Best Hybrid Cars 2025

The BMW 3 Series is a staple of the new and used car markets, and loved by business users and private buyers alike. 

The 3 Series - along with BMW itself - used to be synonymous with creamy straight-six engines. The big reason the four-cylinder 330e is now so popular is because its plug-in hybrid system allows for super-low company car tax. It's the default choice for businesses, then, but it's also just such a good all-rounder. 

Using a 2.0-litre petrol engine mated to an electric motor and battery pack, it puts out a healthy 292PS and is also capable of up to 62 miles on a charge, while up to 353mpg is possible, according to official figures for the latest 330e. Even the earlier version was good for 217mpg.

The 330e is fun to drive, with superb handling yet also decent refinement, while the interior is a class act with top-notch quality and easy-to-use tech. 

Compact executive cars with hybrid engines are big business. This shouldn't be surprising, because so many are company cars and hybrids offer huge Benefit-in-Kind tax savings. The Mercedes C-Class is the posh small saloon of choice for this very reason.

You see, the C300e plug-in hybrid offers up to 71 miles of smooth, silent battery power before the petrol engine kicks into life. That's more than even the BMW 330e, and means that the Merc is quite a bit cheaper to run for business users. 

But there's plenty of appeal for everyone, as the long EV range means impressive economy as long as you charge it up regularly, and punchy performance thanks to 313PS with the petrol engine and electric motor working in unison. A comfortable ride combines with excellent refinement to make every journey relaxing, too. 

What's more, you get a plush cabin loaded with fancy technology, more space than most rivals, and a real feeling that you're driving around in a miniature S-Class. 

If you're in the market for a hybrid car that can comfortably carry up to seven people, look no further than the new Kia Sorento. The upmarket SUV (yes, Kia knows how to do upmarket very well these days) is available as a self-charging hybrid or plug-in hybrid (as well as a diesel), with both combining a 1.6-litre petrol engine with a battery pack and electric motor.

It's not a cheap option, with petrol or diesel versions of the SEAT Tarraco and Skoda Kodiaq undercutting it on price. It's fully loaded, though, with an 12.3-inch media system, heated seats and LED headlights standard across the range. We'd suggest looking for a '2' model or above for leather seats and a generally plusher cabin.

Unless you're a company car driver, we'd probably recommend the slightly more affordable self-charging hybrid model over the PHEV.

The Dacia Jogger is an unusual proposition on this list. For instance, there aren't many cars here that can seat seven people: only the far larger Kia Sorento can manage that. And there are fewer still - none in fact - that can do so for less than the price of a Vauxhall Corsa. This thing is a genuine bargain.

Okay, so the sixth- and seventh seats in the Jogger are better suited to occasional use due to the tight space that surrounds them, but having them in reserve can be very handy indeed when your kids demand an impromptu playdate. The cabin is fairly no-frills in terms of its quality and finish, but that's entirely forgivable given the Jogger's low price.

The hybrid system pairs a 1.6-litre petrol engine with two electric motors to deliver 140PS. Performance is entirely reasonable, and the system makes the car capable of an official WLTP fuel economy figure of up to 58.9mpg. That's a very reasonable return. The Jogger is a reasonably comfortable and easy car to drive, too.

MG is quickly becoming a master of offering what buyers want just as they want it, and the MG HS Plug-in Hybrid is a prime example of this. While the MG4 fulfils EV buyers' wants, the latest HS comes in a petrol-only form or this much more desirable PHEV version.

As a rival on size to the hybrid-only Honda HR-V, you might think the MG is going to be pricey. However, the HS Plug-in Hybrid is keen value, even if you go for the higher spec Trophy model. On top of that, you also get a seven-year warranty to rival the best out there.

None of this is at the expense of quality or comfort - the HS is well made and offers good space. It's also decent to drive, if not as agile or as good at smoothing out bumps as a Ford Kuga.

We can forgive this when the MG is capable of up to 75 miles on EV power alone and emits just 12g/km of carbon dioxide, while claimed economy is an impressive 564mpg. Use the electric motor and 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine combined and the HS is brisk, taking a hot hatch-rivalling 6.8 seconds to deal with 0-62mph.

It's hard not to be impressed with the Skoda Octavia Estate. Comfortable and with a good-sized cabin, plus the Octavia's boot should easily be large enough for most families' needs. The latest model is also nicely equipped and, considering what you get, it represents great value for money. 

The Skoda Octavia Estate is available in a variety of petrol and diesel flavours, but there's also the choice of mild hybrid and PHEV power. The mild-hybrid pairs a 1.5-litre petrol engine with an electric motor to deliver a claimed best of 55.4mpg.

Used buyers can also pick the 1.4-litre TSI iV PHEV that combines a 1.4 petrol engine with an electric motor and battery pack. This sees the Octavia iV able to cover 43 miles under electric power alone, while the combined power output of 204PS means it's pretty quick, hitting 62mph in 7.8 seconds. 

If that's not quick enough for you, there's also a hot vRS model which, like the standard estate, also came as a plug-in hybrid with 245PS and an electric-only range of 38 miles. The latest vRS has 265PS but sticks to petrol-only power.

Toyota hadn't planned to bring this latest Prius to the UK, but relented and are we very glad they did - it looks fantastic and goes every bit as well as the styling suggests. On EV power, it can travel up to a claimed 47 miles depending on which trim you pick. With a refined 2.0-litre petrol engine to back this up, you can also carry on for a lot further than any pure EV, so that's your holidays sorted.

However, what makes this latest Prius stand out is the way it drives. Gone are the dull manners of old and in their place are agile handling, precision, fun even. With a combined 223PS from the petrol-electric power combo, it ticks off 0-62mph in 6.8 seconds to be decently swift. It's all enough to make you reconsider that BMW 3 Series as your next car.

It's not all roses - the petrol motor can get a bit vocal at its upper reaches, and the rear seats don't offer as much headroom as we'd like. Nor is the boot quite as big as some rivals, but these are small glitches in an otherwise very appealing hybrid car.

The Hyundai Tucson is quieter in the cabin than a Nissan Qashqai, more fun to drive than a Skoda Karoq, and boasts one of the biggest boots in its class. What's more, there's a trio of hybrid options to pick from, so it should be cheap to run.

The mild-hybrid is the thirstiest of the options, so you’ll be better off opting for self-charging or plug-in hybrid power, although the latter will reduce the cavernous 620-litre boot a touch to a still useful 577-litres.

If you need a spacious family SUV and want something that's going to turn heads, the Tucson is a great choice. It's got a smart interior that's well kitted out, while the infotainment system is one of the best in the business.

There’s plenty of space for passengers, too, with tall folks in the back benefiting from generous leg- and headroom. You’ll also find a pleasing array of storage cubbies and a large glove box.

Prices start at a little more than £30,000 for a new Tucson, but you can save yourself several thousand pounds if you look for a recent second-hand model.

The Volvo V90 has always been a cracking estate car. It's available in two plug-in hybrid forms, the T6 (with 350PS, official fuel economy of 353mpg and an electric-only range of 54 miles) and the T8 (with 455PS, official fuel economy of 313mpg and an electric-only range of 52 miles).

The V90's 488-litre boot isn't as big as you might expect in a large Volvo estate car (due to the hybrid gubbins pinching a bit of space), but the car impresses in a variety of other ways, with its effortless style and character, sumptuous quality, and peerless safety record.

Buying new can be expensive when looking for a Volvo V90, so you might want to look at one of the used V90 estates available from heycar.

The Lexus LBX has the same platform and hardware as the Toyota Yaris Cross, which could have very easily featured in this list itself. However, we decided to plump for the Lexus instead, and for a variety of reasons.

First off, it just looks more glamorous: not just in comparison to the Toyota, but also compared to just about every other small SUV out there, premium or otherwise. This is a very handsome little car.

Also, we're very impressed with the way the LBX drives. The ride is forgiving enough to keep you comfortable over scarred urban surfaces and pesky motorway expansion joints, while it's also good fun in the corners, with surprisingly tight body control and sharp, pointy steering.

There's a four-wheel drive model that delivers a bit more traction and grip than its front-driven counterpart if you need that added security. All that, and you also get the usual Lexus cocktail of solid build quality, generous luxury equipment, and a warranty that could last for up to ten years or 100,000 miles.