Hybrid cars. Not so long ago, they were the reserve of environmentally conscious school
run parents, people living or working in London's congestion charge zone, and minicab drivers
looking to save a bit of money on fuel.
Today, everyone from Toyota to Porsche sells one. They’re increasingly becoming a realistic
alternative to conventional petrol and diesel models, and for many they’re more appealing
than electric cars that have a limited range.
So, in this top 10 list we’re going to name the very best (and worst) hybrid and plug-in
hybrid cars on sale right now. And remember if you want to buy a new hybrid or any other
new car - head to the New Car Buying section on whatcar.com to find out how much money
we could save you. And subscribe to our channel to keep up to speed with the latest car reviews
and advice.
Toyota didn’t invent the hybrid-powered vehicle, but after many years of offering
hybrids, it knows a thing or two about making them. There are four Toyotas in this list,
and first up is the Toyota C-HR. The striking small SUV combines a 1.8-litre petrol engine
with an electric motor, and it’s a seriously cheap company car. Around town at low speeds
when it’s running on electric power alone, it’s very quiet; but ask for even gentle
acceleration, and thanks to its frustrating CVT automatic gearbox the engine noise gets
a bit grating.
If you want hybrid power in a slightly smaller package than the C-HR, then the Toyota Yaris
Hybrid is pretty much your only choice. It combines small car nimbleness with hybrid
efficiency, so can make a lot of sense for buyers living in big cities. You get generous
standard equipment as well as a spacious and practical interior. Plus, in our real-world
True MPG testing - which you can read more about by clicking on the link in the top right-hand
corner - it recorded the best town mpg of any car we’ve ever tested. It’s just a
shame the interior design doesn’t inspire much.
The BMW i8 shows that hybrids can also be fun to drive and hugely desirable. This high-performance
plug-in hybrid delivers serious pace and low emissions. You can think of it as an efficient
alternative to models like the Porsche 911 and Audi R8. But if you can keep the battery
charged regularly to make good use of its all-electric range which should be around
20 miles in the real world, then the i8’s running costs should be a fraction of its
conventionally powered competitors. The i8 remains a truly ground-breaking car. But,
it’s number eight in this list because it’s still very expensive to buy.
You were probably waiting for this one. The Toyota Prius is like a Hollywood A-lister
in the hybrid car world, and for many it’s become the default hybrid choice. It’s the
first car on everyone’s lips in this market, and that’s because it’s one of the founding
fathers of low-emissions motoring. In its latest fourth-generation form it competes
directly with cars like the Ford Focus and Volkswagen Golf. It offers excellent fuel
economy, brilliant refinement around town and low company car tax. But it also has grabby
brakes, poor rear head room and feels a bit sluggish out on the open road.
Combining luxury car comfort with low emissions motoring seems like a no brainer. The S560e
is a plug-in hybrid that keeps everything we love about the regular S-Class, like it’s
long-distance cruising comfort and interior luxury, and adds a 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine
under the bonnet, that works with an electric motor. That means you can travel for around
30 miles on electric power alone - or use the electric motor to boost acceleration.
For luxurious low emission motoring, look no further.
Honda’s large SUV is now in its fifth-generation, and it’s ditched diesel power altogether
and replaced it for the first time with a hybrid option. It’s powered by 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 and an
excellent driving position.
We are big fans of the BMW 5 Series for lots of reasons. It’s brilliant to drive, beautifully
classy inside and has an outstanding infotainment system. This plug-in hybrid version - the
530e — can cover about 20 miles on electricity alone in real-world conditions, and the incredibly
competitive CO2 emissions, which means lower benefit-in-kind tax, make it a hugely appealing
company car choice. If you do lots of motorway driving bear in mind a 520d will offer better
MPG, though, and the 530e’s battery reduces boot space by a fair chunk, too.
Now for the top three and in third place - the Volvo XC90 T8. This plug-in hybrid version
of the Volvo XC90 has an ace up its sleeve: while they are rival plug-in hybrid SUVs,
like the Range Rover Sport PHEV and Porsche Cayenne Hybrid, they have just five seats;
the T8 meanwhile is the only plug-in hybrid SUV on sale today with seven seats. The XC90
T8 is generally more comfortable than those two rivals, offers more standard equipment
for the money, and we say delivers the best overall package. It’s also the quickest
XC90 you can buy by some margin, and it doesn’t compromise what makes Volvo’s biggest offering
so appealing in the first place: its really classy and spacious interior and its huge
boot.
In second place, the Hyundai Ioniq. It’s an ideal hybrid choice, combining low running
costs and a relatively low price. It’s main rival is the Toyota Prius, but the Ioniq is
more practical and smarter inside. Plus it’s quicker and more fun to drive, so overall
it’s a better all-round package. We recommend the standard hybrid version of the Ioniq,
but you can also get it as a plug-in hybrid and as a fully electric model.
And in first place, the very best hybrid car you can buy right now is: the Toyota Corolla.
It’s a fine family car, with two hybrid versions that offer exceptionally low running
costs. Even the lower-powered 1.8-litre set-up offers adequate acceleration for most situations,
while the more powerful 2.0-litre model is pleasantly punchy. It’s comfortable, benefits
from Toyota’s exceptional reliability record and comes with loads of standard equipment.
If you want a family car, and don’t quite feel ready to go for something fully electric
- the new Corolla offers a hugely compelling reason to go hybrid.
But, although these 10 cars are all brilliant examples of efficient, low-emission motoring
at its finest, there are some hybrids that aren’t quite so recommendable. The Infiniti
Q50 Hybrid puts performance before efficiency. With a combined output of 359bhp from its
V6 petrol engine and electric motor, it’s certainly fast. But the ride is too firm,
and the Q50 isn’t anywhere near as much fun to drive as its rivals. Then, you’ve
got the Lexus CT 200h which, compared to the best hybrid cars is unrefined and uncomfortable.
It does offer low company car tax rates, but you’re still better off looking at other
hybrid examples in our list.
So there you have it - the best and worst hybrid cars you can buy right now. Head to
whatcar.com for our extended written reviews on all of the cars mentioned here, and don’t
forget to check out the New Car Buying section to see how much money you could save on your
next car purchase.
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