BMW X5 vs Porsche Cayenne vs Volvo XC90 - Who Makes The Best European Hybrid SUV?

I’m still not convinced about hybrids (though I believe we’re heading for eventually abandoning fossil fuels). If you compare the hefty premium in purchasing a hybrid over a conventional base model…

- BMW X5 xDrive40e US$62,100 vs X5 sDrive35i $54,700 (+13.5%)
- Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid US$78,700 vs Cayenne $59,600 (+32%)

…we see the hybrid decision isn’t about saving money. Even if we do our fuel economy math, we find most hybrid buyers are unlikely to ever recoup the hybrid premium in fuel savings, or TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) savings. At this time, luxury hybrids, and especially luxury SUV hybrids, are for “state of mind” people who have money to start with, and who are willing to pay an additional premium for the privilege of feeling “greener.”

TheSteve wrote: "though I believe we’re heading for eventually abandoning fossil fuels" - that's refreshing coming from the ICE camp.

I am all for EVs - but hybrids are never on my list. In California, the incentive of driving on HOV lane is a major factor. To the people I know who drive EVs and hybrids, TCO or feeling "green" were not even registered. The time saving commuting on the HOV lane trumps everything else. With the Green Sticker program currently stopped (quota reached), the appeal of hybrids will disappear.

My company car is a Hybrid - and although it does get really good mileage - over 40mph - there is very little about the car's driving dynamics that makes the car worthwhile to me. THe CVT should be banned - and driven from the face of the earth on missiles to mars - I hate it. The acceleration isn't. And to day - you cannot make a case to justify the added expense of buying it - it will never equal out before you get rid of the car.

I think the problem with this article - and Question - is ONE really does need to have driven the vehicles in question to give a proper answer - and I doubt that there are that many who have driven - and I mean the HYBRIDS. I doubt there are many dealers who even had them at the same time.

TomM, I agree that one doesn’t know a hybrid unless one has driven it. However, one can know “enough” and conclude that they don’t want one, without ever getting behind the wheel. Case in point is the Audi Q5 mid-size SUV/Crossover. It’s Audi’s most popular model worldwide. They sell exceptionally few hybrids. They sold way more diesel Q5s before Dieselgate put a stop to diesel sales. Dealers often don’t have Q5 hybrids on the lot because they own what they bring in, and it doesn’t pay to own inventory that’s hard to move.

TheSteve, there is a small difference between a hybrid and a plugin hybrid. The Q5 didn't plugin and was made by a company that has resisted electrification as they are really bad at it, and instead betting the company on cheating diesels.

Time to put in serious battery and el. motors and time to make it a plugin.

vdiv: Yeah, the Q5 is perhaps one of the worst examples of a hybrid.

Bottom line from the magazine review: They are all compromised and no pleasure to own or drive.

Where I live the handsome Volvo is the current "it" car with at least six buzzing around our small village. Having borrowed the previous generation I know it is comfortable and huge inside. May not be the best driver's SUV but bores its way into your heart with its Swedish
charms.

The newest car always wins. The XC90 simply ISN'T even remotely at the same level as BMW or Porsche, but I'd take either of the Germans over Geely engineering.

If you want an XC90 come to Bakersfield. The turd piles languish on the lot. Glad I have no interest in Volvo sales.

I have no interest in the XC90 although I think it's a handsome vehicle. If it doesn't sell well in Bakersfield it's the dealer's fault for not identifying its demographic target. A Ford truck would also have problem selling in Beverly Hills or Midtown Manhattan.
BTW what do people buy in Bakersfield? tractors?

The BMW, Porsche, and Mercedes equivalents of the XC90 sell steadily.

Granted Bakersfield is largely a blue-collar to middle class city, but Volvos of any kind do not sell here, but Porsche, Audi, BMW, Mercedes, and Lexus do quite well.