How Does ACOTY Define This Class?

The world of Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) has proliferated into the upper echelons. SUVs that qualify for this category need to sit in the upper price-percentile tiers and be fitted with hybrid drivetrains.

Meet The Contenders

Money not an object and a desire to go green without switching to a fully electric vehicle? Here are the three choices of premium hybrid SUVs that were tested this year to tickle your fancy.

Clockwise from the top left, representing the Bavarian manufacturer is the BMW XM. Hailing from the land of the rising sun is the Lexus RX 350h. Wearing the three-pointed star badge is the Mercedes-Benz GLC 300e 4MATIC.

Let’s start with the million-plus dollar titan, the BMW XM. Polarising looks aside, we appreciated how the XM struck a good balance in ride comfort while offering eye-watering performance off the line.

That it is also nimble in parking lots is a huge plus, and the opulently-appointed tech-focused interior enthrals its occupants.

In comparison, the Lexus RX 350h takes a more conservative tried and tested approach. The colour scheme of the test car is eye-catching without being over the top, and inside, the RX is easy to get settled into and operate while being suitably premium.

This combination appealed to the judging panel for its down-to-earth upmarket honesty, comfort and frugality.

Mercedes-Benz’s blinged-out cabin also makes an appearance here in the GLC 300e 4MATIC, and we like that sort of customizability.

Add to that how frugal it can be as a plug-in hybrid vehicle or PHEV and has enough poke off the line and this Merc warrants serious consideration.

All three contenders are strong choices, and their respective manufacturers should be applauded for doing well with their hybrids.

AutoApp Car Of The Year Best Premium Hybrid SUV
BMW XM

The winner with 347 points is the BMW XM. Despite being the absolute most expensive vehicle in the ACOTY line-up, what clinched the win for the XM was that BMW’s M-division dares to do things differently. Being the first standalone model since the M1 of yesteryear, the XM is a strong statement in the automotive industry, and its ballsy go-big-or-go-home nature is why it won.

More on the scoring categories used to derive points here.

Congratulations to the BMW XM for winning the AutoApp Car of the Year 2024 Best Premium Hybrid / Plug-in Hybrid!

Read more automotive news at AutoApp, or check out our latest videos on Ignition Labs TV!

We live in interesting times. More than once during the voting process, certain cars have challenged the definitions of how cars are classified. Perhaps none were more contentious than the winner of this group.

On the face of it, the two cars in this group as clearly recognisable as Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs). Also, this year, they all happened to be built in Japan. The diversity, in this case, can be found in their drivetrains which was also the source of some controversy. 

How Does ACOTY Define This Class?

However, before we get to that, let us establish how vehicles in the ACOTY Cat B hybrid SUVs category are classified. Although there are myriad forms of hybridisation, the ACOTY panel has determined that to qualify for this category, the vehicle must be able to be driven for at least one kilometre exclusively under electric power at speeds in excess of 50km/h when sufficient battery charge is available. 

This is in keeping with the spirit of the hybrid motoring concept that is meant to offer a combination of electric and ICE motoring experiences. Although plug-in hybrid vehicles would also qualify, none were launched locally this year.

Cars with mild hybrid systems where the Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) is always engaged, even under electric assistance, are classified in the ACOTY voting process as ICE vehicles.

Lastly, to qualify for this category, the vehicles also have to be priced below the 50th percentile of the group of ACOTY contenders. 

Meet The Contenders

This brings us to only two contenders in this category – the Nissan X-Trail e-Power and the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid. Both are extremely compelling cars in their own right.

In addition to being a technical outlier as we’ll get to later, the Nissan X-Trail was found to be refined and stylish. More importantly, in this era of historically high COEs, the X-Trail was found to be well-equipped enough to feel like its owner is getting a premium experience for a car that relatively speaking is positioned as a mass market model. 

“’But if I can justify the cost, is it worth it?’ Absolutely. The X-trail is a masterpiece in engineering, edging out its rivals with its good looks and nifty technology,” wrote Sean in his review. 

The other contender is the Toyota Corolla Cross. To clue you into how accomplished this car is, we can reference Vivek’s line from his review of this car.

“I went into this review prematurely prejudiced and wanting so much to deeply dislike and diss the Corolla Cross. I wanted to write about how it blasphemes the time-honoured and revered ‘Corolla’ name, and how it was rag-tag thrown together JUST to create yet another SUV in Toyota’s already-extensive lineup. I wanted so much for it to be royally disappointing, but it was my premature prejudice that was royally disappointed, for the more I drove it, the more I liked and respected it.”

AutoApp Car Of The Year Best Cat B Hybrid SUV
Nissan X-Trail e-Power

The winner of this category with 366 points is the Nissan X-Trail e-Power! It shines in its ability to be cost-friendly, extremely practical, and stylish, doing everything a typical Singaporean family would desire. It’ll put a smile on your face and your wallet, that’s what makes it so special.

More on the scoring categories used to derive points here.

Congratulations to the Nissan X-Trail e-Power for winning the AutoApp Car of the Year 2024 Best Cat B Hybrid / Plug-In Hybrid Category!

Read more automotive news at AutoApp, or check out our latest videos on Ignition Labs TV!