The 2022 Hyundai Tucson Plug-In Hybrid doesn’t match the Toyota RAV4 Prime in electric range or fuel efficiency, but it comes with a lower price tag than the Toyota.
First reported by CarsDirect, the Tucson Plug-In Hybrid will start at $35,975 (including a mandatory destination charge of $1,225) for the base SEL trim. The more upscale Limited trim will start at $43,775.
The base price makes the Tucson Plug-In Hybrid $3,590 cheaper than the 2021 RAV4 Prime, which starts at $39,565, as noted by CarsDirect. Toyota has not yet released pricing for the 2022 RAV4 Prime.
However, the RAV4 Prime qualifies for the full $7,500 federal tax credit for electric vehicles, thanks to its 18.1-kWh battery pack. With its 13.8-kWh pack, Hyundai expects the Tucson Plug-In Hybrid to qualify for a $6,587 federal tax credit, narrowing the effective price gap to $2,677, according to CarsDirect.
The EPA ratings for the Tucson Plug-In Hybrid include 33 miles of electric range and a combined fuel economy of 35 mpg. In comparison, the RAV4 Prime boasts 42 miles of electric range, with a combined fuel economy rating of 38 mpg.
The Tucson Plug-In Hybrid utilizes a 1.6-liter turbocharged engine and a 6-speed automatic transmission, with a single electric motor. With 261 horsepower, the total system output lags behind the RAV4 Prime’s 302-horsepower output.
We haven’t driven the Tucson Plug-In Hybrid yet, but we’ve found both the Tucson Hybrid and the larger Santa Fe Hybrid to have strong driving capabilities, particularly in highway conditions, although they clearly don’t offer the same urban low-speed mpg as Toyota models.
Hyundai dropped its Sonata plug-in hybrid sedan after the 2019 model and is now focusing the technology on crossovers and SUVs. A plug-in hybrid Santa Fe is soon to hit showrooms alongside the Tucson.
