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We’re looking at cargo space, legroom, powertrains, fuel efficiency, and more when looking for the best three-row hybrid SUV of 2024!
Our Top Picks for a Three-Row Hybrid SUV
There aren’t a bunch of three-row hybrid SUVs on the North American market. In fact, there aren’t even a dozen of them. However, there are more than enough to give a full, modern family some options to choose from. From Luxury to more economical, we’re looking at some available options and pointing out which ones are leading the pack.
2024 Toyota Highlander and Grand Highlander Hybrids
We’ll begin this list with one of (or two) of our favorites. The 2024 Toyota Highlander and Grand Highlander hybrids excel in several ways, but space is a big factor for anyone looking for a three-row SUV. That’s a strong point for either version of the Highlander hybrid, so let’s start there. Both seat up to seven passengers. Passengers get plenty of room either way. For example, the 2024 Highlander has 40.4 inches and 41.0 inches of legroom in the first two rows. That second row comes as a bench or captain’s chairs, too. The third row of the 2024 Highlander does a little dip, providing 27.7 inches of legroom.
The Grand Highlander is obviously bigger. It increases first-row legroom to 41.7 inches, decreases the second row to 39.5 inches, but increases the third to 33.5 inches. Storage in the Grand Highlander increases to 20.6 cu.-ft. behind the third row compared to the 16.0 cu.-ft. of space in the Highlander. The Grand Highlander maxes out with 97.5 cu.-ft. of overall space when second and third rows are lowered. That’s a pretty big increase from the 84.3 cu.-ft. In the Highlander.
Another difference? The price. The 2024 Highlander Hybrid falls between $42,570 and $53,375. With extra cabin features, driver assists, and more space, the Grand Highlander comes in at around $45,000 to $58,000. Either way you go, though, you should have enough power to haul around that full cabin of passengers and belongings. The 2024 Highlander uses a four-cylinder engine and hybrid system to make 243 horsepower. It gets an estimated combined 35 miles per gallon (mpg).
Meanwhile, the Grand Highlander puts out 245 horsepower with a 2.5L four-cylinder engine and pair of electric motors. The continuously variable transmission (CVT) drives power to the front wheels. A third electric motor is added for AWD. There’s also the Hybrid Max, using the same turbo engine and an electric motor to make 362 horsepower. This option uses a six-speed automatic transmission instead of the CVT. The base hybrid setup gets an estimated combined 36 mpg. The Hybrid Max, for all the extra power, only drops to 27 mpg combined. If you’ve read our full review of the 2024 Grand Highlander, you know that there’s space, power, and decent fuel efficiency all wrapped up in this one SUV.
2024 Kia Sorento Hybrid
The 2024 Kia Sorento Hybrid suffers from a lack of cargo space and a limited number of passengers. Both trims have second-row captain’s chairs, so this SUV only seats six passengers. There’s a good amount of legroom in all three rows, though. The first one has 41.4 inches, the second has 40.7 inches, and the third has 29.6 inches. However, cargo space is lacking. If all seats are upright, the 2024 Sorento Hybrid only has 12.6 cu.-ft. of room to work with. Trying to fit six peoples’ belongings in that space is impossible.
It does make up for it in other ways, though. It gets a combined 37 mpg! Both available trims get a 1.6-L four-cylinder turbo that works with a six-speed automatic and an electric motor, putting out 227 horsepower. It’s available as FWD or AWD. The Sorento Hybrid is also offered as a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV). This version has a larger battery that has a capacity of 32 miles of all-electric power. It also gets 261 horsepower thanks to the more powerful electric motor. There are more PHEVs coming up, so take a look at our Hybrid vs Electric Cars article to learn a little more about the differences between EVs and plug-in hybrids.
2024 Hyundai Santa Fe
The 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid is all new with a fresh look and a high-end feel without high-end pricing. It starts at $38,345 and goes up to $48,395. A wider base in this redesign provided more passenger and cargo space. Legroom measures 41.4 inches in front, 42.3 inches behind that, and 30.0 inches in the third row. However, cargo space really expanded compared to previous models. The Santa Fe now has 14.6 cu.-ft. in the back storage area. When that third row is down, there’s 40.5 cu.-ft. to use. The maximum is 79.6 cu.-ft. That’s right up there with the 2024 Highlander and Grand Highlander.
Every 2024 Santa Fe Hybrid comes with a turbocharged 1.6-L four-cylinder and an electric motor that makes 232 horsepower and 271 lb.-ft. of torque. With a six-speed automatic transmission and AWD, the Santa Fe gets between 32 and 34 mpg combined. While it does have an additional six horsepower compared to the previous model, Hyundai did limit the options for 2024 by eliminating the plug-in hybrid variation. Between the interior features, the fuel efficiency, and some expanded space, the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid provides a lot of bang for your buck.
2024 Mazda CX-90
When it comes to spacing, the brand-new 2024 CX-90 is mostly consistent with other three-row hybrids we’ve already talked about. There’s 41.7 inches of legroom in the first row, 39.4 inches in the second, and 30.4 inches in the third. While that third row isn’t the worst number so far, it’s not the best. Expect to be a little bit cramped. It’s pretty much the same story with cargo space. 15.9 cu.-ft. of regular cargo room, an expanded 40.1 cu.-ft. behind the second row, and a maximum of 75.2 cu.-ft. when all rows are folded down. Those are all fairly standard numbers. It’s priced between $51,000 and $59,000. Overall, this is a pretty good three-row hybrid package.
We mentioned in our complete review of the 2024 Mazda CX-90 that there are several power options for this SUV. First, a mild hybrid system, which places the electric motor between the engine and transmission. This is supposed to help smooth out the acceleration and does get a combined 25 mpg. The mild hybrid system pairs with a 3.30-L turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine, making 280 horsepower and 332 lb.-ft. of torque.
There’s also a 3.3-L Turbo S that can put out 340 horsepower and 369 lb.-ft. of torque when premium gasoline is used. Lastly, there’s the 2024 Mazda CX-90 PHEV, equipped with a 2.5-L naturally aspirated four-cylinder engine and an electric motor. That combination delivers 323 horsepower and 369 lb.-ft. of torque with premium gas. The 17.8-kWh battery pack can keep the 2024 CX-90 going for 25 miles on full electric power, too. Total range is 490 miles.
2024 Mitsubishi Outlander
The 2024 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV isn’t the most affordable three-row hybrid SUV here, but it’s close. Five trims range from around $40,000 to $49,000. There’s seating for up to seven people, but that third row? It’s tight, even for a pet, luggage, or a child. There’s just 18.7 inches of legroom. The second row is better with 39.9 inches, and the first row is fine with 41.7 inches. The 2024 Outlander is also lacking in cargo space with just 10 cu.-ft. behind the third row. Behind the second is 30.8 cu.-ft. and there’s 64.7 cu.-ft. if all seats are folded.
Things don’t get much better with the powertrain, either. A 20-kWh lithium-ion battery provides 38 miles of all-electric range. Combined with two electric motors on each end of the vehicle and a 2.4-L four-cylinder engine, this setup produces 248 horsepower and 332 lb.-ft. of torque. That’s lower than most of the competition.
Fuel efficiency comes in at a combined 26 mpg with the AWD system. On the plus side of things, the Outlander handles nicely, doesn’t make a lot of road noise, and has clearance that measures nearly eight inches. If you want to save a buck, use it for routine driving, and don’t really need that third row, then the 2024 Outlander hybrid is a possibility.
2024 Toyota Sequoia
Starting at around $60,000 for the base trim, the 2024 Sequoia has a heavier price tag than some others, but it also adds some unique elements that the competition doesn’t. Quick power, a refined ride, and off-road ability are what you’ll get with the 2024 Toyota Sequoia. The truck-based hybrid SUV can tow more than 9,000 lbs. when properly equipped.
That’s thanks to a twin-turbo 3.5-L V6 engine and electric motor producing 437 horsepower and 583 lb.-ft. of torque with the help of a 10-speed automatic transmission. Most of the five trims are RWD, but four-wheel drive (4WD) is available on the TRD Pro. The downside is that it only gets a combined 22 mpg, but that is more fuel efficient than gasoline-powered three-row SUVs of similar size.
For space, the first and second row legroom are typical. There’s 41.2 inches up front and 39.2 inches in the middle, but the third-row seats are capable of sliding and reclining, so they provide between 28.1 inches and 33.7 inches to stretch your legs. The 2024 Sequoia can seat seven or eight people, depending on whether the second-row seats are captain’s chairs or a bench.
Unfortunately, cargo space isn’t as impressive. When seats are moved all the way forward, there’s 22.3 cu.-ft. of room behind the third row. There’s 49 cu.-ft. of room, but, if you want to fold those third-row seats for more storage, you’ll be limited. Since the battery is under the floor, the seats don’t fold flat. That leaves a maximum of 86.9 cu.-ft. of space when all seats are folded.
2024 Lexus TX
Comfort and convenience are both in this cabin. 41.6 inches of front-row legroom and 39.5 inches of second-row legroom are mostly on par with the rest of this list, but the third row measures an impressive 33.5 inches. Meanwhile, cargo space in the very rear of the vehicle sits at 20.2 cu.-ft. If that’s folded down, the area expands to 57.4 cu.-ft. With all seats folded, there’s 97 cu.-ft. of space. Heated seats, front seats that are powered and ventilated, power-reclining third-row seats, wireless smartphone charging, and a Wi-Fi hotspot are all included.
Instead of simply changing a few features, Lexus offers the 2024 TX trims with different powertrains. The TX 350 has a regular combustion engine, but the TX 500h F and the TX 550h+ Luxury are hybrids. The TX 500h F pairs a turbocharged 2.4-L four-cylinder and six-speed automatic transmission with two electric motors that drive power to the front and rear wheels. Altogether, the 2024 TX 500h F kicks out 336 horsepower, 406 lb.-ft. of torque, and gets a combined 23 mpg.
Then there’s the 500h+ Luxury, a PHEV that adds a 3.5-L V6 and CVT to make a combined 404 horsepower. It gets a combined 27 mpg. On electricity alone, it gets 33 miles of driving range. The 500h F has a price tag of around $70,000 and the 500h+ does price for just shy of $80,000 right now, so those are two other differences to consider. If you’re going for premium comfort, technology, and space in a three-row hybrid SUV, the 2024 Lexus TX is hard to beat.
2024 Volvo XC90 Recharge
The 2024 XC90 has a heavy price tag of between $65,000 to $75,000. It also comes packed with features and a good amount of space! This cabin holds seven passengers, or six passengers with second-row captain’s chairs. There’s plenty of space in every row, too. The first row has 40.9 inches of legroom, and the second is a typical 37.0 inches, but the third? There’s 31.9 inches of space. Only the Toyota Grand Highlander has more than this.
The cargo space isn’t quite as impressive. There’s 12.6 cu.-ft. of space behind the third row. That does expand to 35.6 cu.-ft. of space behind the second row and, ultimately, 65.5 cu.-ft. of cargo space behind the third row. You’ll pay more money for this hybrid Volvo, but there’s a lot of luxury thrown into the cabin and seating, too.
Shoppers can buy the 2024 XC90 Recharge with a mild hybrid system or the Recharge T8, a PHEV version. The PHEV is RWD with an electric motor and a turbocharged 2.0-L four-cylinder engine. The result is 455 horsepower, 523 lb.-ft. of torque, and a combined 24 mpg. On a full charge, the 18.8 kWh battery can get drivers 32 miles on its own. The PHEV uses the same eight-speed automatic transmission and engine that the mild hybrid uses, but the mild hybrid only puts out 247 horsepower and 258 lb.-ft. of torque. It does come standard with 4WD, though.
The Most Well-Rounded of the Bunch
We threw a lot of information at you, so was there a clear winner? Well, the 2024 Toyota Sequoia and 2024 Lexus TX are the most expensive options, both around $80,000. With a price of $38,345, the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe is about the most cost-effective three-row hybrid you’ll find. It’s also got decent fuel efficiency, but it was bested, just a little, by the 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander and the Kia Sorento hybrids with 36 mpg and 37 mpg respectively.
The 22.3 cu.-ft. of cargo space behind the third row of the 2024 Sequoia can’t be beaten. Most others don’t even come close, but the Grand Highlander does have 20.6 cu.-ft. of cargo space back there, too. The most third-row legroom goes to the 2024 Toyota Sequoia with 33.7 inches, if the seats are pushed all the way back. Next up are the Lexus TX and the Grand Highlander with 33.5 inches.
The energetic Volvo XC90, with its combined 455 horsepower, tops that category, but the Toyota Sequoia gets 437 horsepower and the Lexus TX gets 404 horsepower, too. The Grand Highlander Hybrid Max is next up with 362 horsepower.
You keep seeing the 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander pop up, huh? It’s probably the most well-rounded three-row hybrid SUV there is right now. Others shine brighter in specific categories, but the Grand Highlander offers a nice hybrid (pun intended) of technology, comfort, affordability, power, space, and ability.
