Petrol-electric vehicles are increasingly viewed as a bridge to full EV ownership, but which models best suit the average driver?
Hybrids offer the convenience of traditional petrol cars combined with the low running costs of EVs.
Over the past two decades, they've surged in popularity, with numerous manufacturers embracing the technology.
As the automotive world electrifies, hybrids serve as a crucial stepping stone. While plug-in hybrids provide a reasonable electric range, standard "self-charging" hybrids offer impressive efficiency without needing to be plugged in.
So, which ones fit the bill for most drivers? We’ve compiled a list of the best hybrid cars on sale in the UK today.
Toyota Yaris
The Toyota Yaris was one of the first superminis to be offered with a petrol-electric powertrain.
Now in its fourth generation, the Yaris is good to drive and features a stylish exterior design with a decent amount of standard equipment. It’s also very efficient with the car returning a claimed 68.9mpg and low CO2 emissions of between 92 and 98g/km depending on the version.
Meanwhile, the Yaris comes as standard with the firm’s 10-year or 100,000-mile warranty when serviced through a Toyota main dealer.
Honda Civic
Honda’s Civic is one of the best all-round family hatchbacks and it’s easy to see why.
It offers a vast amount of interior space while providing a sporty driving experience and very low running costs.
Under the bonnet, there is a 2.0-litre petrol engine mated to an electric motor producing 181bhp. Honda also claims that the Civic can return a combined fuel figure of 56.5mpg – making this B-segment hatchback one of the best-in-class for efficiency.
Dacia Jogger
The Dacia Jogger has built up a reputation for offering fantastic value for money.
The hybrid version of the car is priced at just £23,100 and comes with seven seats as standard. Equipment levels are generous with all versions coming with cruise control, rear parking sensors, air conditioning and Bluetooth.
Powering the car is a 1.6-litre petrol engine mated to an electric motor that produces a total of 138bhp. Dacia claims that this powertrain can do a total of 58.9mpg and its CO2 emissions are as low as 112g/km.
Its interior space is vast with lots of head and legroom for occupants. The car’s boot space capacity stands at a healthy 160 litres with all the seats in place or 1,807 litres when the third and second rows of chairs are folded down.
Hyundai Tucson
The Hyundai Tucson is one of Britain’s most popular cars. It comes with an eclectic mix of different powertrains, but the regular hybrid model is the best of the bunch.
Powering the car is a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine mated to an electric motor that develops 212bhp. Its running costs are low too with Hyundai claiming a combined 50.4mpg.
Its exterior design is very striking with lots of curves and creases, and there is a sporty ‘N Line’ trim which adds further exterior and interior enhancements from the firm’s performance ‘N’ division.
MG3
The MG3 is currently the most affordable hybrid supermini on the market.
Priced from just £18,495, the car rivals the likes of the Renault Clio and Toyota Yaris. There are only two trim levels to choose from with both models fully loaded with kit such as rear-parking sensors, a 10.25-inch touchscreen, satellite navigation and Apple Carplay and Android Auto.
The standard powertrain of a 1.5-litre petrol engine mated to an electric motor produces an impressive 194bhp – putting it into warm hot hatchback territory when it comes to performance.
It also looks good, has a nicely designed interior layout and a decent amount of space for occupants with sufficient head and legroom for average-sized adults.
Toyota Corolla
Toyota’s Corolla is a handsome and efficient all-round family hatchback.
Not only does it come with ultra-low running costs, but it’s available with a choice of two different hybrid setups.
The first is a 1.8-litre petrol engine mated to an electric motor and the other is a 2.0-litre petrol engine mated to an electric motor. The former has 142bhp with Toyota claiming it can achieve a combined 64.1mpg. Meanwhile, the latter develops 198bhp and can do a claimed 62.7mpg.
The Corolla is good to drive and there is even a more practical Touring Sports estate variant, too.
