Sell your car for what it's really worth Sell my car
Buy
Sell
Home
My cars
Messages
Notifications
Log in

Compare the best self-charging hybrid cars

High quality self-charging hybrids from rated and reviewed dealers
Sell my car
Rated 4.5/5 from 59,562 reviews

10 best self-charging hybrids in 2024

Self-charging hybrids use a battery-powered electric motor, usually combined with a petrol engine. The battery can be topped up using the engine as well as regenerative braking, which captures and converts some of the energy normally lost when you slow down, rather than being plugged into the mains, hence the ‘self-charging’ name. Fuel economy is typically not as impressive as plug-in models, but they are more fuel efficient than a regular combustion-engined car, and the smaller batteries tend to mean they’re more affordable.

Electric cars might be the future, but it’s clear that they’re not for everyone, particularly if you can’t charge at home so can’t keep running costs low. As a result, hybrids – such as the self-charging hybrids we’re looking at here – are a great compromise, offering low-emissions driving with the security of being able to refuel anywhere.

Here, our expert reviews team has put together a list of the best self-charging hybrids on sale in 2024.

Renault Clio

1. Renault Clio

Sale ends soon
9/10
Renault Clio review
The Renault Clio is our favourite small car, because not only does it look ultra-chic, it has a big, practical boot and a quality interior. What’s more, just because it’s a small car doesn’t mean you’re stuck with some weedy engines – it’s one of few cars this size with a self-charging hybrid engine. It’s a bit more expensive than the basic petrol, but fuel costs should be lower and it’s easier to drive around town with its automatic gearbox.
Honda Civic
2024
Comfortable Cruiser Award
Highly Commended

2. Honda Civic

9/10
Honda Civic review
The Honda Civic is a fantastic hatchback and proves you don’t need a massive SUV if you’re looking for a family car. Sure, the cabin isn’t particularly exciting, but that’s about where the complaints end. It’s spacious in the cabin and the boot is bigger than alternatives such as the Ford Focus and Volkswagen Golf offer. It’s also comfortable over bumps and the self-charging hybrid engine is smooth and economical.
Dacia Jogger
2024
Smart Spender Award

3. Dacia Jogger

Sale ends soon
9/10
Dacia Jogger review
Once you get over the sorta SUV, sorta estate shape, the Dacia Jogger is a brilliant family car. It’s not much fun to drive but it’s comfortable and easy going with an economical hybrid engine. It can seat seven in a surprising amount of comfort, but you can fully remove the third row to open a massive boot. The interior is practical rather than posh, but when you see how cheap it is you can’t really complain.

Sell your car for what it's really worth

The free, easy way to get 4,500+ dealers all over the UK bidding on your car

Learn how to sell your car with carwow
Toyota Corolla

4. Toyota Corolla

Sale ends soon
8/10
Toyota Corolla review
The Toyota Corolla stands out amongst countless other hatchbacks because of its stylish, well-designed exterior and one of the plushest interiors in its class. It also drives well, steering precisely and staying comfortable over dodgy road surfaces. The self-charging hybrid engines run silently on electricity in town, but also handles motorways with ease, too. If you need more space there’s an estate version, too.
Nissan Qashqai e-POWER

5. Nissan Qashqai e-Power

Sale ends soon
8/10
Nissan Qashqai e-POWER review
There’s more than one type of hybrid system on the market, with the Nissan Qashqai e-Power offering a different take on the technology. The self-charging system in the Qashqai uses a petrol engine that charges the battery, with the electric motors always powering the wheels, so you get the smoothness of an electric car. Elsewhere, there are all the features that have made the Qashqai one of the most popular family SUVs, such as a spacious, comfortable interior and stylish looks.
Kia Sportage

6. Kia Sportage

Sale ends soon
8/10
Kia Sportage review
The Kia Sportage is one of the country’s best-selling cars and it’s easy to see why. The front-end styling could prove divisive, but it certainly stands out, while inside you’ve got a quality cabin and plenty of tech. The hybrid system is particularly smooth, making the Sportage a comfortable and refined thing to roll around in.
Lexus NX Hybrid

7. Lexus NX

Sale ends soon
7/10
Lexus NX Hybrid review
Love it or hate it, the design of the Lexus NX certainly isn’t boring. The distinctive grille and sharp bodywork creases make the car stand out and the interior is similarly striking, with the materials feeling tactile and premium. In fact, you’re left in no doubt that this is a car to match, quality-wise, anything being produced by BMW, Audi or Mercedes-Benz. At the same time, the well-established Lexus hybrid system means that the NX can still return a fuel consumption figure of 50mpg despite being pretty big and heavy.
Toyota Yaris Hybrid

8. Toyota Yaris Hybrid

Sale ends soon
8/10
Toyota Yaris Hybrid review
The Toyota Yaris has been flying the flag for small self-charging hybrid hatchbacks for some time, so the current generation is the sum total of all that experience – and it shows. That’s because it's easy to drive and very economical to run, while the sporty design is a huge improvement on previous versions and it comes packed with lots of modern tech.
Ford Kuga

9. Ford Kuga

Sale ends soon
6/10
Ford Kuga review
Battery range up to 35 miles
There are lots of family SUVs on the market for buyers to choose from, with many having similar qualities. The Ford Kuga stands out a little because it’s one of the few that are engaging to drive, with the car handling in a way that is reminiscent of its excellent Focus stablemate. It’s also well designed, inside and out, with a spacious cabin and a good level of standard equipment.
Renault Captur

10. Renault Captur

Sale ends soon
8/10
Renault Captur review
Battery range up to 28 miles
If you like the look of the Renault Clio but need something a bit more spacious, the Captur is a great option. Even compared with similarly sized SUVs it has a roomy interior and a really big boot. It’s let down a bit by a dated infotainment system, while you’ll have to spend more for the top trims to get the best technology, but if you’re after an affordable, spacious SUV it ticks all the right boxes.

Browse all hybrid cars

  •  

     

  •  

     

  •  

     

Advice about self-charging hybrid cars

Self-charging hybrid FAQs

Self-charging hybrids have a traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) and an electric motor, with the motor driven by a small onboard battery. The engine recharges the battery and recovers energy that would otherwise be lost from the engine or while braking. All the different types of hybrid and electric engines do this, but the battery in a plug-in hybrid or fully electric model also needs to be topped up from mains electricity, in order to fully recharge larger battery packs. Self-charging hybrids, however, don’t need to be plugged in to the mains – but this means that they have a much shorter electric-only range than a plug-in hybrid - generally very short distances of up to a mile at best.

A self-charging hybrid car has a petrol engine and an electric motor, and drives like a conventional automatic car. The hybrid technology selects the best power source at all times, switching between petrol or electric modes, based on the driving situation. A self-charging hybrid system also charges the electric battery while you’re driving, when you stop or slow down, the regenerative braking system recovering even more energy.

Plenty of people object to the term self-charging hybrid, and many others complain that these cars don’t take a big enough step towards the goal of full electrification. Compared with plug-in hybrids they have no big on-paper electric-only driving range figures to point to.

However, they can still deliver dramatically impressive fuel economy without the need to be plugged into an electric car charger, which makes them a very fuss-free way to reduce your running costs. Especially as they cost less than plug-in hybrid tech at the equivalent level.

All hybrid systems will save you money on fuel costs, but how much you save is dependant on where and how you drive. In test conditions though, petrol hybrids and diesels are the best types of car for saving fuel – which means if you want a petrol car, a self-charging hybrid will generally be the most economical option.

Whether a self-charging or a plug-in hybrid is the better choice for you depends on your personal driving needs and preferences. For example, if most of your journeys are short and are mostly within urban areas, a self-charging hybrid may be good for your needs. However, if you drive longer distances or on motorways regularly, a plug-in hybrid may be more suitable for you.

Access to a home charger or a public charging network could mean that a plug-in hybrid may be more convenient and cost-effective for you. If it’s not convenient to charge a car, or don’t want the hassle of plugging a car in, a self-charging hybrid will be more practical for you.

Finally, if you’re concerned about your carbon emissions and saving money on fuel and tax, a plug-in hybrid is the better option. 

Other hybrid cars

Hybrid cars by make

Browse other car types