2023 Ford Escape ST-Line | Photo: Ford
With their compact SUVs, some manufacturers are not content to offer just one engine type. Ford, Hyundai, Kia and Toyota, for example, offer petrol, hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions of their compact SUVs.
Let’s find out more about each of them.
The 2025 Ford Escape‘s powertrain range is vast and varied. Buyers looking for a petrol engine can choose between the 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbocharged engine or the 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged engine. The range also includes hybrid technology, which combines a 2.5-litre petrol engine with an electric motor and a 1.1 kWh battery. The Escape is available with both petrol and hybrid engines with front-wheel or all-wheel drive.
Finally, Ford’s compact SUV is available with plug-in hybrid technology. Thanks to its 14.4 kWh battery, it can travel up to 60 kilometres in all-electric mode. The 2025 Ford Escape starts at $32,449.
Like the 2025 Ford Escape, the 2025 Hyundai Tucson offers a trio of engines. Hyundai’s compact SUV has a naturally aspirated 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine as standard. It is good for 187 horsepower. Unlike the Ford Escape and Kia Sportage, it has standard all-wheel drive. Moving up the trim ladder and opting for an N Line or Ultimate model, you can take advantage of the hybrid powertrain and see your petrol consumption drop. The technology combines a turbocharged 1.6-litre four-cylinder engine with an electric motor and a 1.5 kWh battery.
The Ultimate version can also be equipped with plug-in hybrid technology. Thanks to its 13.8 kWh battery, it has an electric range of 51 kilometres. The 2025 Hyundai Tucson’s entry price is $34,699.
The entry-level version of the Kia Sportage is powered by the same basic powertrain as the Hyundai Tucson. Buyers also have the option of choosing a hybrid with the Sportage. Its 1.6-litre turbocharged engine is married to an electric motor and a 1.5 kWh battery. With this powertrain, Natural Resources Canada claims fuel consumption of 6.2 L/100 km combined.
If the Kia Sportage is on this list, the Korean manufacturer also offers a plug-in hybrid version of its compact SUV. It has an electric range of 55 kilometres. The 2025 Sportage’s pricing starts at $30,695.
The 2025 Toyota RAV4 rounds out this quartet of compact SUVs with an exceptionally varied mechanical offering. Like the Hyundai Tucson, the Toyota RAV4 now comes with four-wheel drive as standard. Entry-level versions are powered by a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine. If you opt for the hybrid drive, this unit is paired with an electric motor and a 1.6 kWh battery.
Formerly known as the ‘Prime,’ the plug-in hybrid version is now known as the ‘Plug-in Hybrid.’ The same petrol engine is combined with an electric motor and an 18.1 kWh battery. Its electric range is the longest of the four compact SUVs, at 68 kilometres. The base price of the 2025 Toyota RAV4 starts at $33,555.
To sum up, if you’re in the market for a compact SUV and are interested in a broad mechanical offering, you should look at these four worthy compact SUVs.
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