Best plug-in hybrid cars: driven and ranked

Best for: Electric range

Good things come in small packages, and that's certainly the case with the new Volkswagen Golf eHybrid.

A 2024 update fixed many of the usability issues reported by drivers including the interior, bringing back steering wheel buttons and implementing a much-improved infotainment system.

Outside of the sportier Golf GTI and R variants, the eHybrid is the peak of the model range. Its 19.7kWh battery offers a staggering 88 miles of range, which is one of the highest figures on the market. Our own tests showed that around 70 miles is achievable in the real world, which is still mightily impressive. 

Because of this, the Golf eHybrid feels like an EV to drive a great deal of the time, but its price tag of just over £37,000 makes it an even more appealing proposition. It's a great plug-in hybrid that could genuinely change your motoring habits. 

Best for: Families

BMW's family SUV is a great option for drivers who want a plug-in hybrid car with great driving dynamics and performance.

The X5 combines a 3.0-litre straight-six petrol engine with a 194bhp electric motor and a 25.7kWh battery. The electric range stands at around 58 miles, which is competitive for the segment.

In total, it pumps out 483bhp and 516lb ft of torque which helps thrust the X5 from 0-62mph in just 4.8sec. 

Best of all, BMW has injected the X5 with a dose of dynamic ability which sets it apart from its rivals. Tight body control and excellent ride comfort make it one of the best for drivers and passengers alike. It's a PHEV that should come close to topping your shortlist. 

Best for: Luxury

The Range Rover is a brilliant all-round performer, but the plug-in hybrid version has some boons of its own that make it one of the best on the market. 

Named the Range Rover P460e, this large, electrified SUV is driven by a 3.0-litre, six-cylinder engine with a total of 453bhp available. Then there's the more powerful 550e, which produces 542bhp. 

Both share the same whopping 38.2kWh battery and are capable of between 68 and 75 miles of range on a charge. We think the plug-in Range Rover is one of the best around, gaining a weighty EV range in addition to its already sublime comfort levels and excellent outright performance. 

It is mightily expensive, though. A new, basic Range Rover P460e will set you back at least £115,000, which many drivers will likely feel could be spent better elsewhere. 

Best for: Handling

It's not uncommon to have concerns about how different a plug-in hybrid variant of a car is to drive compared to its pure-combustion counterpart. 

There are no such worries to be had with the BMW 3 Series 330e though, which we think is pretty much as good to drive as the regular car. 

It's similarly incisive in the corners with a vibrant handling balance, good body control and decent refinement. Even with a heavier, electrified powertrain, it's still every bit a sports saloon - and that's important. 

It'll get a bigger battery in 2025, upgraded from 10.3kWh to 19.5kWh, which will boost range from around 37 miles to 62 miles. We're hopeful it won't affect how it drives too negatively.

Best for: Practicality

The Skoda Kodiaq is the longest-legged plug-in hybrid SUV on this list, with 71 miles offered from its huge 25.7kWh battery.

That's vastly better than similarly-sized rivals, including the Kia Sorrento and the Volkswagen Multivan e-Hybrid, which offer 34 and 30 miles respectively. 

Skoda's SUV isn't just a good plug-in hybrid: it's a capable all-round performer. It produces 201bhp in total and will hit 0-62mph in 8.4 sec. 

However, it does lose some degree of practicality due to its powertrain. The boot, while still an impressive, practical size, drops from 910 litres to 745 litres due to the battery's positioning. It's also not quite as versatile as the standard Kodiaq, as it can't be selected with seven seats. 

Best for: Looks

We're lucky to even be looking at the new Toyota Prius on UK plates, considering it was supposedly never intended to be sold here in the first place.

Sporting a fresh, modernised design, the new Prius is also significantly different under the metal. It's now available as a plug-in hybrid (the regular full-hybrid is no longer available here) with a 13.6kWh battery, which can return 53 miles of electric range. 

The Prius uses a 2.0-litre, 150bhp engine mated to a 161bhp electric motor. Total output stands at 220bhp - a big improvement over the previous Prius, which only produced 121bhp. It's enough for a 0-62mph time of 6.8sec.

Toyota is one of the pioneers of hybrid technology, and that much is clear with the Prius. After all this time, it still has one of the best hybrid systems available today, but it also drives more dynamically than before, with good levels of comfort to boot.

Best for: All-round ability

Another BMW?! Well, yes. The BMW 5 Series is also a brilliant plug-in hybrid SUV and one of the best all-rounders on our list.

Its on-paper stats are impressive. It takes the brand's 308bhp six-cylinder B58 petrol engine and partners it with a 194bhp electric motor. Total power is 483bhp and it'll take just 4.4sec from 0-62mph. 

That's quick, but it's nothing compared to its incredible thrust in sport mode. It'll take just 1.9sec from 20-40mph, which is quicker than 2021's BMW M5 CS. 

All that, and it'll do 56 miles of electric-only driving, and can be selected in saloon and estate body styles. It's a seriously versatile package and should not be ignored by fleet and company car customers. 

Best for: Comfort

As our ratings might suggest, the Mercedes E-Class is a brilliant all-rounder and a must-consider option for company car drivers looking to take advantage of benefit-in-kind rates.

The plug-in hybrid E300e gets a huge 25.4kWh battery with 68 miles of range, which is near the top of the pack. 

It gets 308bhp and a 0-62mph time of 6.4sec which is impressive, but what stands out is its effortless transition from electric to petrol power.

The E330e feels pretty swift when travelling on electric and can sit at motorway speeds comfortably. Partner that with great comfort levels and there are few better long-distance companions out there. 

Like some of the other cars here though, it has its practical downsides. The boot in plug-in hybrid variants loses 170 litres of boot space, down to 370 litres. Not great. 

Best for: Reliability

As a sister brand to hybrid masters Toyota, Lexus was always going to have class-leading technology at its disposal.

The Lexus NX is the brand's mid-sized SUV and its plug-in hybrid powertrain is one of the best out there.

Available in front and four-wheel drive, the Lexus NX combines a 2.5-litre petrol engine with a 53bhp electric motor for a total of 300bhp. The lesser-powered NX 350h is also a good option, producing 241bhp.

The electric range is middling today at around 45 miles, but it's still enough for most drivers commuting to work. 

The NX's trump card is its posh-feeling interior, which is packed with technology and high-grade materials. It's a very pleasant place to sit.

While the NX might be somewhat of a left-field choice, it's still a solid option and you can be sure the entire family will be comfortable in most scenarios.