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Hybrid cars are becoming more and more popular, and millions are sold globally each year. There's something on the market to suit every budget and need, and we've picked the 10 best hybrid cars you can buy from a range of different sectors.
If you want to buy or lease a hybrid car, you've never been more spoilt for choice. Car brands from Vauxhall all the way to Bentley now offer some sort of hybrid car for sale, with efforts to reduce emissions and boost fuel economy now front-and-centre of many makers' priorities.
Importantly, hybrid cars - especially plug-in hybrids - are also a useful stepping stone for those who aren't fully ready to commit to an electric car, or who are unable to charge at home. You'll find examples of hybrids in almost every car type, from affordable hybrid small cars to seven-seat SUVs and luxury cars that can run on electric power.
The best hybrid cars marry a punchy petrol or diesel engine to an electric motor and battery pack. Many drivers will find that this offers the best of both worlds: the ability to cruise around town in near-silence and with zero pollution and no fuel burned, but with the peace-of-mind of knowing you can fire up the engine for those longer runs.
Pick from one of the best plug-in hybrid cars (known as PHEVs for short), and they can be charged up at home in a few hours and provide an electric range of more than 30 miles in many cases. While that might not seem like a lot, if you're just doing short drives like the school run or popping into town, then you might not need the petrol engine to start up at all. Simply plug the hybrid car in at the end of the day to to charge up (just as you would with an electric car), and have the engine there for your longer journeys.
PHEVs offer huge company car tax benefits, too. But the downside is that they are usually more expensive to buy or lease, and back seat or boot space can be reduced to squeeze in a heavy battery pack. Furthermore, once that electric range is depleted, most are no more efficient than the equivalent petrol or diesel version: they might even be thirstier due to the extra weight of the battery.
Some brands offer simpler, cheaper self-charging (full) hybrids, which charge a smaller battery from the engine itself or by regenerating energy from braking or coasting. While these can only go a small distance on electric power alone, by blending both petrol and electric power together, they can offer impressive efficiency. They don't offer the same short-distance fuel savings or tax benefits as PHEVs, however.
You might want to take a look at our guides to the best small hybrid cars and the best hybrid SUVs if you've got a clearer idea of what you want. If you're ready to buy, we've got over 10,000 Used Hybrid Cars for Sale, while if you want more choice, we have over 80,000 Used Cars for Sale. If you're looking to finance a new car, check out our guide to the Best PCP Car Deals.
Best hybrid cars 2024
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The best hybrid car on sale today depends on your requirements. If you want an executive express, then the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes C-Class plug-in hybrids do a cracking job, while if you want something bigger with seven seats, then give the Kia Sorento or Dacia Jogger a look.
A hybrid car is one powered by both a conventional petrol or diesel engine, and an electric motor. A self-charging hybrid car features small batteries that can be charged from the engine, as well as via energy captured when the car's slowing down. Plug-in hybrid cars, meanwhile, feature bigger batteries that need to be charged by plugging the car in, but this also means that they can travel upwards of 30 miles on electricity alone and are great for short commutes.
In simple terms, a hybrid car uses an electric motor and battery pack to reduce your reliance on the petrol or diesel engine. In a self-charging hybrid car, an electric motor and small battery pack constantly assists the petrol engine, or allows some electric-only running for short distances. It charges itself as the engine puts out power, as well as via regenerative braking or coasting. Some self-charging hybrids use the engine as a generator to supply electric power for the electric motor to drive the wheels, which makes it more efficient than using the engine alone.
A plug-in hybrid - or PHEV for short - needs charging up by plugging in. That's the downside, but the upside is you can get more than 30 miles of driving without troubling the petrol engine once. They do cost more to buy, however, plus they're a lot heavier than standard versions.
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