Hybrids - The review
Thinking about owning a Hybrid? What is all the fuss about?....
BMW i8
Most stylish, head-turning hybrid car on sale today? Possibly. The i8’s been around for a good four years or so now and BMW has perfected its plug-in hybrid sports car. The latest edition is available as a coupe or roadster, and with a combined 369bhp, it’s no slouch: 0-62mph takes just 4.6 seconds (although high-speed acceleration runs will dent the EV range of 33 miles).
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Volvo
Volvo V90
Volvo offers most of its big cars with Twin Engine hybrid spec, and one of our favourite is the big V90 estate. This is a good-looking car - and quick to boot, with a combined power output of 400bhp from the petrol and electric motors. If the V90 is too big, don’t forget you can pick any of the 90- or 60-series models with the same Twin Engine hybrid tech.
VW Passat GTE
The familiar Volkswagen Passat Estate bodystyle lends itself well to a hybrid application. Unfortunately, like the Golf GTE plug-in, the Passat is currently delisted on VW’s UK website ‘owing to high demand.
Toyota Auris Hybrid
Priced from around £22,000, you can pick up the wagon bodystyle in the Auris Hybrid to electrify your family lugging duties. Toyota claims up to 65mpg and CO2 emissions stand at 99g/km, to duck under many of the important tax and Congestion Charge thresholds. Toyota's hybrid car knowledge, specs and experience all wrapped up in a surprisingly practical bodyshell. The Auris will soon be relaunched in spring 2019 as the Corolla - and a petrol-electric version has already been confirmed.
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The Ioniq is that rare thing: a car that’s available in three different electrified forms - as a hybrid, a plug-in hybrid or a pure electric car. It’s a nice size; a little smaller than the Prius but roomy enough for daily life. The Ioniq Hybrid costs from around £22,000, whereas the Ioniq Plug In balloons to around £26,000, thanks to its bigger battery packs and 39-mile electric range. And when that battery depletes, the petrol engine kicks in to charge it back up - providing the best of both worlds.
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Toyota Prius
The big daddy of the hybrid car scene, the Prius is the original and - some would argue - the best. Look past its wilfully divisive, Marmitey styling and you’re left with an extremely clever family car. Pick from the regular (self-charging) Prius Hybrid model or the separately badged Prius Plug-In, which is a PHEV. It’s all very Ronseal: the former doesn’t require plugging in, whereas the latter does - if you want to experience its maximum electric range around town. Toyota quotes a 235mpg fuel economy figure and just 28g/km CO2 emissions for the Plug-In.