Compare the cheapest hybrid cars

The cheapest hybrid model you can buy right now is the Toyota Yaris Hybrid or the Renault Clio E-Tech hybrid, both starting from around £22,000.

Currently, the cheapest plug-in hybrid you can buy is the MG HS. 

For a jacked-up driving position on a budget, the cheapest hybrid SUV is the Toyota Yaris Cross.

A self-charging hybrid is essentially a petrol-electric car that does not require plugging in, the battery being charged by braking energy and the engine. As such, the Toyota Yaris Hybrid and the Renault Clio E-Tech are among the cheapest self-charging hybrids currently on sale.

Mild hybrid cars should not be thought of in the same manner as self-charging hybrid cars, because essentially they are conventional petrol and diesel models with sophisticated stop-start systems that can, for example, turn off the engine occasionally when freewheeling downhill, or use the car's alternator to boost initial acceleration. They cannot run on electric power alone. One example of an affordable mild hybrid is the Ford Puma, though this technology is available throughout most car makers' ranges.

How cheap a hybrid car is to run depends on the hybrid car, how heavy your right foot is, and what type of driving you do. If you do a fair amount of town driving and are easy on the accelerator, than yes, a hybrid car is likely to be cheaper to run than a conventional vehicle. If you make lots of motorway journeys, you're less likely to see much of a difference. If you're thinking of plug-in hybrid cars, these can be cheaper if you plug them in regularly and can make use of low-tariff electricity prices, but you'll have to offset this against the higher purchase prices PHEVs bring - although this can itself be offset by low company car tax rates, if your employer provides a vehicle to you.