It used to be a simple choice between petrol and diesel.
But buying a new car today, you have hybrids,
plug-in hybrids, mild hybrids and fully electric cars in the mix too,
giving you plenty of brilliant options, but making it all rather confusing.
To try and make sense of some of this for you, we’re explaining what hybrids
are – the ones you don’t have to plug in – and naming the top 10 on sale.
This is a list of cars on sale right now,
but there are many more around the corner. So to make sure you see our in-depth reviews
of all the new hybrid cars launching this year and beyond – subscribe to our channel.
And to make sure you’re paying a fair price for a hybrid,
plug-in hybrid or any new car at all – go to whatcar.com to look through our list of deals.
Now if you want to see the best plug-in hybrids you can buy – click on the link
at the top of the screen there to watch our other video running you through that.
But right here, we’re talking about standard hybrids.
Whether you need to plug them in or not, hybrid cars combine a petrol
or diesel engine with an electric motor, powered by a battery.
With a standard hybrid – which you might hear some manufacturers refer to as
‘self-charging’ hybrids, or even a ‘full hybrid’ – the battery is absolutely tiny,
and is charged up using energy that would normally be wasted, for example when you’re slowing down.
That energy can then drive the electric motor to assist the petrol engine,
which improves your fuel economy and reduces your CO2 emissions. You can travel on pure
electric power alone, without using the engine, but it’s only for very,
very short distances of no more than a few hundred yards at low speeds.
A plug-in hybrid has a much bigger battery – one so big that it needs to be plugged in
to charge up – and some can travel for more than 30 miles on pure electric power
alone. But they tend to be much more expensive than standard hybrids, and you have to make sure
you keep the battery charged up as much as you can, otherwise the fuel economy isn’t very good.
And if you’ve heard of a “mild hybrid” then this should definitely not be confused with a hybrid or
plug-in hybrid. It only offers a very small amount of electrical assistance to
the engine – and typically the only impact you’d notice is a very smooth stop-start engine system.
So, hopefully, that’s cleared up some of the confusing jargon for you,
and now let’s get to our list of top 10 hybrids.
When Toyota launched the Prius back in 1997, it became the first mass-produced hybrid car.
A quarter of a century later, the Japanese manufacturer is now a veteran of the hybrid world,
still releasing good models but now facing lots more competition.
Its latest effort is the Toyota Yaris Cross. It’s very similar underneath to
the Toyota Yaris, but on the outside it’s been jacked up and given an SUV makeover.
It comes with a 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol engine, and it actually has the best
average fuel economy figure of any car we've ever put through our True MPG test. So in real-world
driving conditions, our research shows that you can expect to achieve an average of 60.1mpg.
In the town section of our tests, it achieved an incredible 103.3mpg. Factor in composed handling
and Toyota’s excellent reliability record and it’s clear to see the appeal of Toyota’s small SUV.
Just bear in mind that it's quite cramped in the back and the infotainment system isn’t great.
Honda’s large SUV is now in its fifth-generation and is
hybrid only. It comes with a 2.0-litre petrol engine and an electric motor,
and while it might not score highly in the driving excitement stakes, it’s comfy, refined
and spacious. You also get a decent amount of kit as standard and an excellent driving position.
The old Lexus NX wasn’t anything to write home about, but the new second generation model
marks an enormous step forwards for the brand. It has a great interior,
is competitively priced and of course comes with the benefit of Lexus’ legendary
reliability record. The plug-in hybrid version is particularly impressive, too.
The Ford Kuga is a decent large SUV no matter what version you go for.
But it’s particularly compelling if you go for either the hybrid or plug-in hybrid. Do that
and you’ll get an SUV that offers tidy handling and good fuel economy, all for a sensible price.
The interior quality is a bit iffy though, and the boot is fairly small.
The Hyundai Tucson is great inside, both in terms of its build quality
and the space on offer. It’s not a seven seater but compared to its direct five-seat rivals
it has loads of space in the back, and a big boot too.
The Kia Sportage is very similar to the Tucson underneath,
and the two are ultimately hard to split. The Tucson is a little cheaper, but the Sportage
just about feels the more polished product in a few areas, particularly its ride and interior.
The Toyota Corolla is a fine family car, with two hybrid versions which,
like all hybrids, have the potential to offer exceptionally low running costs.
It’s comfortable, benefits from Toyota’s exceptional reliability record
and comes with loads of standard equipment. The Corolla offers a hugely compelling reason
to go hybrid. If you like the Corolla but need more space,
you can also buy an estate version, called the Corolla Touring Sports.
If you need a car with seven seats, hybrid or non-hybrid,
they don’t come much better than the Kia Sorento.
It’s a massive SUV with seating for seven adults and, in five-seat mode, a massive boot.
In fact, the only hybrid seven seater that’s better than the Sorento is the Santa Fe.
Like the Sportage and the Tucson, the Sorento and Santa Fe are very closely related and very
difficult to choose between. But, ultimately, the Santa Fe offers all the positives of the Sorento
and get some luxuries in its entry-level trim which the Sorento only gets in its
more expensive models. So for that reason, this fantastic hybrid looks slightly better value.
But the very best hybrid you can buy is the Honda Jazz.
This is a small car that offers a big reason to go hybrid.
Sure, it’s no seven-seat Santa Fe when it comes to practicality, but considering this
is effectively a small car rival to things like the Ford Fiesta and Vauxhall Corsa,
the Jazz is more like an MPV compared to them. It is huge inside by class standards,
with the magic seats in the rear adding to its incredibly practical offering.
It’s also comfortable, fantastically well equipped, and nicely finished inside.
It’s not the cheapest small car, but it is definitely the best,
and indeed the most compelling hybrid car on sale right now.
Not all hybrids are good, though.
And while the Lexus NX is a fantastic car, the smaller UX is not.
With distinctive looks and an efficient hybrid system, you might think it’s an interesting
alternative to established premium family SUVs. But, cramped rear seat space and a tiny boot make
the UX seriously bad in terms of practicality for family SUVs. Add in a poor infotainment system,
a so-so driving experience, and it’s a hybrid that lags behind the rest of the class.
So there you have it. The best and worst hybrid cars on sale. Do you agree with our list?
What hybrid car are you buying? Tell us in the comments below and subscribe
to our channel for lots more reviews and go to whatcar.com for a great deal on your next car.