Spoiler alert: These are all Toyotas.
Need a little traction for a snowy winter commute on a budget? If so, one of the affordable, high-mpg all-wheel-drive hybrids on the market might be your best bet.
There aren’t many all-wheel-drive hybrids to begin with. But if we set the price ceiling at a bargain by today’s standards, $30,000, we’re setting a price well below the base price of any AWD electric vehicle on the U.S. market. Only two vehicles currently meet that standard—and both are Toyota hybrids.
Sure, Subaru makes a whole line of all-wheel-drive vehicles, but only a few of them get 30 mpg combined. New Subaru hybrids are on the way, but they’re still a year away. Likewise, you can buy a Nissan Altima with AWD for under $30,000, but even that won’t get 30 mpg combined.
Toyota Prius 2024
This is the second year we’ve compiled this list, and this year there’s one model that’s been bumped up in price: The Prius LE AWD, which made the list—just barely—last year, is now $445 above the cap for 2024.
On the other hand, if you can forgo four-wheel drive, Kia Niro 2024 hybrid starts under $30,000 and gets an EPA combined 53 mpg. Never mind its crossover feel. And if a little more ground clearance makes it work, Kia Sportage hybrid gets 40 mpg and under $30,000 in front-wheel-drive form; add AWD, and the Sportage Hybrid tops out at $30,000 and drops to 38 mpg.
The Ford Escape Hybrid also came close to meeting our standards, as well. Ford Maverick Hybrid Pickup Truckeasily meets the reduced price, at $25,515 for the base Maverick XL Hybrid, and comes close to achieving fuel economy at 37 mpg combined, while still not offering all-wheel drive with the hybrid powertrain.
Toyota has other AWD models that get up to 40 mpg combined, but they cost more—$42,535. Toyota Crown for example, at 41 mpg.
All those near misses aside, let’s get back to the main attraction. For $30,000, 40 mpg, and AWD, here are the 2024 models that pack a punch in terms of value, efficiency, and grip:
Toyota Corolla Hybrid 2024
Toyota Corolla Hybrid LE AWD
Price (including destination): $25,995
EPA fuel economy: 48 mpg combined (51 mpg city, 44 highway)
The Corolla has been one of the world’s best-selling cars for decades, and regardless of model or trim, economy is almost always built into the car—and the AWD hybrid versions have a separate 40-horsepower rear motor to help with all-weather traction, up to 138 horsepower when you factor in the 1.8-liter inline-four and front-drive system. The LE and XLE trims of the Corolla Hybrid exemplify that in extreme terms, achieving 48 mpg combined, while the sportier SE trims drop to 44 mpg while improving the driving experience.
Toyota Corolla Hybrid 2024
Meanwhile, Toyota Corolla Hybrid It exudes practicality. With a silhouette that’s almost the exact opposite of the Prius’s bold design, it offers the Camry’s space and comfort of just a few generations ago, with easy rear access and an airy, upright cabin. Overall, it’s a high-quality sedan that gets surprisingly good fuel economy for around $25,000.
Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid 2024
Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid
Price (including destination): $29,570
EPA fuel economy: 42 mpg combined (45 city, 38 highway)
The Toyota Corolla Cross is a hybrid. Although it’s part of the frugal, no-frills Corolla family, it shares some similarities with the RAV4 SUV and is fundamentally different. In terms of packaging and cabin layout, this small crossover has a lot going for it for growing urban families, with enough rear-seat space to accommodate four adults or fit a child seat without straining your neck. But it lacks refinement, its acceleration is underwhelming and its fuel economy is unremarkable.
Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid 2023
Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid 2023
Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid 2023
The Corolla Cross Hybrid handles most, if not all, of those things. Its 2.0-liter inline-four, tuned to 150 horsepower and 139 pound-feet of torque, is paired with Toyota’s planetary-gear hybrid system and a 0.9-kWh lithium-ion battery pack that buffers power for a total of 196 horsepower. That translates to a 0-60 mph time of 8.0 seconds—a full second quicker than the 30-mpg nonhybrid, and with less noise under the hood. The model’s 8.1 inches of ground clearance could also come in handy on snowy winter roads.
