There were naturally some new battery-electric vehicles at this year’s Los Angeles Auto Show in late November. But another kind of electrified powertrain stole the show: hybrids.
Long gone are the days when hybrids were a quirky type of powertrain that cost more and performed less than gasoline-powered vehicles. As the LA Show illustrated, hybrids are now mainstream and increasingly embraced by automakers and consumers.
“The hybrid is enjoying a resurgence because a lot of consumers aren’t ready to go electric yet,” said Ed Kim, president and chief analyst of consultancy AutoPacific. “You get huge gains in fuel economy without a decrease in performance, and today that price delta has shrunk considerably.”
At the show, Kia showed its commitment to hybrids by introducing the 2026 Sportage with gasoline, turbo hybrid, and turbo plug-in hybrid options.
Jeep’s new CEO, Antonio Filosa, announced at the show that Jeep will add a hybrid model in 2025 that will replace the compact Cherokee SUV.
Porsche Downtown LA stood in for the manufacturer and held a press conference trumpeting Porsche’s addition of two hybrid models.
VW Brand CEO Thomas Schafer said VW customers and dealers are asking for hybrids “loud and clear,” and a hybrid version of the 2025 Tiguan is coming.
No longer exotic
The hybrid powertrain has come a long way since Toyota introduced its first Prius model in 2000. While the Prius had few issues, other automakers’ hybrid attempts were less successful.
But a recent Consumer Reports study found hybrid powertrains are now very reliable.
In fact, “some longstanding Toyota and Lexus hybrids and PHEVs remain some of the most reliable vehicles, period,” said Chris Harto, a senior policy analyst, transportation and energy for Consumer Reports..
The Toyota RAV4 Prime and RAV4 Hybrid SUVs, Toyota Corolla Hybrid sedan, Toyota Prius hatchback, and Lexus NX Hybrid are all on the Consumer Reports’ list of the 10 most reliable cars, as is the Hyundai Elantra Hybrid sedan, he said.
Consumers have taken note. Hybrid sales in the U.S. rose by 35.8% in the first eleven months of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023 to 1,437,049 units, according to Wards Intelligence data.
“Hybrids were an exotic concept 20 years ago, with most consumers confused by the technology,” said Karl Brauer, executive analyst at iSeeCars. “Twenty years later, hybrid technology has much wider understanding and acceptance.”
He pointed to the 2025 Toyota Camry to illustrate his point. It is only offered as a hybrid, but Toyota doesn’t emphasize that, said Brauer.
“Toyota is proof that hybrid technology is ready for prime time,” he said.
None of those annoying BEV issues
The fall in the price of gasoline has also boosted hybrids popularity, said Mark Osmers, head of marketing at the Rusnak Auto Group.
Based in the Los Angeles metroplex, Rusnak includes Audi, Porsche, Bentley, Rolls Royce, Volvo, Sprinter, Ineos Grenadier, Land Rover, BMW, Mercedes, Genesis and Hyundai franchises.
“Battery-electric vehicles were the darling of the industry when gas was over seven dollars a gallon. Today, hybrids and plug-in hybrids are becoming more popular again,” he said.
BEVs are more expensive than hybrids, have to be recharged so cause range anxiety, and calculating the savings achieved by using electricity instead of gas to refuel
can be complex, said Osmers.
Hybrids face none of those issues.
In short, “hybrids are convenient, have range and offer the possibility of some energy cost savings,” he said.
Hybrid eggs in the basket for the win
While Hyundai used the LA Show to launch its Ioniq 9 three-row battery electric SUV, during the show Hyundai CEO and COO Jose Munoz emphasized the automaker’s commitment to hybrids.
In the second half of 2025, Hyundai will begin producing a new selection of hybrid vehicles at its Georgia plant, said Munoz. By the end of the decade, hybrids will account for between 30% and 40% of Hyundai’s U.S. powertrain mix, he said.
Hyundai and Kia, a brand also owned by the Hyundai Group, have increasingly included hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles across their model lines, said Brauer.
“To sum it up, the most successful brands of the past 20 years have put a lot of their eggs in the hybrid basket,” he said. “And several brands that should have been putting more eggs in that basket are finally figuring it out and running back to hybrids.”
