Best hybrid estate cars

A hybrid car gets an electric motor fitted in between the engine and the gearbox. That motor means that the petrol engine can be smaller, and so more fuel efficient, but both working together ensure that you still get decent acceleration. Plus, you can run on electric-only power for short bursts, which adds up especially on an urban stop-start commute. Slightly different are plug-in hybrid cars, which get a bigger battery that can be charged up from the mains, allowing zero-emissions running for longer distances.

A hybrid car doesn’t (it’ll charge its small battery up while driving, using both the engine and the brakes) but a plug-in hybrid car will, as that’s the whole point — you charge up from the mains, and then can do your short hops of 20+ miles on electric power, leaving the petrol engine for longer journeys. Plug-ins are heavier though, so tend to be thirstier than a petrol model on those longer runs.

A hybrid, like the Corolla, won’t go far on electric power — about a mile, or slightly more. But, because the battery recharges quickly as you drive, you can do that again and again in a given journey. Toyota estimates that up to 80 per cent of an average urban commute can be done on electric power. A plug-in hybrid will go much further on a full charge - the average distance is around 30 miles - but various Mercedes, Volvo and BMW models, among others, have an official range figure in excess of 50 miles.

It kind of depends how you define ‘estate’. If the Citroen C5 X is an estate, then it’s 19. If the new Kia Niro is an estate, then it’s 20. If neither are, then it’s 18 at time of counting.

This is something of a sore point, as hybrid batteries (especially plug-in hybrid batteries) often eat into available boot space. However, the regular hybrid Toyota Corolla Hybrid Touring Sports is well-packaged, and so boasts a huge 598-litre boot — bigger than even the massive Volvo V90 can offer.

Need lots of space? Check out our top recommended cars with big boots.

The king of this is the Porsche Panamera E-Hybrid Sport Turismo, which thanks to its excess of power can haul up to 3,500kg of braked weight. Next best is the Volvo V90 T6 which can manage 2,100kg, while the BMW 330e and Volkswagen Passat GTE can both manage 1,500kg.

For more information, take a look at our guides on the best cars for towing and towing laws in the UK for trailers and caravans.