Electrified cars are becoming an increasingly common sight on British roads as a result of political and environmental pressures. Hybrids of all types, including mild, full and plug-in, are becoming a popular choice for drivers because they offer a ‘best of both worlds’ approach to eco-friendly motoring. As this technology is rolled out across more and more models, the choice is broader than ever, with the best hybrid cars ranging from tiny superminis to big family SUVs.
It’s not hard to see the appeal. Hybrid technology can improve the fuel efficiency of a variety of cars, meaning there are real financial savings to be made. Hybrids also make a lot of sense for lower-mileage or urban-based private buyers, as well as for fleet users looking to decrease company car tax bills.
Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) also offer a pure-electric driving range, with the majority capable of covering 30 miles or more without burning a drop of petrol. However, as the name suggests, plug-in hybrids need to be charged regularly to deliver the best range and fuel economy possible.
Mild-hybrid vehicles will appeal to those not wanting to worry about charging up as they incorporate a small electric motor that is used solely to assist the engine and not work independently from it. Mild-hybrids are usually the cheapest way into hybrid ownership but there’s no pure-electric driving.
As hybrid technology advances, manufacturers are achieving an ever-improving balance between performance and efficiency, with hybrids of all types playing a key role in bridging the gap between internal-combustion and all-electric cars.
We list the top 10 hybrids currently on the market, counting down from number 10...
Outgunning BMW in the premium SUV sector is no mean feat, but Lexus has done exactly that with the latest NX. The firm has always drawn in customers with its exceptional comfort, build quality and an impeccable dealer network, and the NX embodies these qualities in an X3-beating package.
The NX 350h wraps the latest Toyota RAV4's powertrain tech in a more opulent, refined SUV, and while it's objectively the superior car, the more affordable Toyota is better value. Nevertheless, buyers will appreciate the NX's hushed road manners and suave interior, which features the slickest tech suite we've used in a Lexus. With the optional 14-inch touchscreen setup, you certainly won't be wanting for more pixels.
What was once a plucky, rugged 4x4 has morphed into an advanced, frugal SUV in its latest generation. Given the rise of SUVs in recent times, it comes as no surprise that the Toyota RAV4 has become a desirable, hybrid-powered model that moves the game on from its forebears. In fact, it’s exclusively available in electrified form, with the ‘self-charging’ hybrid variant using a 2.5-litre petrol engine in tandem with an electric motor.
The RAV4 is surprisingly crisp to drive for a tall, relatively heavy vehicle, but while the hybrid setup can return over 50mpg, it delivers its performance in a noisy fashion thanks to its CVT gearbox. Still, the RAV4 is a practical machine despite its onboard electrical gubbins, and fit and finish is robust. The dated infotainment system lets it down slightly, though.
On the outside, the latest Renault Clio is very much an evolution of its predecessor, especially following its recent facelift. But big changes under the skin have brought it right to the sharp end of the supermini market. Unlike rivals such as the Skoda Fabia and Hyundai i20, the Clio features a full hybrid powertrain that combines a 1.6-litre petrol engine with an electric motor to generate 143bhp.
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Sell your carThe hybrid achieves over 60mpg and sprints from 0-62mph in under ten seconds, plus the rest of the package is a marked improvement over the old car. The Clio is relatively engaging through twisting roads, and the well-judged suspension offers a decent blend of precision and comfort. Cabin quality is particularly strong too, and the five door-only bodystyle provides enough rear legroom for adults and a large 391-litre boot.
Much like its Yaris and RAV4 relatives that also appear on this list, the Corolla is yet another model that is now powered by Toyota’s tried-and-tested ‘self-charging’ petrol-electric hybrid technology.
The British-built hatch is offered in 1.8 and 2.0-litre models, both of which automatically shuffle between their two power sources and use the car’s petrol engine to charge the battery. A continuously variable transmission (CVT) takes the place of a traditional automatic gearbox, and this helps to make the most of the drivetrain’s power.
Those craving a little more punch can pick the top 2.0-litre hybrid model. With 177bhp on tap, 0-62mph takes just 7.9 seconds; fuel economy and emissions take a slight hit, but this model still offers a great balance of performance and low running costs. The Corolla also has received a slight refresh, which included a new infotainment system and the addition of a 10.5-inch central touchscreen on all models. It’s a massive improvement over the set-up the Corolla came with at launch, but people can still take advantage of the standard-fit Apple CarPlay or Android Auto if they prefer.
The fifth and sixth placed models in this list are almost interchangeable, so closely matched are the Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson. The Hyundai is a touch more affordable and slightly more cushioned over bumps, but for some, the Kia’s radical design and even more advanced interior will be worth the extra outlay.
The Sportage isn’t particularly engaging thanks to its compliant suspension setup and light steering, but rear seat passengers will appreciate its impressive cabin space, while those in the front are greeted with a pair of impressive 12.3-inch infotainment displays. These provide access to the Kia’s class-leading tech suite, which includes sat-nav, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard.
Its bold styling won’t be to all tastes, but there’s no denying the Hyundai Tucson’s deep-seated quality as a family SUV. In fact, it’s so good that we’ve named it our Mid-size SUV of the Year three years on the trot now. The Tucson Hybrid utilises a 1.6-litre electrically-assisted powertrain with 230bhp, and its efficiency figures are respectable for what is a roomy, tech-packed machine.
Like the Kia Sportage, which shares its underpinnings with the Hyundai, the Tucson drives with finesse without veering towards sportiness, and its relaxed gait makes it a pleasant companion for long trips. Inside, liberal use of fingerprint-prone gloss black trim detracts from what is otherwise a well built, attractive cabin, offering a generous level of standard kit.
Available in hybrid, PHEV and pure-electric form, the Kia Niro's superb tech, cabin space and mature dynamics shine through whichever version you choose. The hybrid is based around a 1.6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine derived from the original Niro, but the second-generation model feels fresh in every other regard.
Kia's compact SUV rides on the company's K3 platform, and while the hybrid isn't the most effortless performer, it offers strong efficiency and the Niro is mostly relaxing to drive. It’s compliant on all but the roughest surfaces, and thanks to its boxy shape, there’s plenty of room for passengers to lounge around. The Niro’s snappy, feature-rich infotainment setup - derived from the EV6 - is among the best in class, too.
While Dacia is new to electrification, the brand’s very first hybrid available in the UK is one of the best and most affordable you can buy. The Jogger’s looks are driven by function over form, and the hybrid makes no compromises when it comes to interior or luggage space, meaning the hatchback-cum-estate-cum-MPV still provides seating for seven people and their stuff.
The hybrid seven-seater features 1.6-litre and two electric motors under its bonnet, a 1.2kWh battery and multimode automatic gearbox. According to Dacia, the Jogger Hybrid can return up to 56.5mpg and run in pure-electric mode up to 80 per cent of the time when you’re driving in town. You even get plenty of kit if you opt for the mid-range Expression trim, which only brings the price up to £23,000.
The latest Toyota Yaris is one of the more sensible superminis on the market, and its blending of style, tech and hybrid power is hard to fault. Like the Corolla, it utilises Toyota’s tried-and-tested ‘self-charging’ petrol-electric hybrid technology. The Yaris is probably more at home around town, but can hold its own on the motorway, too, making it a sensible all-rounder.
As with any new vehicle purchase it’s sensible to assess your annual mileage, and to consider what you’ll use your car for. If you’re a lower-mileage driver, the running costs of a conventional petrol hybrid could make it a sound alternative to a petrol or diesel car, but if you plan to rack up motorway miles, a regular diesel or even a diesel hybrid may make more financial sense.
The choice is easier for company car users, however; the lower CO2 emissions of hybrids mean they qualify for much more palatable Benefit-in-Kind rates than most non-electrified models.
Plug-in hybrids tend to be more expensive than self-charging models but you could well recoup the extra if you regularly travel shorter distances purely on electric power, thanks to their bigger batteries. If your budget allows, a PHEV makes a lot of sense as a zero-emissions, zero-fuel commuter, all the while offering the option for covering longer distances with acceptable fuel economy once the engine has kicked in.
Current industry trends mean that SUV buyers are spoilt for choice, but those after other forms of hybrid transport have a little less to choose from. Our list covers most bases but you won’t find many PHEV city cars or sports cars, for example.
As hybridisation spreads through more car makers’ ranges, it’s likely that choice will expand exponentially. But for now, if you’re buying your next family car and want to take a step towards a lower carbon footprint, or just lower running costs, there’s a lot to get excited about.
Now read our list of the best small hybrid cars to buy...
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Ryan is responsible for looking after the day-to-day running of the Auto Express website and social media channels. Prior to joining Auto Express in 2023, he worked at a global OEM automotive manufacturer, as well as a specialist automotive PR and marketing agency.
► UK’s best hybrid cars on sale in 2024
► Our pick of the top part-electric buys
► Plug-in and ‘self-charging’ hybrids covered
With the future looking so decidedly electric, is there a place for hybrid and plug-in hybrid cars in 2024? We say most definitely yes – not everyone’s budgets or lifestyles will suit a fully electric car, and hybrids can be a great stepping stone technology to bridge the gap.
Until electric vehicles (EVs) are cheaper and charging them as straightforward as chucking liquid fuel into a tank, there are many buyers who will be better served by a hybrid. These come in all shapes and sizes, from superminis to hybrid SUVs and seven-seater hybrids, to clean up your emissions and cut your motoring bills.
EDITOR’S PICK: CAR magazine’s panel of road testers have driven every hybrid car on sale today, and you can read our best hybrid car selections below. But if we had to pick one, we’d name the BMW 330e as our favourite – it’s a hybrid car that can do it all, especially in modish Touring spec.
To help you make the best decision, we’ve picked 10 of the best hybrids across every category. Whether you’re looking for a petrol-electric supermini, hybrid estate car or plug-in supercar, there’s something here to suit you.
What’s the best hybrid car in the UK? The answer depends on the kind of car you want, so we’ve picked 10 of the best to cover as many bases as we can. All of the below offer hybrid or plug-in hybrid power and features that place them above their immediate rivals.
Best for: My first hybrid
Pros: Clever hybrid system, reliability baked in, choice of body styles
Cons: Not the most exciting hybrid on sale, so-so interior
Toyota has long been the self-charging hybrid champion, having invented the genre with its Prius back in 1997, and the Corolla packs all that learning into a sensible family car. The Toyota Corolla is an excellent all-rounder, available as a hatchback, Touring Sports estate and even a van, and with a choice of two hybrid engines. It isn’t quite as sharp to drive as it is to look at, but the current model can deliver big real-world mpg.
The newest Corolla introduces an even more efficient fifth-generation Toyota hybrid system that makes a big difference to the driving experience, too. Seriously, don’t scoff. It’s a great place to start.
Read our Toyota Corolla review.
Best for: Those wanting a Q-car hybrid express
Pros: Great performance, sharpest dynamics of any rival, saloon or Touring estate
Cons: So popular there can be a waiting list
Speaking of excellent all-rounders… combining a 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine with a 111bhp electric motor and a battery big enough for up to 37 miles of claimed electric driving, the 330e plug-in hybrid does the eco thing and the BMW 3-series fun driving thing with admirable aplomb.
With up to 289bhp available from the powertrain for short periods – XtraBoost ramping it up from the usual 249bhp when required – the 330e is very fast. The option of a Touring estate body makes it practical, too.
Read our BMW 330e review.
Best for: Hybrid style seekers
Pros: Knock-out design, beautifully finished, performance clout
Cons: A bit rare-groove, prices start at £96k…
Not an obvious eco-champion, perhaps. But if you want a part-electric jaw-dropping style statement, few cars contend with the 354bhp Lexus LC500h.
The stunning looks are combined with a blindingly complex drivetrain – which features a three-speed E-CVT gearbox that spends its time pretending to be a 10-speed automatic (not always successfully) – and while the 3.5-litre V6 and electric motor aren’t as fun as the alternative 5.0-litre V8, your fuel economy will definitely be better.
Read our Lexus LC500h review.
Best for: Families with a conscience
Pros: Properly roomy family SUV, seven seats available, decent e-range
Cons: Styling not to all tastes
Though the latest Santa Fe might not be as outstandingly exciting to look at as some other recent Hyundais, it is a proper seven-seater SUV that’s available as both a self-charging hybrid and plug-in hybrid, alongside old-school diesel powertrain options.
Most impressive about the plug-in hybrid Hyundai Santa Fe is not so much the claimed 36-mile electric range – knock about 10 off that in the real world – as the fact that you don’t lose any space in the rear row of seats. The closely related Kia Sorento is a good hybrid option, too.
Read our Hyundai Santa Fe review.
Best for: Those who are bored of the ubiquitous VW Golf
Pros: Fun to drive, crisp styling, clever hybrid tech, choice of bodystyles
Cons: Not everyone will love the i-Cockpit cabin
Winner of the CAR ‘Formula PHEV’ Giant Test, beating plug-in hybrid versions of the VW Golf and Mercedes A-Class, this punchy Peugeot 308 delivers a decent 222bhp in combination with near 40mpg real-world economy and around 27 miles of electric-only capability.
It’s also stylish and fun to drive – and if not quite as sharp as a standard 308, the refinement compensates. Note that you can now get a Vauxhall Astra that uses the same tech, and the Golf proved even more efficient. Just watch out for the brand’s unusually small steering wheel as part of the i-Cockpit layout.
Read our Peugeot 308 Plug-in Hybrid review.
Best for: Those living in crowded city spaces
Pros: Decades of hybrid know-how in a supermini, great reliability record
Cons: Not the roomiest small car on sale today
The best of a surprisingly good bunch of small hybrids is the Yaris. Another tasty-looking Toyota, unless you drive like a hooligan, this little thing can deliver a realistic 60mpg despite only being a self-charging model. And like other Toyotas, you get up to 10 years of warranty cover, giving added peace of mind.
Hard to argue against, then – but if you want a little more space, the Yaris Cross and the Honda Jazz CrossStar both offer more room inside and bit of a tiddly SUV vibe.
Read our Toyota Yaris Hybrid review.
Best for: Long-distance commuters
Pros: One of the few diesel hybrids available – and consequent long range, plus 60mpg potential
Cons: You’re still attached to the dirtier fuel choice…
You’re offered a choice of E-Class plug-in hybrids, but we’ve gone for the increasingly unusual E 300 de – the ‘d’ standing, yes, for diesel. Before you start crossing yourself and casting out the demons, remember that diesel is still a great long-distance fuel and brings admirably low CO2 emissions.
Combine that with the claimed 34-mile electric range for urban pottering, and you’ve got the best of both worlds – not to mention a real-world 60mpg in our experience. A petrol alternative is available if you really can’t do the diesel anymore, but that one isn’t available as an estate. And the big boot is brilliant on these.
Read our Mercedes E-class hybrid review.
Best for: Those wanting to assuage their Chelsea tractor guilt
Pros: Super-long range means 50 miles of electric driving, typical BMW dynamics
Cons: Do the maths to make sure the premium is worth it
Our pick of the premium hybrid SUVs is this plug-in hybrid version of the BMW X5. Pairing a 3.0-litre straight-six with an electric motor and all-wheel drive, it’s powerful (388bhp) and fast (0-62mph in 5.6sec, 146mph), and maintains that typical BMW driving edge that makes almost all of its cars so exciting.
The xDrive45e also has a chunky maximum claimed electric driving range of 54 miles; with a maximum EV speed of 83mph, the petrol engine can take plenty of time off. We’ve driven several of these and can vouch for the extraordinarily long e-range.
Read our BMW X5 xDrive45e review.
Best for: Execs who want whisper-quiet refinement
Pros: Limousine style with mainstream fuel costs, long 65-mile e-range
Cons: You’ll need deep pockets to afford the £110k price
With an asking price of around £110k before options, the S-Class hybrid isn’t cheap. But it also offers the longest claimed EV range of any plug-in hybrid in this list – 65 miles – and features DC charging compatibility, so you can top that back up to 80% in just 20 minutes. Most plug-in hybrids make do with slower AC charging.
Plus, the S580e is packed with all the usual luxuries of Mercedes’ conventional flagship. Not sporty enough for you? Then consider the Porsche Panamera S E-Hybrid if you can live with something that isn’t quite so limo-like.
Read our Mercedes S-Class S580e L hybrid review.
Best for: Tech heads in a rush
Pros: You can have a supercar that cares about the planet! Raw performance, speed, and style guaranteed
Cons: Overdraft required to buy, run, service…
We did mention supercars right at the beginning, and there are a few hybrid sports cars to choose from, including the new McLaren Artura. But while the Macca still seems to be facing some teething troubles, we’ve opted for the majestic, magical Ferrari 296 GTB – the car that proves a prancing horse no longer needs a minimum of eight cylinders to thrill.
This electric motor-boosted 3.0-litre V6 makes 819bhp, does 0-62mph in 2.9sec and has a top speed of 205mph, and is simply sensational to drive. And, yes, it’ll even creep around town silently on electric power (for a short distance, at least).
Read our Ferrari 296 GTB review
Hybrid cars are getting increasingly popular, making up 18% of all new cars sold in the first half of 2023. It’s easy to see why: they represent an easy-to-live-with, cheaper, but useful stepping stone to fully electric vehicles.
Thanks to energy recuperation when braking and coasting, hybrid cars are more economical than traditional internal combustion cars, and most can creep silently around town on electric power. Your taxman will be grateful for their lower CO2 emissions and high mpg figures, making them cleaner and cheaper to run (especially as a company car).
We’ve got a full explainer page on hybrid car tech, but the simple difference here is that regular hybrids – sometimes referred to as ‘self-charging’ hybrids – don’t need to be plugged in at any point. Instead, the batteries that power their electric motors are recharged by energy recuperation when slowing down.
The other type of hybrid is the plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, often shortened to PHEV. The only difference is that they can be plugged in at home, so you’ll find an extra charging port on the front, flanks or rear of the car (see below).
PHEVs have much larger batteries. To make the most of them, you need to plug them into the mains – as with a pure electric vehicle, so you start every journey with a full battery. That means charging at home or using a public charging network.
The larger batteries give plug-in hybrids much greater electric-only driving capability than self-charging hybrids – to the extent that many shorter journeys won’t need to trouble the internal combustion engine at all. But they are also heavier and more expensive to buy in the first place.
While we’d be happy driving any of the above, for some buyers, reliability is the primary consideration when choosing a car. And if that’s the case for you, we’d strongly advise turning to Japanese or Korean brands if you’re after the most reliable hybrid car.
The Corolla and Yaris hybrids in our top 10 should be well up there, for example. But you could also consider the Toyota RAV4, the Honda CR-V hybrid, the Lexus UX hybrid or Lexus NX hybrid from Japanese brands – or the Hyundai Ioniq hybrid and the Kia Niro Hybrid from South Korea.
Buying secondhand? We have a round-up of the best used hybrid cars, too.
Buying hybrid means you avoid the high purchase price of a pure battery electric vehicle (BEV) and potentially benefit from less expensive company car tax, VED, and Congestion Charge tolls to boot. Be sure to factor these into your calculations before you take the plunge.
Opting for a plug-in hybrid can make driving even cheaper. Since these tend to offer 30-40 miles of emissions-free travel, they can reduce multiple monthly trips to the fuel station, especially if you mostly do short journeys and are able to charge up at home overnight.
On the other hand, self-charging hybrids won’t need access to an electric car charger to make the most of them, and the latest models run on electric power alone a considerable amount of the time.
As ever, your driving style is an important deciding factor in how efficient your hybrid car will be. If you’re foot-to-the-floor everywhere, you’ll end up with high running costs no matter what you drive. Plan ahead and be measured with your inputs, and your running costs should fall accordingly.
Check out our list of the cheapest hybrid cars if you’re on a tight budget. And if you are ready to plug in fully, here’s our guide to the best electric cars you can buy today.
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