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Last updated March 25, 2024 by Tom Wiltshire

10 best hybrid cars in the UK of 2024

A hybrid car is one that combines a battery-powered electric motor with a petrol or diesel engine. The idea is that you get the convenient refuelling of a petrol or diesel engine, together with the zero-emission nature of a motor and batteries.

Hybrids come in two main forms: conventional hybrids, sometimes called self-charging hybrids, and plug-in hybrids (PHEV). Self-charging hybrids draw their power from the engine and the car braking and can only travel in electric mode at low speeds for short distances. PHEVs can be plugged in and charged up and can travel much further on their batteries.

Overall, hybrid cars tend to be more efficient than standard petrol models, with such impressive mpg that some car makers have phased out diesel engines in favour of hybrids. Plug-in hybrids in particular often have official mpg figures in the hundreds, based on regular charge cycles.

This article will highlight hybrids of both kinds. They're all brilliant cars in their own right, and we've rated them all at least 8 or 9 out of 10 in their full model range reviews. We also have dedicated rundowns of the best self-charging hybrids and the best PHEVs, if you'd like to check those out.

Honda Civic
2024
Comfortable Cruiser Award
Highly Commended

1. Honda Civic

9/10
Honda Civic review
After a couple of styling mis-steps over the years, Honda has knocked it out of the park with the current Civic. With fantastic handling, a big, practical boot and good space in the back seats, the Civic is comfortable in town, refined on the motorway and engaging on country roads. It's also a fairly handsome thing now, while the petrol-electric self-charging powertrain can return high 50s mpg in mixed driving.
Toyota C-HR

2. Toyota C-HR

8/10
Toyota C-HR review
The latest Toyota C-HR isn't the cheapest hybrid SUV you can buy, but it is one of the best-looking. The latest model has a funky look, particularly with one of the two-tone paint options. There's also a choice of two hybrid engines, a self-charging hybrid and a plug-in hybrid, which are a bit noisy but offer excellent fuel economy. It's not hugely practical but it is very comfortable to cruise around town in.

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Peugeot 308

3. Peugeot 308 Hybrid

8/10
Peugeot 308 review
Battery range up to 35 miles
Aside from being good-looking on the outside, quality on the inside and refined to drive, one of the most appealing things about the Peugeot 308 is that there is a wide variety of power options to choose from. Want a fully electric 308? Peugeot has one of those. Prefer plug-in hybrid power? Yep, there's one of those as well. After a diesel? You guessed it. All models are comfortable, relaxing and well made, and the smooth hybrid returns great fuel economy.
Renault Clio

4. Renault Clio

9/10
Renault Clio review
Small, French hatchbacks have been a mainstay of UK motoring life for generations, and the Clio itself has been on our roads for more than 30 years. It's evolved into a pretty classy player, with a comfortable interior featuring nice styling details like the knurled metal heating controls. The E-Tech hybrid is a bit more expensive than the entry-level petrol model, but brings an automatic gearbox, plus better economy and smoothness.
Toyota Yaris Cross
2024
Urban Living Award
Highly Commended

5. Toyota Yaris Cross

8/10
Toyota Yaris Cross review
If you don't need a massive SUV, the Toyota Yaris is a fantastic jacked-up city car that just so happens to come with a hybrid engine, too. It's also pretty engaging to drive, while interior quality is high, and equipment levels fair. The ride can be a little uncomfortable if you go for the bigger alloy wheels that come with the GR Sport trim, though.
BMW 3 Series

6. BMW 330e

9/10
BMW 3 Series review
Battery range up to 34 miles
Stylish, well-built and comfortable: the BMW 3-Series is a very easy car to like. The plug-in hybrid model is especially useful - with around 50 miles of electric range, rock-bottom company car tax and no compromise to how it drives. You do lose a little bit of practicality in the boot, but that's a small price to pay for such a brilliant all-rounder.
Citroen C5 X
2024
Comfortable Cruiser Award
Highly Commended

7. Citroen C5 X

9/10
Citroen C5 X review
What is the Citroen C5 X? It's part SUV, part estate car, and part big family hatch - so it's taking a leaf out of the book of Citroens of old by being just a bit weird. Happily, it's also like Citroens of old in that it's incredibly comfortable over rough roads and bumps - ideal if you value a relaxing drive over an engaging one. The plug-in hybrid engine option is the most powerful in the range, and it's a good match for the C5 X's big, practical body.
BMW X5

8. BMW X5

10/10
BMW X5 review
Battery range up to 45 miles
The BMW X5 is one of the finest large SUVs on sale whatever engine you get it with, but it's the plug-in hybrid option that really impresses. With more than 50 miles of electric range and a beefy six-cylinder engine backing it up when you run out of juice, it's a pelasure to drive and returns some really impressive running costs for a car with this much comfort, luxury and performance. Shame you can't get seven seats like you can with the regular petrol and diesel engines, though.
Lexus LC

9. Lexus LC

8/10
Lexus LC review
Proof that hybrid cars aren't all worthy, sensible family affairs, the Lexus LC is, arguably, the best-looking car on sale today. And while the emotional choice would be to go for the 5.0-litre V8 500 model, those after hybrid economy should check out the LC 500h, which blends a 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine with a self-charging electric battery and motor. Whichever you go for, the LC is an amazing grand tourer, while interior quality is unimpeachable.
Toyota Corolla

10. Toyota Corolla

8/10
Toyota Corolla review
The Toyota Corolla not only looks good, it’s also pretty enjoyable to drive, not something one has always been able to say about Toyota's mid-size cars. There are two self-charging hybrid engine options, one with 140hp and one with 196hp, with the more powerful one better suited to people who cover a fair few motorway miles. The Corolla feels well made inside, but some family hatchbacks are more spacious – though the Touring Sports estate has you covered if you need extra room.

Have you considered getting GAP insurance for your new hybrid car?

Carwow has partnered with MotorEasy to provide GAP insurance. GAP insurance covers the difference between the amount you paid for your car, or owe on your car if you have finance, and the amount an insurance company would give you if your car is declared a total loss or write-off. This can protect you financially from a shortfall of potentially thousands of pounds. MotorEasy is offering a 15% discount to all Carwow customers who take out GAP insurance with them.

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Advice about hybrid cars

Hybrid cars FAQs

Put simply, a hybrid is a car that has more than one source of power. It combines a conventional diesel or petrol engine with an electric motor to power the car.

The benefits of a hybrid include high fuel economy and low CO2 emissions compared with standard petrol and diesel engines – if used in the right way. Some can run on electric power alone for short distances, improving economy and emissions even further.

If you’d like to cut the costs of running a car then a self-charging hybrid could be a good option, particularly if you drive a fair bit around town, where the low-speed electric-only mode will make for smooth, quiet progress in stop-start traffic.

Exactly how the two power sources work together depends on the individual car manufacturer, but the basic idea remains the same – when conditions allow, electric motors will replace or work with the engine to provide drive to the car. Hybrids will typically run on electric power for short distances and at low speeds (under a mile and 20mph, say); if you want to go further of faster in zero-emission mode, you'll need an electric car or a plug-in hybrid.

Well, your first stop should be to check out the reviews from the cars featured in our rundown, or head to the carwow YouTube channel for in-depth video reviews. In general, though, choosing a hybrid car follows the same path as choosing any car, so think about price, practicality, image, interior quality and features, the lot!

A hybrid car is not a pure electric car, so you don’t get completely emissions-free driving, while unless you opt for a plug-in hybrid you can only drive in electric mode for a short amount of time, and at low speeds. Hybrids also tend to be a little more expensive to buy than conventional petrol and diesel models.

Conventional/self-charging hybrid
This sees the the electric motor and batteries power the car at low speeds and for short distances only. The batteries are charged only by the engine and energy recovered from braking; the car can't be plugged in.

Plug-in hybrid
Also called PHEVs, these have a much larger battery which can be plugged into a charger. Expect an electric range of between 30 and 70 miles, and up to a top speed of circa 70mph.

Range-extenders
These are rare, and are electric cars that have a small petrol engine that acts as a generator, recharging the batteries when they're low. The generator can't power the car directly, though.

Mild hybrids

Conventional petrol and diesel cars with beefy stop-start systems that can shut down the engine when cruising down hills, for example.

They can be cheaper than conventional petrol and diesel cars, particularly if you do a lot of town driving, while efficiency can also be better on a longer run, too. If you have a plug-in hybrid, though, they will generally only be more economical if you keep the batteries topped up.

Hybrid technology has come a long way since the first Toyota Prius arrived in 2001, and the technology is now at a place of parity with conventional engines. Many cars with hybrid powertrains are also available as PHEVs, EVs or petrol and diesel models, too, so the discrete category of a 'hybrid car', and hybrids are available at almost every echelon of the market, so the best advice is to consult our reviews: they'll help you make the right choice.