Best hybrid cars 2025

Hybrids come in many flavours with varying degrees of electrification. Some just give a small electric boost to improve the efficiency of a petrol or diesel engine. These don’t have enough power to drive the entire car and are often termed ‘mild’ hybrids (or MHEV). Others can be plugged in. These are known as Plug-in hybrids (or PHEVs) and can provide around 25-50 miles of fully electric driving, depending on the model, before an engine takes over. Then, there are the self-charging hybrids (abbreviated to HEVs), whose batteries don’t need to be plugged in but charge via the engine.
If you are not quite ready to go fully electric, a hybrid is a way to test the water and to build confidence in the move away from petrol and diesel. Your lifestyle will play a large part in deciding which type of hybrid will suit you best. Plug-in hybrids work well for those who can charge at home and who do mostly local journeys, enabling them to spend most of their week driving on electric power alone. If your PHEV is a company car its lower CO2 emissions give a benefit-in-kind tax advantage over a petrol or diesel equivalent. Meanwhile self-charging hybrids can be a good compromise for those who don’t have the ability, or want, to plug in their car regularly to charge it. With an ever-increasing list of hybrid options to choose from, here’s our rundown of some of the best on offer in 2025.

Mazda MX-30 R-EV

When Mazda first launched the electric MX-30 there was lots to like, but the 124-mile range reduced its appeal. To address this, Mazda now offers the plug-in hybrid MX-30 R-EV. This allows you to drive up to 53 miles using the battery, but when you run out of charge a petrol ‘range extender’ engine steps in. The switch feels seamless as the petrol engine never powers the wheels; instead it generates electricity to drive the motor. The upshot is that whether using electricity or petrol, the MX-30 R-EV offers a smooth driving experience and a good turn of speed. It’s well built and a quirky alternative to the other cars in this list.
Max pure electric range: 53 miles Find out more about the Mazda MX-30 here

Toyota Yaris

The words ‘Toyota’ and ‘hybrid’ have become synonymous following the launch of the Prius in the late ‘90s. Most of Toyota’s cars are hybridised in one form or another and because of this you’ll find a couple of Toyotas on this list. The Yaris has been around since 1999 but still gives us reason to party like it’s the turn of the millennium. It’s smart and easy to live with. Not everyone wants a big SUV, and the Yaris is a prime example of good things in a small package.
Find out more about the Toyota Yaris here

Vauxhall Astra

Currently the Astra is available as either a hatchback or estate in petrol, fully electric and plug-in hybrid form, so there’s something for everyone. It looks stylish and offers a good level of practicality too. We lived with a plug-in hatchback for six months to really get to know what it would be like to own. Vauxhall’s claimed 39-mile electric-only range is more like 20 miles, but this should still cover most local runs.
Max pure electric range: 39 miles Find out more about the Vauxhall Astra here

Lexus LBX

Some might dismiss the LBX as just a Toyota Yaris Cross in a fancy frock – they're built using as lot of the same parts. However, Lexus has improved refinement to give the LBX a luxury feel. The LBX is the smallest and cheapest Lexus, perfect for urbanites looking for a premium self-charging hybrid to help them navigate busy city streets. If you like to be bold, amid the many shades of grey, there are some distinctive colour options to make your LBX stand out from the crowd. We particularly like the ‘Sonic Copper’ rose gold option paired with an ‘Astral Black’ roof.
Find out more about the Lexus LBX here

Toyota Prius

Popular with Uber drivers the world over, the chances are you’ll spot a Prius on almost every city street. Famous Hollywood A-lister owners aside, given its taxi driver credentials, you might not have considered the Prius as the coolest choice. However, this year there’s an all-new Prius coming to our shores and with its large sweeping windscreen it looks like something out of Back to the Future. The new Prius will only be offered as a plug-in hybrid, with up to 44 miles of all-electric range.
Max pure electric range: 44 miles Find a Toyota Prius on Auto Trader

Nissan Qashqai

The Qashqai is another Japanese trend-setter for our list, as it paved the way for the explosion of crossover SUVs we now see on the road. The e-Power hybrid Qashqai is like the MX-30 R-EV in that the petrol engine is used to generate power to drive the electric motor. However, that’s where the similarity ends. The Qashqai uses a normal petrol engine and unlike the Mazda, the Nissan is self-charging. This results in a totally unplugged EV-like driving experience with no need for cables or any worry about battery range.
Find out more about the Nissan Qashqai here

Dacia Jogger

Dacia consistently wins Best Value Brand at our New Car Awards, and the Jogger is arguably its most practical model. With bags of space, you can pack all of life’s essentials and still have room for the kitchen sink. We filled the Jogger to the brim when we lived with one and were impressed with the leg room in the third row of seats. Using Renault’s ‘E-Tech’ hybrid system, you don’t need to plug the Jogger in, and it feels more refined than the petrol equivalent - although it is more expensive.
Find out more about the Dacia Jogger here

Lamborghini Revuelto

High performance supercar brands such as Lamborghini have not escaped the electric revolution. The Revuelto very much retains the all-important spirit of Lamborghini whilst benefiting from hybrid technology. Though the idea of plugging in a Lambo seems strange, it’ll give you up to six miles of stealthy pure electric driving, which could come in handy in built-up areas. However, once you get out on the open road or hit the track, you’ll hear the roar of the V12 engine and be in no doubt that this is an old-school, bonkers Italian raging bull.
Max pure electric range: six miles Find out more about the Lamborghini Revuelto here

Honda CR-V

There are two hybrid options to choose from with the CR-V: the e:HEV and the e:PHEV. Like the Honda Civic, the hybrid system in the e:HEV is self-charging and uses the petrol engine mainly as a generator, although it does power the wheels at motorway speeds. The e:PHEV, as the name suggests, is a plug-in, and Honda says it will give you up to 50 miles of electric range. It provides the opportunity to try out a plugged-in lifestyle before committing to a full EV like the catchily named e:Ny1.
Max pure electric range: 50 miles Find out more about the Honda CR-V here

Mercedes-Benz E-Class

Spacious, luxurious, and packed with technology, the new E-Class is all you could possibly want from an executive saloon. Mercedes has made the inside of the E-Class a comfortable and calming place to be, with clean lines, integrated screens, and the use of ambient lighting. When we tested the plug-in hybrid, we were very impressed by getting 63 miles of all-electric range. This suggests you could feasibly do the majority of your journeys using electricity, even if you regularly go on longer trips.
Max pure electric range: 71 miles Find out more about the Mercedes-Benz E-Class here