Globe and Mail
Richardson: It is. I’d say it’s the obvious choice for a compact SUV with a green conscience, except the regular RAV4 is much less expensive and far easier to find at dealerships. Even the Canadian-built RAV4 Hybrid is easier to find, and they may prefer the regular hybrid option, though it will be little advantage on those longer road trips.
Gentile: But the RAV4 Prime lets you travel about 60 kilometres on electric power alone for daily commutes – it’s one of the highest ranges you can get with a plug-in hybrid. It starts just under $45,000 so it does qualify for federal and provincial rebates, where available. But you’re right, the base gas model of the RAV4 starts at less than $29,000.
Richardson: Of course, there are some provinces where you get a significant rebate for a plug-in hybrid, bringing the price down to around the equivalent gas model.
Gentile: But we don’t know where Fatima and John live – if they’re in Ontario, for example, they’re out of luck. Ontario doesn’t have any provincial rebates, any more. Although that may change after the upcoming election.
Richardson: Don’t count on it.
Gentile: We’ll see.
Richardson: The other hybrid compact SUV for them to consider is the Ford Escape Hybrid. It has all the nice things they’re looking for, mostly because hybrids aren’t usually available in stripped-down, basic models. It also has both a plug-in and a regular hybrid option.
2020 Ford Escape Hybrid.Courtesy of manufacturer
Gentile: I like the Escape’s conventional hybrid option. It starts at $34,099 – which is only a few thousand dollars more than the base gas-powered model, which starts at $29,199. But if you want the plug-in hybrid, it’s a lot more – $38,849.
Richardson: Which is much less than the RAV4 Prime. You’re not just paying for the electrified options, though – you get more features than the most basic Escape, and that makes it more attractive to Fatima and John. It might be easier to find than the RAV4, but probably not much. Ford’s been hit especially hard by a lack of access to computer chips.
Gentile: All manufacturers have been hit hard. If I had to choose, I’d wait for the RAV4 Prime over an Escape hybrid.
Richardson: I agree. It will certainly hold its value over time. This whole decision is really based on how much Fatima and John want to spend right now. It will cost them more upfront for a hybrid and even more for a plug-in hybrid. Or they can go the more affordable route in terms of upfront costs and get one more gas vehicle before making the inevitable switch to electric.
What car should you buy? Write to Mark and Petrina at globedrive@globeandmail.com and use ‘What car’ as part of your subject line. Emails with different subject lines may not be answered.
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