Best plug-in hybrid cars in 2025

Throughout the ages, the BMW 5 Series has always been an incredibly difficult car to fault, and the latest one arguably ticks more boxes than ever.

The traditional 5 Series traits of a spacious and practical cabin with flawless quality are all present and correct, while plenty of luxury kit is provided as standard, including a very sophisticated infotainment system.

The latest Five also delivers the typically dazzling driving experience you expect from a 5 Series (at least in the form we've tried it, with adaptive suspension), with a plush ride that makes long-distance drives a breeze, allied to a level of agility that a car of this size has no right to.

Where the latest plug-in 5 Series improves most, however, is on its electric range, with its official figure of up to 63 miles being way more than the previous-generation 530e gave you. All that, and its combined power output of 299PS can get you from 0-62mph in just 6.3 seconds. Not bad, eh?

What two things do company car users love? Cars with class and style, and saving money. That's why a plug-in hybrid compact executive like the Mercedes-Benz C 300 e might just be the ultimate company car.

Plug-ins like this C-Class offer massive Benefit-in-Kind tax savings as a company car. What's more, the C 300 e sits in an even lower tax band because its electric range is so impressive: it'll do 70 miles on a charge, which is among the best of any plug-in hybrid.

But it's not just the money-saving aspect, though: there's plenty to like besides, for both company car drivers and private buyers alike. Like the posh mini S-Class design, the luxurious and high-tech cabin, and the excellent refinement. 

To drive, the C 300 e is quicker than you might think thanks to a combined output of 312PS. It also has a lovely cushy ride for long motorway schleps, and tidy handling, too. It's not exactly cheap, but it's half the price of an S-Class and doesn't feel it.

There are plenty of plug-in SUVs in this list, but only one of them is a seven-seater. Say hello to the Kia Sorento.

We could make a good case for the Kia Sorento PHEV being one of the best all-rounders you can buy for below £55k. It's a proper seven-seater in that it can take adults in the third row without too much complaint, but it also comes with a classy cabin that's absolutely packed with standard equipment, and impressive tech. 

The plug-in hybrid is more expensive and rarer than the self-charging hybrid and diesel Kia Sorentos, but if you can find a nearly new one for a good price, you'll be getting a very strong do-it-all family car. With 265PS from a 1.6-litre turbo petrol engine and electric motor, it's reasonably perky, while it'll officially manage 35 miles on a charge, and deliver triple-digit MPG, officially at least. 

The Sorento PHEV is not a cheap option, with petrol or diesel versions of the Skoda Kodiaq undercutting it on price. But neither feel as upmarket or offers the same level of equipment, comfort and space.

The BMW X5 is already one of our favourite large, posh SUVs, and its refined driving experience is made even better in the plug-in hybrid X5 xDrive45e. 

The key thing about the xDrive45e model is that its electric range of between 50-54 miles is over double that of the old model, the xDrive40e. Even in a worst-case scenario with cold weather and high-speed driving, it'll be high thirties, which for many folk will let them commute both ways without the engine ever starting. 

The 200mpg-plus official fuel economy figure is pretty impressive for a two-tonne-plus luxury SUV. It's also good to drive with a smooth 3.0-litre straight-six petrol engine, while its 394PS output means it's quicker than you might think. It handles well for a tall and heavy car, and if you avoid the biggest wheel options, it rides superbly. 

Combine all that with a cosseting, premium and high-tech cabin with plenty of space for five adults, and it's nearly the full package. We say nearly, because its big battery pack means a smaller boot and no seven-seat option unlike other X5s. 

Now, we need to make this clear right from the outset in order to manage expectations: if you want your plug-in hybrid to have seven seats, then you'll have to look elsewhere (maybe the Kia Sorento we just talked about?). That's because the packaging of the Skoda Kodiaq PHEV's batteries means that it's only available in five-seater form. That doesn't mean it's not still a great family car, though, and a cracking PHEV as well.

With no extra row of seats to accommodate, the boot is simply massive at all times, while the passenger compartment also has space to spare, even for the tallest of passengers. The build quality on show is as solid and as plush as you'd hope, and all versions of the car come generously equipped. It's a pleasant car to drive, too, with a comfy ride and stable handling.

The 204PS PHEV powertrain gives enough oomph to make life easy, and it's pretty refined, too. The large (by PHEV standards) 25.7kWh battery gives an all-electric range of around 70 miles, while overall  fuel economy stands at just shy of 600mpg, officially at least.

Don't be fooled by the similar styling, the latest Lexus NX is a much better premium SUV than the old Lexus NX. It's also available as a PHEV as well as with the brand's familiar self-charging hybrid tech, so there's a choice to suit a variety of buyers. 

Behind the angular, striking exterior is an impeccably built, posh cabin, with greatly improved infotainment. There's also more room for passengers and luggage than before. But it's the improvement in the driving experience that's been the biggest revelation. 

The old NX wasn't very enjoyable to drive and rode pretty poorly, which meant it was wholly outclassed by the BMW X3, Audi Q5 and Volvo XC60. The new model manages to offer a much more sorted ride and better handling, alongside improved performance and refinement. 

The NX350h self-charging hybrid is a decent buy, but if you can stomach the price jump, the NX450h+ plug-in hybrid is an excellent choice. Its electric range on a charge is a very impressive 47 miles, but it's also pretty punchy thanks to a power output of 309PS. 

Plug-in hybrids are usually focused more on fuel economy than they are on driving enjoyment, but with the Ford Kuga, you get both. The PHEV powertrain, which combines a 2.5-litre petrol engine with an electric motor to deliver 225PS (later uprated to 243PS) gives strong performance and an electric-only range upwards of 40 miles, while Ford's knack of producing cars that handle sweetly and steer faithfully is present and correct. Even better, the engineers have also managed to combine that handling prowess with a comfortable ride, so there's no penalty to pay on that score, either.

There's more to like besides. The Kuga has a fashionable SUV body, which was restyled during a 2024 facelift to make it look even fresher, while the interior feels pleasant and solidly built, and delivers very decent levels of family-friendly practicality. There's a generous amount of standard equipment, and purchase prices are competitive. Throw in the potentially low running costs, and you have a tremendous family car that shouldn't cost you a bomb.

Remember when the Hyundai Tucson was dependable, inoffensive and - frankly - bland? Those days are gone with the latest model thanks to its in-your-face styling.

That striking, love-or-hate design hides an impressively complete SUV, however. We like its sophisticated air for something that's still decent enough value, particularly inside where it has an upmarket yet spacious and practical cabin. 

You also get eager handling and good refinement, although be wary of models with the biggest wheels, because these can feel rather firm on the ride-comfort front. The plug-in hybrid Tucson also comes with four-wheel drive as standard, meaning it'll be capable of doing a lot more than just the school run if needs be. 

The Hyundai Tucson PHEV uses the same 1.6-litre turbo petrol engine and electric motor combo as the bigger, heavier Kia Sorento. Originally, its 265PS made it feel reasonably potent, plus officially, it achieved over 200mpg and an electric range of 38 miles. The powertrain was later fettle to delver a more modest 252PS, but electric range and fuel economy were increased to 43 miles and 280mpg, respectively.

The latest Kia Sportage builds on what made its predecessors so desirable: it's good at just about everything needed for family life. But now it's more stylish and more desirable, with even more equipment included as standard. And, of course, it's now available as a plug-in hybrid.

The Sportage PHEV uses a 1.6-litre petrol engine with an electric motor and a battery that can deliver up to 41 miles of electric-only driving on a full charge. It comes in a choice of top-end trims, which means loads of the latest features and infotainment capability, but that, combined with its more sophisticated running gear, makes it relatively pricey compared to the regular petrol and diesel Sportage models.

On the move it's an oasis of calm, despatching long motorway journeys with ease and serenity, and there's loads of room inside for passengers and luggage. The boot, while smaller than regular Sportage's because of battery storage, is still more than capacious enough for family life.

Oh, and did we mention the brilliant seven-year warranty?

You'll notice that this list is littered mainly with SUVs of various shapes and sizes - largely because that's what most car buyers want these days - but for us, there's still plenty of appeal in a big, old-fashioned estate car. And the latest Volkswagen Passat Estate is one of the best.

Not that there's much old-fashioned about it, mind. As you'd expect, the new car is brimming with advanced safety and infotainment technology: indeed,  on the latter could even be accused of being too advanced for its own good, because the system is quite complicated to use. It's a comfortable and relaxing car to drive as well, just like any family wagon should be, and there's acres of space inside.

The plug-in eHybrid versions can be had with either 204PS or 272PS, and depending on spec, can travel between 77- and 82 miles on a full charge. Unusually for a PHEV, it can also take DC rapid charging at a rate of up to 40kW, giving the 19.7kWh battery a 5-80% charge in just 26 minutes. However, those looking for maximum load-carrying capacity from their estate car should bear this in mind: the petrol-powered Passat Estate has an enormous boot of 690 litres, but in the PHEV, that's cut to 510 litres. That's still big, but it's quite a large loss.