2026 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid Quick Spin: The Best of the Breed
Key Points in This Review:
- The Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid is the most powerful and best-driving variant of the Crosstrek family.
- It’s not the most fuel-efficient hybrid in its class, but it makes up for it in capability and excellent driving dynamics.
- A fuel-economy estimate of 36 mpg combined makes it easily the most efficient Crosstrek available.
I’ll keep it short and simple:
For 2026, the Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid is the one to get in the Crosstrek lineup as long as it’s within budget and you don’t need the capability of the Wilderness trim. The hybrid drives the sweetest, is the most powerful configuration and is notably more efficient than the gas-only model.
2026 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid, front | Cars.com photo by Conner Golden
It’s a bit of a no-duh moment — again, provided you can swallow the extra $3,370 for the Crosstrek Sport Hybrid and $2,000 for the Crosstrek Limited Hybrid when compared with the gas-only trim counterparts. Though much like the current Subaru Forester Hybrid — from which the Crosstrek Hybrid’s new green guts are directly copied and pasted — the efficiency gains are not quite on par with other subcompact hybrid SUVs.
What Is the Fuel Economy of the 2026 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid?
- Takeaway: The 2026 Crosstrek Hybrid is rated at 36/36/36 mpg city/highway/combined.
Compare Subaru’s fuel-economy estimates of 36/36/36 mpg for the Crosstrek Hybrid with the non-hybrid 2025 Crosstrek’s 27/33/29 mpg (official EPA estimates are not yet available for the 2026 model). So, a clear step up from the all-gas version, but now compare it to the all-wheel-drive 2026 Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid’s manufacturer-estimated 42 mpg combined rating and the front-wheel-drive 2025 Kia Niro Hybrid’s 53/54/53 mpg rating.
2026 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid, rear angle | Cars.com photo by Conner Golden
Not as strong as the competition, but the Niro’s lack of AWD makes it an apples-to-oranges comparison, and the Crosstrek Hybrid’s retention of Subaru’s signature mechanical AWD is generally more effective than the electric-motor-based e-AWD setup in the Corolla Cross. It’s also what’s likely sapping some efficiency from the Subaru’s hybrid drivetrain.
A very rudimentary cost analysis of the Crosstrek Sport versus the Crosstrek Sport Hybrid reveals an annual fuel savings of around $400, requiring 8.5 years of ownership to break even based on the Sport Hybrid’s upfront price premium. It’s a calculation based on broad averages — $4.40 per gallon fuel, 13,500 miles a year — but it’s worth considering if max efficiency and savings is your goal.
How Does the 2026 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid Drive?
- Takeaway: As the most powerful drivetrain in the lineup, the new Crosstrek Hybrid is the nicest for both daily driving and road trips thanks to both power and efficiency.
Personally, I think the fuel savings are simply an added bonus to the Crosstrek Hybrid’s sweet, sweet driving character. Its 194 combined horsepower is up 14 hp over the 180 hp in the gas-only ‘Trek, and even though it’s not significantly quicker than its non-hybrid counterpart, it turns the Crosstrek’s “Totally Fine” acceleration into “Totally Fine+” on an on-ramp or when passing.
The key here is smoothness. At lower speeds and extended moments of coasting, the eco-‘Trek is significantly quieter and more refined than the non-hybrid. It’s a satisfying powertrain, with excellent handoff between gas and electric propulsion and with enough power for any realistic scenario that’s made better by the Crosstrek’s impressive driving character. As this is very much an Impreza hatch on stilts, the Crosstrek — in all configurations — remains one of the sharpest-driving subcompact SUVs you can buy. Slicing through the squiggled back roads of rural Washington state wasn’t so much fun as it was satisfying, with little body roll and excellent composure.
Good stuff, all around. It’s not the most efficient in the segment, but the 2026 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid is a welcome addition to one of the most compelling and capable subcompact SUV model lines on the market.
About the make
Subaru
Standard all-wheel drive made Subaru popular with drivers in cold climates and outdoorsy types alike. The company is also known for its boxer engines.
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1 / 222026 Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid, door | Manufacturer image
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Cars.com’s Editorial department is your source for automotive news and reviews. In line with Cars.com’s long-standing ethics policy, editors and reviewers don’t accept gifts or free trips from automakers. The Editorial department is independent of Cars.com’s advertising, sales and sponsored content departments.
Porsche Cayenne Electric to Debut Brand’s Next-Gen Interior
By Jared Gall
September 30, 2025
SharePorsche Cayenne Electric | Manufacturer image
Key Points:
- Porsche’s upcoming Cayenne Electric will feature a digital dashboard with a 14.25-inch digital instrument panel, infotainment touchscreen with AI-powered voice controls and an optional 14.9-inch passenger display.
- The Cayenne Electric’s interior will have numerous customization options, as well as heated door panels and armrests and an optional electrochromic panoramic moonroof.
Porsche has already shown off the upcoming Cayenne Electric’s performance potential by smashing the SUV record at a famous hill-climb race in England and confirmed it will be available with wireless inductive charging for its battery. But now, the German brand is giving us our first look at the electric SUV sans camouflage — well, for its interior, at least.
Related: Porsche Cayenne to Soon Get EV Powertrain
1 / 4Porsche Cayenne Electric | Manufacturer image
Flow State — With Knobs
Dubbed Flow Display, the Cayenne Electric’s digital dashboard features a curved 14.25-inch organic light-emitting diode gauge cluster that bucks current convention by remaining physically separate from the central touchscreen. At a time when the phrase “driver-focused” is being thrown around in reference to increasingly distracting in-car displays, that physical separation seizes the “driver-focused” descriptor with jarring authority.
The infotainment touchscreen and optional 14.9-inch passenger display, however, maintain the status quo. The former boasts AI-powered voice control over functions such as climate, audio, lighting and navigation systems, and the latter is capable of streaming video. A polarized screen keeps the passenger display invisible to the driver while the vehicle is in motion. Drivers can choose from five color schemes for the dash displays, which can be complemented by the adjustable ambient cabin lighting.
“Our goal was to combine quintessential Cayenne characteristics and the newly developed display surfaces with the features of the new ‘Porsche Digital Interaction’ into a harmonious overall package. One that’s innovative, forward-thinking and meticulously thought through down to the finest detail,” said Markus Auerbach, director of interior design at Style Porsche, in a statement. That’s a long way of saying there are physical climate controls and a volume knob at the base of the central display.
Read More About Porsche EVs:
- 2025 Porsche Macan Electric Review: Is It a True Porsche Among Electric SUVs?
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Unprecedented Choice Inside
The Cayenne Electric will also pioneer new degrees of interior customization for Porsche customers, with four available layouts, five different accent packages and 13 available color combinations (including three new colors: Magnesium Grey, Lavender and Sage Grey). Porsche’s Race-Tex synthetic leather will offer buyers an animal-free option. Beyond the wider range of added-cost materials and colors offered by the brand’s Porsche Exclusive Manufaktur portfolio, the Sonderwunsch program allows for nearly infinite personalization of the Cayenne EV.
Porsche will also be reaching new heights of luxury with the electric Cayenne. The front and rear seats will be power-adjustable, and the brand says heated door panels and armrests offer more efficient heating than a traditional warm-air system as well as more even heat distribution. Additionally, the Cayenne EV’s optional panoramic moonroof will be the largest glass roof ever offered by Porsche. The moonroof is electrochromic, with four settings controlling how much light can enter the cabin (clear, 40% and 60% opacity, and matte), and the forward section opens like a regular moonroof.
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Whetting Appetites
Now we know that Porsche’s next EV will be the size and shape of a Cayenne, performs like a proper Porsche and coddles like a vehicle from another brand in parent company Volkswagen’s portfolio, Bentley. (Incidentally, the hill-climb record the Cayenne Electric destroyed was previously held by a Bentayga W-12.) We will find out what it looks like — and how it drives — soon. Stay tuned.
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Cars.com’s Editorial department is your source for automotive news and reviews. In line with Cars.com’s long-standing ethics policy, editors and reviewers don’t accept gifts or free trips from automakers. The Editorial department is independent of Cars.com’s advertising, sales and sponsored content departments.
2025 Porsche Macan Electric Review: Is It a True Porsche Among Electric SUVs?
By Damon Bell
September 26, 2025
2025 Porsche Macan Electric | Cars.com photo by Max Bednarski
Key Points in This Review:
- The Porsche Macan Electric successfully transposes Porsche’s signature characteristics onto the platform of an electric compact SUV.
- The Macan Electric’s strong points include its athletic driving personality, a nicely finished cabin and a high level of configurability, but you’ll pay plenty for those virtues.
- The Macan Electric’s cramped backseat and small cargo area mean it isn’t the most practical electric SUV.
The Porsche Macan Electric compact SUV debuted for 2024 as the second all-electric vehicle in Porsche’s lineup, following in the footsteps of the new-for-2020 Taycan sports sedan. Beyond its name and overall shape, the Macan Electric shares little with its gas-powered Macan sibling; it’s built on a separate electric-only platform.
Related: 2026 Porsche Macan Electric: Upgraded Driver-Assist and Tech Features, $80,350 Base Price
Porsche is an enthusiast-oriented brand that built its reputation on nimble, impeccably assembled sports cars, like the beloved 911. As such, it’s judged by a slightly different standard than other luxury automakers: Namely, an engaging, high-performance driving experience is every bit as important to the traditional Porsche buyer as high-end trimmings. Porsche’s first SUV, the mid-size Cayenne, was initially controversial among enthusiasts who saw it as a dilution of the brand, though it largely won over consumers and became a sales success. The gas-engine Macan SUV was warmly received when it debuted in 2013, and the electric Taycan showed that Porsche could deliver its core characteristics in the form of an EV. So as an electric SUV, does the Porsche Macan Electric also succeed as a true Porsche?
To find out, I traveled to Aspen, Colo., at Porsche’s invitation to drive the 2025 Porsche Macan Electric. (Per our ethics policy, Cars.com pays for its own airfare and lodging when attending manufacturer-sponsored events.)
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A Genuinely Athletic Feel, Even in Base RWD Trim
- Takeaway: The base rear-wheel-drive Macan Electric doesn’t have as much horsepower as many electric SUVs, but it still delivers a satisfyingly sporty driving experience.
The Porsche Macan Electric lineup consists of a base rear-wheel-drive version and three all-wheel-drive trims, called 4, 4S and Turbo. (The base and 4S are new for 2025.) Their respective horsepower ratings are 335, 382, 442 and 576 hp, and driver-selectable launch control temporarily boosts output when accelerating from a stop.
I drove only an entry-level RWD trim, which seems on paper to be at a disadvantage compared with many electric SUVs. Its 335-hp rating isn’t a lot compared with the outputs of many AWD rivals, and even with the launch control feature temporarily boosting output to 355 hp, its acceleration isn’t particularly thrilling from a stop. Like other performance-focused EVs we’ve tested, this Porsche’s power curve can plateau noticeably at speeds above 60 mph. Even so, the base Macan Electric’s acceleration is strong enough to be entertaining overall: Porsche quotes a 5.4-second 0-60 mph time with launch control, which feels accurate by the seat of my pants.
The Macan Electric’s curb weight ranges from 5,004 pounds for the RWD version to 5,393 pounds for the line-topping Turbo. It’s no featherweight (even among other compact electric SUVs), but it hides its heft well; it feels balanced and poised in fast, aggressive cornering. Its nicely tuned steering is a big plus here; it’s communicative and direct without feeling jittery or requiring lots of minute corrections.
1 / 142025 Porsche Macan Electric | Cars.com photo by Max Bednarski
Respectable Ride Quality, Natural-Feeling Brakes
- Takeaway: The Macan Electric’s decent ride quality and natural-feeling brakes are pluses, but, unlike many EVs, Porsche doesn’t provide a one-pedal driving mode.
Considering the Macan Electric’s agility, its ride quality is sufficiently absorbent, at least on the standard 20-inch wheels and tires my test vehicle wore; 21- and 22-inch wheels are optional. An adaptive air suspension that alters both ride height and firmness via driver-selectable drive modes is standard. In the Macan Electric’s Normal drive mode, the ride is taut but never harsh, even on the rutted gravel roads that comprised a decent portion of our drive route. Sport and Sport Plus modes make the ride stiffer while delivering sharper handling.
Brake-pedal feel is impressively natural and linear, which isn’t always the case in EVs. Along with its expertly tuned steering, this contributes to the Macan Electric’s engaging driving character. A selectable brake-regen mode provides a noticeable amount of regenerative braking, which I especially appreciated during the sharper descents on our mountain-road route. Unlike many EVs, however, the Macan Electric doesn’t include a one-pedal driving mode; Porsche engineers believe one-pedal driving is less natural and ultimately less efficient than letting the vehicle coast when the driver lifts off the accelerator. Fair enough, but if you happen to like the feature, know you can’t get it in a Porsche EV.
About the make
Porsche
Porsche is one of the world’s most powerful brands, currently offering a mix of iconic sports cars and luxury performance sedans and SUVs.
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Interior Is Impeccably Trimmed, But Not Particularly Spacious
- Takeaway: The Macan Electric prioritizes sporty styling over generous backseat space and cargo volume, but its cabin boasts high-quality materials and fit and finish.
The Macan Electric’s wheelbase is 3.4 inches longer than the gas-engine Macan’s, and it’s 2.24 inches longer overall, but interior room is still pretty stingy for an SUV. Its rear cargo area is smaller than most rivals’, and though there is a front trunk under its hood, it can’t accommodate much more than the charging cable’s carrying case.
The backseat is similarly cramped, especially for extra-tall occupants like me. Headroom is tight under the standard panoramic moonroof, and legroom shrinks quickly as the front seats are adjusted rearward. With the front seats adjusted to fit my 6-foot-6-inch frame, I couldn’t fit in the backseat. Even with it set for our 5-foot-11 videographer, my knees were still rubbing the back of the front seat.
Front-seat space and comfort, however, is quite good. I had headroom to spare, and my test car’s 14-way power-adjustable front seats with memory (a $1,390 option) had just the right mix of comfort and support. The Macan Electric’s agreeable control layout is highlighted by a standard 12.6-inch digital gauge cluster and 10.9-inch infotainment touchscreen, both of which have clear, easy-to-read graphics. It took me a bit to acclimate to the dashboard-mounted paddle gear selector, and the SUV’s single climate-control touch panel feels a bit chintzy at the Macan Electric’s prices, but overall the controls are logically laid out and easy to use.
The Macan Electric’s cabin ambiance, on the other hand, is definitely NOT chintzy. The materials aren’t cushy or lavish, but they’re high-quality and assembled with precision — another Porsche trait that carries over uncompromised here.
1 / 102025 Porsche Macan Electric | Cars.com photo by Max Bednarski
Competitive Driving Range and Charging Specs
- Takeaway: The Macan Electric’s EPA-estimated driving range and Porsche’s quoted charging times put it on par with rival EVs.
We didn’t have the chance to do any charging or range testing during our one-day test drive, but the Macan Electric’s specs are competitive, especially when you factor in its performance. Its EPA-estimated driving range is 288 miles in the 4S and Turbo trims, 308 miles in the 4 and 315 miles in the base trim, which is on par with competitors.
All Macan Electric SUVs have 800-volt charging architecture, dual charging ports (the driver’s side accepts both AC and DC connectors, while the passenger side is AC-only) and a 100-kilowatt-hour battery with 95 kWh of usable capacity. Regardless of trim, the Macan Electric can be charged from 10% to 80% in 21 minutes when DC fast-charging at 270 kilowatts, according to Porsche. Earlier this month, Porsche EV owners gained access to Tesla’s Supercharger network, and while the Macan Electric doesn’t have a Tesla-style North American Charging Standard charging port, owners can get a complimentary adapter from Porsche.
Steep Pricing Gets Steeper With Options
- Takeaway: Porsche isn’t known for bargain pricing, and the Macan Electric doesn’t change that.
The 2025 Porsche Macan Electric starts at $79,995 in base RWD trim and runs to $111,095 for the line-topping Turbo (prices include a $1,995 destination fee). Though that includes a passable amount of standard equipment, there’s a lot that isn’t standard — and choosing from Porsche’s smorgasbord of options can easily tack on $10,000 or more to the bottom line.
My test vehicle was finished in Gentian Blue Metallic paint ($1,290) and included add-ons like rear-axle steering ($2,110), a Sport Chrono Package ($1,020), ventilated front seats ($670), four-zone climate control ($490) and a rear wiper ($380 — but how is this not standard??). Heck, even Porsche’s Electric Sport Sound artificial powertrain sound tacked on $510. All these and more helped push our as-tested price to roughly $90,000 — and remember, this is still the base trim level. It’s not hard at all to get a Macan Electric Turbo into the $130,000 range.
1 / 142025 Porsche Macan Electric | Cars.com photo by Max Bednarski
Updates Coming for 2026
- Takeaway: The Macan Electric is scheduled to receive a number of tech updates for 2026, but none of them will affect its driving dynamics.
As of this writing, the 2026 Porsche Macan Electric is already on the horizon. It’s scheduled to go on sale in the spring of 2026 with slightly higher prices, a higher maximum tow rating (up to 5,500 pounds from 4,400) and a number of tech updates (which you can read about in detail here). No changes that affect how it drives are planned — which is a good thing given its driving experience is the Macan Electric’s most compelling asset. It’s a fine EV that also looks, feels and drives like a true Porsche.
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Cars.com’s Editorial department is your source for automotive news and reviews. In line with Cars.com’s long-standing ethics policy, editors and reviewers don’t accept gifts or free trips from automakers. The Editorial department is independent of Cars.com’s advertising, sales and sponsored content departments.
Senior Research Editor
