Which New Hybrid SUV Should You Choose for Winter in Quebec?

Our 20-second answer

You can't plug in, at home or at work.
Go with a conventional hybrid. The Tucson Hybrid starts at $46,521 (as of 2026-10-12) with the Night Edition.
You plug in every evening and your daily trips are short.
The Tucson Ultimate Plug-in Hybrid, at $56,221 (as of 2026-10-04), offers about 51 km in electric mode according to Hyundai Canada. Count on less in deep cold.
You need more space.
The 2026 Santa Fe: four trims, all hybrid, from $47,016 (as of 2026-10-04).
You're unsure about all-wheel drive.
It's standard on every Tucson. Either way, winter tires come first.
You tow a trailer over 2,000 lb.
No Tucson hybrid will do: it's the gas model you need to look at.

All-in prices: freight and PDI included, tax and registration extra, no rebate deducted.

Plug in or not The cold Prices Test drive

Hybrid or plug-in hybrid: can you plug in?

The two often get lumped together. Yet they're two different purchases.

The conventional hybrid: nothing to plug in

A gas engine and an electric motor take turns. The battery recharges as you drive and under braking. The electric motor works mostly at low speed and when slowing down, so in town, in traffic and at stops. You fill up like before, just less often.

The plug-in hybrid: a battery you fill from an outlet

The principle is the same, with a bigger battery that you plug in. It lets you drive in electric mode for a certain distance, then the gas engine takes over. On the Tucson Ultimate Plug-in Hybrid, Hyundai Canada quotes about 51 km on electricity and a total range of about 674 km.

Our take: a plug-in hybrid makes sense when you charge it almost every day. Without a reliable outlet at home or at work, you're paying for a big battery you'll rarely fill, and the conventional hybrid is the logical choice. A round trip between Magog and Sherbrooke is about 60 km: most of it gets done on electricity, not all of it.

For how it works in detail, see our article on how a hybrid car works.

What difference does cold weather actually make?

On a conventional hybrid, not much. It doesn't rely on its battery alone. When the cold reduces electric efficiency, the gas engine works harder, and it's the engine that heats the cabin. You'll use a bit more fuel than in summer. Natural Resources Canada points it out: that's true of every vehicle, hybrid or not.

On a plug-in hybrid, electric range drops. A cold battery delivers less energy, and the heating takes a share of it. The phenomenon affects every battery, from every manufacturer. The vehicle keeps going, since the gas engine takes over sooner. But if your math relies on 51 electric kilometres every day of the year, recalculate with January temperatures in mind.

Heated and ventilated front seats of the 2026 Hyundai Tucson — The heated seats and steering wheel warm the driver directly: they take less energy than heating the whole cabin.

Two habits limit the loss:

Preheat while the vehicle is plugged in.The heat comes from the outlet, not the battery. We explain this habit in our guide Which new electric vehicle should you choose for winter in Quebec.
Use the heated seats and steering wheel.They warm the driver directly, without heating the whole cabin.

Is all-wheel drive necessary, or are tires enough?

Our take: tires first. All-wheel drive helps you get going and climb. It doesn't help you brake or turn; that's what winter tires do.

It brings a real advantage in three situations we know well in the Eastern Townships:

getting out of a sloped drivewaythat hasn't been cleared yet;
climbing an icy hill, toward Orford for example;
driving on a back roadthat isn't well maintained.

If none of these is part of your daily life, put your budget into tires before putting it into the drivetrain. At Hyundai, the question often settles itself: all-wheel drive is standard on every Tucson trim, and on the Luxury and Ultimate Calligraphy trims of the Santa Fe.

Man loading a cooler into the cargo area of a 2026 Hyundai Santa Fe by a lake — Every 2026 Santa Fe trim is a hybrid, and its big tailgate swallows a weekend's worth of gear.

Which new hybrid SUVs can you find in Magog, and at what price?

Prices in effect as of October 4, 2026. They include freight and pre-delivery inspection. Tax and registration are extra. No rebate is deducted. Prices are set by Hyundai Canada and can change without notice.

New hybrid SUVs at Hyundai de Magog, all-in prices as of October 4, 2026
Model and trim	Price
Tucson N Line Hybrid	$47,521 (as of 2026-10-04)
Tucson Ultimate Hybrid	$50,921 (as of 2026-10-04)
Tucson Ultimate Plug-in Hybrid	$56,221 (as of 2026-10-04)
Santa Fe Preferred	$47,016 (as of 2026-10-04)
Santa Fe Preferred with Trend package	$51,016 (as of 2026-10-04)
Santa Fe Luxury Hybrid	$56,766 (as of 2026-10-04)
Santa Fe Ultimate Hybrid Calligraphy	$60,116 (as of 2026-10-04)

Current prices can change. This table is dated and excludes rebates. The price advertised today is on the 2026 Tucson and 2026 Santa Fe model pages. This month's rebates and rates are on the promotions page.

On the lot on October 4, 2026, according to our online inventory: 13 Tucson Hybrids (11 N Line, 2 Ultimate) and 6 Santa Fe, all hybrid, 4 of them already from the 2027 model year. No Tucson Plug-in Hybrid was in stock that day: it had to be ordered. See the Tucson models in stock or the Santa Fe models in stock.

Need three rows and eight seats? The 2026 Palisade also comes as a hybrid, from $63,821 (as of 2026-10-04) for the Luxury Hybrid trim.

Black 2026 Hyundai Palisade, headlights on, on a dirt road at dusk — The 2026 Palisade adds a third row and also comes in a hybrid variant.

The Santa Fe on video

The Santa Fe is easier to understand in motion than in a table. This road test covers the 2024 model year, but the Santa Fe hasn't changed its look since: what you see matches the 2026 vehicle.

Video road test of the Hyundai Santa Fe — The road test covers the Santa Fe's space, third row and road manners.

Does a hybrid pay off for you?

The answer comes down to three numbers specific to you.

Your mileage.According to the ratings published by Hyundai Canada, the Tucson Hybrid uses 6.7 L/100 km combined, versus 8.8 for the gas Tucson. At 20,000 km a year, the gap works out to about 420 litres.
Your share of city driving.The hybrid gains its advantage in stop-and-go and at low speeds. That advantage shrinks at a steady highway speed.
How long you keep it.A hybrid costs more upfront, but you recover that extra cost through use. Over four years and 60,000 km, the gap has little time to close. Over eight years and 200,000 km, it has plenty.

What each step up the Tucson price ladder adds, feature by feature, is detailed in our comparison Which 2026 Tucson trim should you choose. You'll also find the towing details there: up to 3,500 lb with gas, 2,000 lb as a hybrid.

Test drive a hybrid in Magog, on your own route

Tell us your mileage, your trips and whether you can plug in. We'll have the Tucson Hybrid or the Santa Fe ready for your visit. Choose the model in the form below.

Book your hybrid test drive

Choose the model from the list. In the message, tell us your mileage and whether you can plug in at home.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a Kona hybrid in Canada?

No. The Kona comes with a gas engine or as a 100% electric model. For a hybrid SUV at Hyundai, you need to look at the Tucson, the Santa Fe or the Palisade.

Hybrid or electric for winter?

If you can charge where you park overnight and your daily driving is predictable, an EV is a very good option. Otherwise, a conventional hybrid refuels like a gas vehicle and requires no extra steps. Our guide on electric vehicles and winter covers the question.

Are there purchase incentives for a plug-in hybrid?

Government programs change, sometimes mid-year. We don't list any amount here so we don't give you an outdated figure. Check the programs in effect when you buy; we'll go over them with you.

Are these prices still current?

The prices in this article are those in effect as of October 4, 2026. They are set by Hyundai Canada and can change without notice, especially at the model-year changeover. Today's price is on each model's page.