Luxury Hybrid Cars: Premium Brands Get Charged Up

We're not talking about the Toyota Prius here, we're talking about luxury hybrid cars. If the decades-old Prius is your idea of what a hybrid car is all about, your paradigm is about to shift.When fuel efficiency and performance are front and center, impressive new things come about. We’re not talking about hypercars like the Porsche 918 Spyder or electric cars such as the Tesla Model S. We're talking about the best luxury hybrid cars for 2017.Here’s how it goes: the more money a car manufacturer has to spend, the better the technology that results in its products. That’s precisely why you’ll find more premium names on luxury hybrid cars for 2017. Badges like BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi and others from the best luxury cars are the norm. Read on to see the best luxury hybrid cars for 2017.2017 Lexus CT 200hThe curious styling of the Lexus CT 200h is going to move you one way or another – you’ll love it or hate it. The five-door hatchback design is reminiscent of an upscale Mazda on the outside, but it’s a luxury car through and through between the doors. The cockpit is very much laid out as a premium model with flat, classy buttons and a highly-visible, top-mounted infotainment screen. Interior materials are great quality, even if you don’t choose the true leather interior.Impressively, the 2017 Lexus CT 200h has 134 hp and is still a blast to drive. Its combined EPA-rated fuel efficiency is 42 mpg for long-range hybrid driving abilities. The Lexus CT 200h starts out at a paltry $31,250 MSRP, making it a reasonably priced option too.The Lexus CT 200h has been sold in the U.S. since 2011, so if you're wondering if you should buy a used luxury car, as well as a hybrid, this would be a solid option.2017 Audi A3 Sportback e-tronSomething with a bit more power is the 2017 Audi A3 Sportback e-tron. It’s a premium car from a premium brand, albeit a jazzed-up Jetta. What the VW Jetta doesn’t have, though, is the fine touches of Audi-ness. You get an onslaught of driver-assistance features, including front and rear collision pre-sense systems, along with Audi Lane Assist and Adaptive Cruise Control.The 2017 Audi A3 Sportback e-tron is powered by a 1.4-liter gas engine and plug-in electric motor. Combined, the A3 e-tron hybrid has 204 hp. The EPA-rated MPG-e (meaning equivalent) is a remarkable 83 mpg. My oh my… its pricing starts at $38,900.2017 BMW i8It’s a bit of a stretch to include the BMW i8 because it’s aiming at the supercar buyer, not just the luxury market. But through "objective journalism practices," we’ve decided to allow it. The BMW i8 is one of the best BMWs ever in acceleration, zipping to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds. Inside, it’s still the familiar BMW feel and layout, despite the reclined seating position. A massive screen rests atop the dash, and the digital instrument cluster is a marvel when you’re driving.The BMW i8 has a combined 357 hp and the top end in regenerative energy recovery. Even with astonishing power, the BMW i8 manages an EPA rating of 76 mpg-e! Tack onto that a 330-mile total range, and the $140,000 price tag doesn’t seem so bad after all. 2017 Mercedes-Benz C350eIf the BMW i8 is just out of your price range, let’s scale it back a little. The 2017 Mercedes-Benz C350e could be more your style. Everything about the C350e screams Mercedes, from the finely crafted wood accents and oddly shaped infotainment screen to the rotating selector knob on the console and the analog clock. Like all good Mercedes models, it’s all about comfort and style. AIRMATIC suspension and Dynamic Select tell you just that.The 2017 Mercedes-Benz C350e is a great premium sedan with power to match. 275 combined hp from the 2.0-liter turbocharged gas engine and a 60 kW electric motor mean the C350e still manages to be a sub-6 second car from 0-60mph. The starting MSRP is $46,050 but added packages can easily put you over $60,000.2017 Infiniti Q70 HybridThe 2017 Infiniti Q70 Hybrid takes their full-size luxury sedan to a new level. Standard equipment includes Approaching Vehicle Sound for Pedestrians (which seemsodd), front and rear sonar, Around View monitor, Infiniti Intelligent Key, and 10-way power adjustable heated front seats. It’s not overly inspiring until you look at the upgrades, including the Technology and Deluxe Touring packages, but that’s for another time.360 hp are produced between the 3.5-liter V6 gas engine and an electric motor. Fuel efficiency is respectable at an EPA rating of 28 mpg city and 33 mpg highway, but nowhere close to the Bimmer. It starts out at $56,200.2017 Lincoln MKZ HybridIf you want a domestic brand but you also want a hybrid, check out the 2017 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid. The appearance on the outside is a little bit Jaguar, a touch of Mercedes, and maybe a dash of Buick. The interior has the crisp, clean feel Lincoln always has, and a great range of trims to boot. Push Button Shift and SYNC 3 are standard equipment, but there’s more optional equipment.The 2.0-liter Atkinson-cycle powertrain is remarkably good on fuel. It achieves an EPA-rating of 38 mpg city and 41 mpg highway, and all with a starting MSRP of $35,170.2017 Acura RLX Sport HybridIt would be too easy to go with the Acura NSX. Instead, we’ll use Acura’s flagship sedan, the 2017 Acura RLX Sport Hybrid. You’ll be surprised you’re not inside a German-engineered sedan because it’s truly amazing. Milano leather seats, Head Up Display, GPS-lined 3-zone climate control, even an SMS message and email assistant are found in the Acura RLX.Then there’s the powertrain. The NSX-inspired all-wheel drive system uses electric motors at the rear wheels for an AWD program that’s unrivaled. A front electric motor and the gas engine combine with the rear electric motors for a total 377 hp and 341 lb-ft of torque. With performance like this, fuel efficiency is secondary. A combined 29 mpg rating is satisfactory for us. Pricing starts at $59,950. One of the best luxury hybrid cars, for sure.

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