Hybrid cars can slip silently through city centres on electric power, with the reassurance of a fuel-powered engine on longer drives.
Here are 10 of our favourite hybrid cars on sale. We'll cover both full or 'self-charging' hybrids, which can creep through traffic on electric power alone, and plug-in hybrids, which can travel several miles without starting the engine and can be topped up from an EV charger.
Kia Sportage 1.6T Hybrid

- 50mpg combined
- 129g/km CO2
The latest Kia Sportage takes the Korean brand's popular family SUV and ramps up the premium factor. Inside, the material and build quality are top-notch, coming perilously close to that you'd find in any of the Sportage's premium German rivals. There's also bags of room, with space for passengers in every position to stretch out, and a cavernous boot that can handily swallow all the baby gear you can throw at it. Plus, the fuel-saving hybrid setup still puts out a strong 229hp, letting it cover the 0-62mph sprint in less than eight seconds.
Shop used Kia Sportage cars for sale or read our Kia Sportage review
Toyota Yaris Cross

- 55mpg combined
- 101g/km CO2
The Toyota Yaris Cross delivers a lot of talents across its very compact footprint. It takes up less space than its Toyota C-HR big brother on the road but it's arguably the more practical car, with better rear headroom and a slightly larger boot. It's easy to drive and easy to use, but perhaps the most compelling aspect is its 1.5-litre full-hybrid engine, which is responsive and extremely efficient on short and medium journeys – readily returning more than 50mpg in urban traffic. Like the other Toyotas on this list, you also benefit from its excellent 10-year service-activated warranty.
See used Toyota Yaris Cross cars or read our Toyota Yaris Cross review
Skoda Octavia Estate iV

- 217mpg combined
- 30g/km CO2
- 41-mile electric range
Most models in the Skoda and wider VW-Group lineup are offered with plug-in-hybrid power, and the ultra-sensible Octavia is no exception. In this iV version, you can travel up to 41 miles on a fully charged battery – easily covering most average commutes – with the backup of a 1.4-litre turbo petrol engine for going longer distances. All the usual Octavia benefits remain, with a neat, no-nonsense dashboard, a spacious cabin and, particularly on this Estate version, acres of cargo space. Despite being so level-headed, the Octavia iV is reasonably quick too, with a sub-eight-second 0-62mph time, and the option of an even-faster vRS version.
See a selection of used Skoda Octavia cars or read our Skoda Octavia review
Honda Jazz 1.5 Hybrid

- 63mpg combined
- 102g/km CO2
Uninformed buyers might dismiss the Honda Jazz as an 'old-person's car', but they're seriously missing out. The Jazz is quite possibly the most practical compact hatchback you can buy – its small exterior dimensions hide an astonishingly large cabin with space for four adults to sit comfortably – or five at a push. You don't need to sacrifice cargo room either because the Jazz has a deep, square boot and clever flip-up rear seat bases that fold away like theatre stalls, allowing you to store tall objects easily. All that's before you get to the strong and efficient hybrid engine that perfectly suits the Jazz's calm character.
Take a look at used Honda Jazz cars or read our Honda Jazz review
MG ZS

- 55mpg combined
- 115g/km CO2
The old MG ZS was more cheap than cheerful, but its replacement is an altogether more accomplished car. It uses the same 1.5-litre full-hybrid setup as the new MG3 hatch, delivering an impressive 196hp for zippy on-road acceleration and a sub-nine-second 0-62mph time. Despite the respectable performance, average mpg figures north of 50 should be achievable in mixed driving. The cabin, in particular, is a marked improvement on MG's earlier models, with a clean, modern design, plus material and build quality that matches the best in class.
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Toyota Corolla Touring Sports 2.0 Hybrid

- 52mpg combined
- 127g/km CO2
As the world's best-selling car, the Toyota Corolla hardly needs more accolades thrown its way. To ignore its abundant qualities, however, would be a mistake because this hybrid family car gets an awful lot right. For starters, it's beautifully built with a robust sense of quality when you step inside. It backs this up with Toyota's latest hybrid know-how under the bonnet – the 2.0-litre engine and electric motor provide effortless performance without the droning older hybrids made under acceleration. Our favourite version is the Toyota Corolla Touring Sports estate, because this gets a larger cargo area behind the seats.
Check out a wide selection of used Toyota Corolla cars or read our Toyota Corolla review
Hyundai Tucson 1.6T Hybrid

- 50mpg combined
- 130g/km CO2
The Hyundai Tucson has many of the same qualities as the Sportage above – unsurprising, considering they share parts and engines. Like its Kia cousin, the Tucson has dramatic styling, with bold, segmented headlights that look like an insect's eye. Again, the statement made by the exterior styling is backed up by the cabin, which looks smart, has just the right amount of physical knobs and buttons, and lots of sensible practicality to make life with the big Hyundai easy. There's a choice of full-hybrid and plug-in options – both are great but the PHEV makes sense if you can charge it at home or at work.
Browse used Hyundai Tucson cars for sale or read our Hyundai Tucson review
Toyota RAV4 2.5 Hybrid

- 52mpg combined
- 102g/km CO2
The Toyota RAV4 is an accomplished large family SUV, but the car's clever hybrid system is one of the aces up its sleeve. Thanks to decades of Toyota hybrid know-how, the setup in the RAV4 is one of the best, with instant low-speed response from the hybrid motor, which makes pulling away and crawling through traffic totally effortless. On longer runs, the engine smoothly joins the chorus powering the front wheels, leading to some impressive real-world mpg figures from this tall and practical family hauler. Rock-solid reliability, low running costs and robust residual values make this an easy car to justify.
Save money on a used Toyota RAV4 or read our Toyota RAV4 review
BMW 330e

- 283mpg combined
- 22g/km CO2
- 37-mile electric range
Some hybrids have space-age styling to highlight their high-tech powertrains, while others choose not to shout about their on-board electrification. The BMW 330e is firmly in the latter camp, looking almost indistinguishable from the legions of petrol and diesel-powered 3 Series models running up and down the UK's motorways. Only the extra filler flap that hides its EV charging port and a few badges give away its extra electrons. It achieves the typical show-stopping plug-in-hybrid figures – up to 283mpg or 37 miles of electric-only range – but its muscular 292hp combined output and grippy handling mean it still feels like a true BMW to drive.
View used BMW 3 Series cars or read our BMW 3 Series review
Ford Kuga PHEV

- 257mpg combined
- 25g/km CO2
- 39-mile electric range
The Ford Kuga has embraced hybrid power with both hands, so you'll find a wide choice of both full-hybrid FHEV models, plus plenty of plug-in PHEV versions too. Full-hybrid versions are great if you don't have access to an EV charger but, for those that do, the PHEV Kuga can return some impressive figures – 39 miles of electric only driving or 257mpg combined if you make the most of both petrol and electric power. And, while all that's going on under the bonnet, you can still enjoy the benefits of regular Kuga models from behind the wheel, with deft handling, a simple dashboard and lots of space for the family.
Shop used Ford Kuga cars for sale or read our Ford Kuga review
Cut your running costs with a nearly new hybrid
Check out Motorpoint's wide selection of nearly new hybrid cars, all with low mileage and warranty coverage. If you're ready to ditch the engine entirely, check out our picks for the best electric family cars.