Hybrid cars

If you’re looking for an efficient car with low running costs the Corolla is the car to beat. You actually have a choice between two hybrid petrol engines, the car is enjoyable to drive and comes with a plush interior and a long warranty.

The VW Passat GTE has a spacious and interior and a car than can manage 34 miles on electric power alone.

Choose the plug-in hybrid version of the BMW 3 Series – the 330e – and you get a stylish saloon car that can manage on average 150mpg. It has a smart infotainment system and a decent kit too.

The Toyota RAV4 hybrid is comfortable, has a practical interior and is well-equipped too. The icing on the cake? You can expect around 50mpg, which is not bad for an SUV with a 2.5-litre petrol engine.

The Volkswagen Golf GTE is a hybrid version of legendary Golf hatchback. It’s perky and frugal, has the same build quality as the standard car - just misses out on a bit of boot space because of its batteries.

The plug-in hybrid version of the Volvo XC90 - called the T8 - can go on electricity only for nearly 20 miles, has an official mpg over 100 but amazingly can crack 0-60mph in under six seconds. All wrapped up in a well-equipped, sumptuous, practical and stylish SUV package.

Go got for the plug-in hybrid version of the C-Class and you get a really comfortable cruiser, with a lovely interior that won't cost the earth to run.

The hybrid icon, the latest version of the Toyota Prius goes from quirky eco car to smart family car – that just also happens to have low emissions and high mpg. It’s also spacious and comes with a decent-sized boot, proving you don’t have to compromise.

Want a small car? Want a hybrid? Then you should take a look at the Toyota Yaris Hybrid. It comes with Toyota's famous reliability and its decades worth of experience making hybrids.

Yep. This stunning-looking sports car is indeed a hybrid. It's not a car for shrinking violets – just take a look at how those doors open up. But you can drive up to 30 miles on electric power alone and then when the feeling takes you, knock off 0-60 time in under five seconds.

The Toyota Prius Plug-in can travel 30 miles on electric power alone slashing your costs if you have a short commute. The Prius’ angular exterior is matched by a high-tech interior that has space for four adults and their luggage.

Choosing a plug-in hybrid doesn’t mean you miss out on style, practicality – or speed. The Volvo XC90 T8 has amazing acceleration for its size, yet oozes cool Swedish style and 100+mpg to boot.

The Hyundai Ioniq is the cheapest plug-in hybrid you can buy and along with the low list price, you get incredibly low running costs too – with official economy figures over 250mpg. The car is well-equipped, too.

The BMW 530e has a smart cabin, slick infotainment system and, on short trips, the car is powered completely by electric, while over 30 miles you can get over 100mpg according to official figures

The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV combines cheap running costs with a practical SUV body. It can run for miles on electricity alone, plus it has space for four tall adults and their luggage for two weeks away.

With the potential to get up to 62.7mpg, the Toyota Corolla is economical, enjoyable to drive and has a comfortable interior. Toyota has made all the materials high-quality and the boot is big and practical enough for real-world items like shopping bags or small suitcases.

The Toyota Yaris Hybrid is relatively cheap to buy, frugal to run and can run for a few miles in silent electric mode. Its small size makes it easy to drive, but the Toyota can just about carry four adults and a couple of suitcases.

The Volkswagen Golf GTE is ideal if you’re looking for a quick car that’s also cheap to run. It is almost as fun to drive as the Golf GTI hot hatch but your fuel bills won’t be anywhere near as high. Like any Golf, its interior is well built and practical.

The Kia Niro is a compact SUV that no one would guess is a hybrid. It has a spacious interior for its size and is easy to drive, particularly because you get a great view out. It also comes with a long seven-year warranty.

The Hyundai Ioniq hybrid car gets decent fuel economy, comes with lots of kit as standard and is a bit cheaper than a Prius or Niro.

The Toyota Corolla Touring Sports shares the same striking looks with the Corolla hatchback, which automatically makes it one of the most stylish estate cars around. There are two hybrid versions to choose from, and you don't need to plug the Corolla in.

The Volvo V60 looks cool, is very comfortable and has a roomy boot. And with the T8 you also get an estate car that can travel short distances on electricity only, and for longer distances when you use petrol and electric hybrid powertrain together you can manage well over 100mpg.

Spacious, Stylish, super-comfortable and oozing Scandinavian design the Volvo V90 ticks all the feel-good boxes. But with the T8 hybrid version you get electric power for short distances and three-figure economy figures when you use petrol and electric power together.

The Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo seems to be the car that can do everything. Sporty to drive? Tick. Fantastic interior? Tick. Carry four adults? Decent boot? Tick. 70mpg. Wait what? Yep. Tick.

The Mercedes C300de pairs a four-cylinder diesel with a 120bhp electric motor that makes for a posh saloon car that's capable of around 90mpg.

Audi’s Q7 is available with a range of powerful six-cylinder diesel engines, or you combine the most economical of those with an electric motor and batteries in this e-tron model. You can charge it up via a charging point or three-pin socket and it’ll cruise on electricity alone for up to 34 miles.

Hyundai owns Kia, so it’s no surprise that its Tucson SUV shares many components with the Sportage. As such, the Tucson also gets the same 2.0-litre diesel engine aided by a Mild Hybrid Starter Generator, 48v electrical system and a small battery.

All Audi A7 diesels now include mild hybrid technology. It has a clever set-up that helps the A7 shut off its engine between 34 and 99mph to coast and save fuel and then intelligently fire the engine again when needed.

The Kia Sportage 2.0 CRDi 48v has what’s called a Mild Hybrid Starter Generator or MHSG that works together with a 48V electrical system and small battery to help out the diesel engine. So when accelerating the MHSG will provide some extra shove to take the strain off the diesel engine, while when braking it’ll switch to store energy back to the battery ready for the next burst.

The BMW 330e has an all-electric range of 41 miles. And when you combine its electric power with its petrol power, you've got a posh saloon that can go from 0-60mph in 6.5 seconds.

The BMW 530e is a plug-in hybrid that's capable of over 30 miles on electric power alone - and official figures of over 140mpg. It's stacked with high-tech features and feels sporty to drive, too.

Who says you can't get an SUV that's economical to run. The X3 xDrive30e is a comfortable and roomy plug-in hybrid SUV that has an electric-only range of over 30 miles.

Diesel was the default if you wanted a roomy luxurious saloon, but not now - take a look at the BMW 745e. Another BMW plug-in hybrid with, you've guessed it, more than 30-miles electric only range. Perfect for being chauffeured around but in silent luxury.

The i8 is a beautiful performance car whose vital stats include 0-60 in 4.4 seconds and 155mph top speed. But thanks to its plug-in hybrid set-up you get a sports car that's officially capable of more than 120mpg and an electric-only range of more than 30 miles.