► The best PHEVS on sale in the UK
► Covering superminis to supercars
► Why plug-in hybrids cost more
If you’re not quite ready to go fully electric, a plug-in hybrid car could be your gateway drug – they’re some of the best hybrid cars on sale today. Our favourite plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) provide a bigger chunk of electric-only travel than more traditional self-charging hybrids, but are not limited in the same way that fully electrical vehicles can be.
Derided by some as a pointless step between internal combustion and the best full electric cars, with current uncertainty in the electric car market plug-in hybrids are once again experiencing something of a resurgence. The best examples truly do offer the best of both worlds while reducing the downsides of the alternatives, too. So you can have zero emissions on the commute or the school run, but also cover long distances without the lengthy waiting around to recharge.
That doesn’t mean PHEVs are perfect – nothing is. While often cheaper than 100 per cent electric cars, they do still command a premium over less battery-intensive self-charging hybrids. They weigh more than these no-plug alternatives, too. So you need to be sure you’ll get the most out of the extended battery range – which means being sure you have the means and the will to regularly recharge.
The best plug-in hybrids at a glance:
On this page you’ll find our selection of the very best PHEVs based on extensive experience of testing them all in the real world, covering every sector of the market where they’re available – from family hatchbacks to seven-seaters to supercars. You can find out more about how we test, if you want to learn more.
Best plug-in hybrids in 2024
BMW X5 xDrive50e
Best all-round PHEV SUV – mighty power with surprising poise from this premium plug-in chonk
Pros: Superb to drive with plenty of performance, lengthy real-world electric range
Cons: Not exactly a clean, green image
With a 3.0-litre straight-six married to a mighty electric motor and all-wheel drive, the BMW X5 PHEV is powerful (was 388bhp, now 483bhp) and fast (0-62mph in 4.8, 155mph) enough to shrug off the weight of its enormous battery pack and still deliver an outstanding driving experience. This is a remarkable deft SUV.
What’s more, with a claimed electric driving range of up to 67 miles – we’ve managed 49 miles in the real world, and a reasonable 35mpg overall – and a maximum EV speed of 86mph, you’ll be zero emissions in motion a substantial amount of time. The resulting refinement is also enhanced by the high quality ride and luxurious interior.
TO find out more read our full BMW X5 review
Range Rover P510e
Best PHEV for luxury off-roading with a clean(er) conscience
Pros: Premium design inside and out, very powerful and luxurious, proper off-road capability
Cons: Not as dynamically capable as the X5 or the also impressive Range Rover Sport
The latest Range Rover is a real triumph of luxury motoring, and the P510e plug-in hybrid is the best choice in the range for all-round capability.
With 503bhp it has all the power necessary to shift some serious bulk, and a battery big enough to offer a claimed 68 miles of electric only driving range (you’ll get 45 easily in the real world). Refinement is outstanding, and the interior keeps all the promises made by that smoothly styled exterior.
To find out more, read our full Range Rover review
Ferrari 296
Best plug-in hybrid supercar – no seriously, it’s really very clever
Pros: 819bhp, 0-62mph in 2.9 seconds – and look at it
Cons: Well, it won’t be much good at Ikea
Plug-in hybrid supercars are nothing new these days, but the Ferrari 296 is a real thriller and the one we’d choose. It comes as a 296 GTB coupe or 296 GTS convertible, and as well as providing a modicum of electric-only running proves the prancing horse no-longer needs a minimum of eight cylinders.
This electric motor-boosted 3.0-litre V6 makes 819bhp, does 0-62mph in 2.9sec and has a top speed of 205mph. It is simply sensational to drive. We’d take this over the McLaren Artura for sure, though the Lamborghini Revuelto is tempting if still crave the drama of a V12.
To find out more, read our Ferrari 296 GTB review
VW Multivan
Best plug-in hybrid if you need seven seats
Pros: Super-flexible interior, better to drive than you might expect, spacious
Cons: Electric range is short, infotainment is annoying
The all-electric VW ID.Buzz is the posterchild for practical boxy machinery at Volkswagen, but it’s the Multivan that actually gets the job done best. And not just because the electric motor is combined with a petrol engine here.
While the Multivan isn’t quite as cool to look at, it with seven individual seats mounted on a full-length rail system it has a far more flexible interior design that can carry a load of adults in comfort, convert to a mobile lounge or even do double-duty as a van. The range-topping eHybrid offers a fairly basic real-world range of about 22 miles, but there is an upgraded version on the way with 241bhp.
To find out more, read our Volkswagen Multivan review
Mercedes-Benz E300de
Best plug-n hybrid for looooong distance comfort
Pros: Diesel and electric power make for a huge range and massive efficiency, available as an estate
Cons: Ride can be a bit fidgety, not as sharp to drive as an equivalent BMW
Yes, the d here stands for diesel. But before you immediately reject this otherwise delightful E-Class on that basis, remember diesel is still a great long-distance fuel. Combined with the claimed 70-mile electric range and the result is a car the really does feel like it can do it all.
Classy looks, a high-tech interior and a big boot – especially from the estate – complete the picture. Petrol E-Class hybrids are available, if you really can’t do derv any more, while the latest BMW 5-series also does a great job as a PHEV if you prefer a sportier drive.
To find out more, read our full Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate review
Volvo XC60 Recharge
Best PHEV for stealthy speed – you thought Volvos were sensible? This one has 449bhp
Pros: Combines practicality with outrageous power, good EV-only range, that Scandi interior design
Cons: Bigger wheels reduce ride comfort, not the last word in handling finesse
Volvo makes a whole bunch of rather effective plug-in hybrids, but we’ve picked the XC60 Recharge as being nicely applicable to most buyers. The larger XC90 Recharge offers the same drivetrains, though, with the option to seat seven.
You can choose between T6 and T8 variants, both with nearly 50 miles of claimed electric driving range. Even the 345bhp T6 is a quiet rocketship – the 449bhp T8 is a riot dressed like a geography teacher. Lovely interiors, beware the bigger wheels.
To find out more, read our full Volvo XC60 review
BMW 330e
Best PHEV all-rounder – you can’t buy an all-electric 3-series, but this is an outstanding substitute
Pros: Powerful, upgraded electric range is even handier, comes as an estate
Cons: Bit blunted to drive compared with the best 3ers
Combining a 2.0-litre turbo petrol with an 111bhp electric motor and a battery that’s now big enough for up to 63 miles of claimed electric driving, the 330e plug-in hybrid offers a decent blend of driving fun and eco credibility.
With up to 289bhp available for short periods – XtraBoost over the usual 249bhp – it’s very fast. It also comes as a Touring estate car, which just puts icing on the cake.
To find out more, read our full BMW 330e review
Lexus NX 450h+
Best small premium plug-in SUV – the self-charging kings are coming for your plug sockets
Pros: Premium interior, lots of power, comfortable ride
Cons: Lacks dynamism, marmite looks
The Lexus NX is a well-crafted mid-size SUV that stands out from the usual German crowd even before you contemplate the hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrain options.
It’s not massively exciting, but it is comfortable, and the PHEV has a walloping 305bhp – which it can deliver in near-silence. Claimed electric-only range is over 40 miles, and the infotainment is much better now, we promise.
Read our Lexus NX review
VW Golf eHybrid
Best plug-in hatchback is the upgraded Golf
Pros: electric-only range is stunning, comfortable, capable, improved infotainment
Cons: not exactly exciting
While the Golf lost our last major plug-in hatchback group test to the Peugeot 308 PHEV, the evergreen Volkswagen has received a major update since then. As a result we think this is the best all-round small PHEV you can get right now, thanks to its blend of comfortable ease and outstanding electric driving capability.
How stunning? Try 77 miles – in our testing, in the real world. A little down on the official 88 miles but still mighty impressive, and enough to make so many everyday journeys on electricity alone. We like the substantially improved infotainment, too. A really sensible choice.
To find out more, read our full VW Golf eHybrid review
BMW 7-series
Best plug-in hybrid for luxury – and it’s got plenty of it
Pros: very high quality with very individual style, remarkably agile, mobile cinema option
Cons: electric range isn’t great, kinda ugly
There are two plug-in hybrid versions of the latest BMW 7-series: the reasonably normal 750e with 483bhp and the warp-drive M760e performance variant with 563bhp. Both will do around 40 miles on electric power alone – if that’s not enough, the all-electric BMW i7 is also excellent – and both deliver a remarkable blend of agility and luxury.
The interior blends crystalline controls with lots of space and lots of tech – including the option of a 31.3-inch cinema display that folds out of the roof for rear-seat passengers. Want to go even faster? The Mercedes-AMG S63 E-Performance has 791bhp…
To find out more, read our full BMW 7-series review
Ford Kuga
Best sensible SUV plug-in hybrid is great to drive
Pros: practical inside, good to drive, over 50mpg is possible – from a petrol SUV
Cons: feels a bit cheap in places, ride is firm
When even CAR‘s roadtesters have managed to get 51mpg out of an SUV in the real world you know it’s genuinely efficient. And the Ford Kuga PHEV is exactly that – and more. Because unlike most rivals, it’s also genuinely entertaining to drive, and spacious with it.
The trade-off is hard suspension, especially from ST-Line variants, and although that interior is roomy, it does feel rather cheap in places. The 31-mile electric range isn’t exactly overwhelming by modern standards, either, but performance is punchy and the pricing keen.
To find out more, read our full Ford Kuga review
Plug-in hybrids to avoid
There aren’t too many PHEV horror shows out there, but the system on the Alfa Romeo Tonale doesn’t cover itself in glory. And while any Bentley Bentayga is a beautiful place to be, the Bentayga hybrid feels distinctly out of puff as soon as you’ve depleted the battery reserves – a process that doesn’t exactly take long in one of those.