The best used hybrid cars you can buy

As the car world moves ever more down the path of electrification, there’s no reason used car buyers should feel left out.

There are plenty of hybrids out there that offer low-budget running costs allied to an engaging drive. There are also hybrids to suit all tastes and budgets, so whether you’re after a supercar or supermini, there’s one for you.

Here’s our choice of the best used hybrids on the market, ranked in ascending order of price:

Toyota Prius – from £3000

You can bag a Prius for a lot less than £3000, but we reckon Toyota’s definitive second-generation hybrid model can be had in good condition and without a stellar mileage for this money. Avoid those that have been hard run as minicabs and the Prius offers dependable family transport with an admirable history of reliability.

The 1.5-litre petrol engine and CVT gearbox are easy to live with in town, while electric assistance gives good acceleration from a standstill. Earlier models don’t let you select battery-only running, but the car usually pulls away just on electric power. Combined economy comes in at 65.7mpg for the 2003-2009 Prius and emissions are recorded as 104g/km.

Honda CR-Z – from £4000

When launched in 2010, the Honda CR-Z was a left-field choice, mixing a mild hybrid set-up with sporty coupe looks and a manual gearbox. It all worked very well, and continues to do so thanks to this car’s unerring reliability.

The 56.5mpg combined economy and 117g/km are not worth writing home about, but the CR-Z is still cheap to run. It’s also fun to drive thanks to decent handling and 128lb ft of torque from just 1500rpm.

It’s also reasonably practical thanks to 2+2 seating and a boot that can hold more than you think thanks to the bread van styling. Price-wise, you’ll pay from £4000 ($6000) for a tidy early model.

Peugeot 508 SW Hybrid4 RXH – from £6500

Peugeot hoped that success at Le Mans with its hybrid 909 racer would part the way to road car sales success with the diesel-electric 508 SW Hybrid4 RXH. Sadly, the sales didn’t tot up as they’d hoped as the RXH didn’t lure customers out of Audi A4 Allroads.

However, the RXH had a smattering of off-road ability thanks to a 50mm raised ride height over a standard 508 wagon. Then again, the boot was smaller than the 508 estate’s because of the battery pack.

Together, diesel and electric motors gave 200bhp and the Peugeot could cover up to 2.5 miles on battery power alone. That wasn’t enough to convince many new customers, but used buyers can take advantage of combined economy of 68.9mpg and 107g/km CO2 emissions from a very reasonable £6500.

Vauxhall Ampera – from £8000

The Vauxhall Ampera, which is identical other than badging to the Chevrolet Volt, was the first plug-in hybrid to go on sale in the UK. Interesting to look at, good to drive and practical thanks to its petrol engine acting as a generator to broaden range to more than 300 miles, it also scooped the 2012 European Car of the Year gong.  As a used car, the Ampera and Volt continue to make a strong case for themselves. Prices from £8000 puts it in the heartland of used car territory and the styling means they still look fresh.

Running costs are impressively low due to the claimed 235mpg economy and 27g/km CO2 emissions. In the real world, you can expect around 30 miles of electric-only driving before the range-extender engine cuts in. The battery comes with an eight-year/100,000 miles warranty, so you should have peace of mind with most used examples.

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV – from £10,000

Few cars have caught the public mood more ably than the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. A mid-size SUV when we were all shifting to those plus a hybrid drivetrain made it a huge success from the get-go.

Accounting for half of all plug-in hybrid sales in the UK, the handsome Outlander is easy and smooth to drive. It’s also easy on the wallet for used buyers thanks to its 41g/km carbon dioxide emissions and 166.1mpg, though you’re more likely to see economy of around 50mpg on longer drives. A battery range of 25 miles means zero emissions commuting is possible.

Ford Mondeo Hybrid – from £12,000

Ford took the unusual move of equipping the Mondeo Hybrid with two electric motors. One was there to assist the 2.0-litre petrol engine with driving the car, while the other’s job was to recharge the battery as the car slowed.

A CVT gearbox wasn’t the most engaging choice for this car, but the hybrid set-up promised 99g/km CO2 emissions and 67.3mpg. A total of 190bhp from petrol-electric power gave 0-62mph in 9.2 seconds, while mid-range acceleration was more impressive.

When new in 2014, the Mondeo Hybrid’s list price counted against it, but as a used proposition it makes a more appealing prospect from £12,000.

Audi A3 e-tron – from £12,000

Audi had been teasing us with e-tron and hybrid concepts for a while, but the A3 Sportback e-tron was the first production model to employ the name and technology. It was worth the wait as this A3 came with a claimed 176.0mpg average economy and 37g/km CO2 output thanks to its 1.4-litre turbo petrol engine and 75kW electric motor.

Capable of driving on battery power alone, this plug-in hybrid is claimed to cover up to 29 miles solely on electricity. Our experience is nearer 25 miles, which is still more than enough for most commutes. In more mixed driving, the A3 e-tron is refined, simple to recharge and easy to live with it. Used prices from £12,000 also make it a very attractive second-hand proposition.

BMW i3 – from £12,000

Hedging its bets or covering all bases? Either way, BMW launched the i3 in pure electric and range extender formats at the same time. With the battery-only model, you get an effective range of around 100 miles per full charge with zero tailpipe emissions. It’s also the quicker of the two, giving 0-62mph in 7.3 seconds to make it ideal for snappy city driving.

The range extender model borrows a 650cc petrol engine from BMW’s motorcycle range. It acts as a generator to charge the battery and effectively doubles the i3’s range before it needs topping up with fuel and it’s rated at 13g/km.

Aside from its eco credentials, the i3 is fun to drive, distinctive and offers good interior space. Prices for second-hand examples start at £12,000 so it’s a serious rival to the usual assortment of lightly used small hatches and SUVs.

Mercedes C300h – from £14,000

The Mercedes C300 Hybrid was clearly aimed at company car drivers. Its carbon dioxide emissions of 94g/km made it very attractive for those concerned with how much cash the Inland Revenue would demand, while the 78.5mpg combined economy was impressive for a car of this size and class. To achieve those figures, tested under the NEDC regime, the C300 uses the same 2.1-litre turbodiesel as its contemporary diesel-only siblings but adds a 27bhp electric motor.

A total power output of 224bhp means the C300 Hybrid could deal with 0-62mpgh in 6.4 seconds and hit 152mph. Unlike the BMW 330e, the Mercedes has no battery-only driving option, so the electric motor is there more as an assistant than an alternative. With prices from £14,000, the C300 Hybrid is an affordably classy way to save on emissions.

Hyundai Ionic – from £15,000

Hyundai offers three different drivetrain option with its Ionic, covering hybrid, plug-in and electric choices. The most affordable in the used market is the hybrid, which starts from £15,000 and trumps its Toyota Prius arch rival for driving enjoyment and refinement.

A 1.6-litre petrol engine does the bulk of the work, but the Ionic Hybrid can run on battery power for short distances at urban speeds. Combined economy is claimed at 83.1mpg and emissions at 79g/km. If you want to use electric power more often, the Plug-In model offers an official range of 39 miles before the petrol engine is needed, while the EV version has a range of up to 174 miles on a full charge.

We reckon the Plug-In is the most rounded model in the Ionic range and it costs from £20,000.

Volkswagen Golf GTE 1.4 TSI PHEV – from £15,000

Giving this Golf a ‘GT’ label raises expectations, even if it’s main focus is on cleaner running thanks to its plug-in hybrid powertrain. Using the 148bhp 1.4 TSI petrol motor coupled to an electric one sees the GTE from 0-62mph in 7.6 seconds, which is nippy if not outright hot hatch quick, and it tops out at 138mph.

Look beyond those numbers and the GTE is hassle-free to drive and offers one of the most responsive hybrid set-ups we’ve tried. There’s a battery range claimed at 31 miles, which works out more like 25 miles in the real world, while combined economy is stated at 166.2mpg and 39g/km of CO2 emissions.

As a different choice to the ubiquitous Golf TDI diesels, the GTE holds its own in the used market and you can expect to pay from £17,000 for a lightly used 2015 model.

BMW 330e – from £15,500

BMW’s i models might grab all of the headlines when it comes to electrification from the German company, but the 330e makes a strong case for itself as a used car. With prices from £15,500, it’s every inch the same as any other 3 Series to look at and in the way it handles, steers and stops. Where it differs is there’s an electric motor in place of a traditional torque convertor for the eight-speed automatic gearbox that sends drive to the rear wheels. A lithium-ion battery under the boot provides an additional 87bhp to the 182bhp 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine, so you can see 0-62mph in 6.1 seconds.

With economy in mind, you can plug in and charge up the battery to get a claimed 25-mile electric-only range. Our experience shows this is more like 14 miles, but it’s enough for most town drives and the 330e emits 44g/km. There’s also a 148.7mpg potential, though this is measured by the old NEDC method.

Volvo V60 PHEV – from £16,000

Volvo got in first to sell a diesel-electric plug-in hybrid and the V60 D6 claimed an all-electric, zero emissions range of up to 32 miles. Different driving modes meant you could cruise on the motorway using just the diesel motor and save the battery for town use.

Or, you could have both and that meant a total of 271bhp from the 212bhp 2.4-litre diesel and 69bhp EV unit to give 0-62mph in 6.2 seconds and 149mph. However, it’s not sports car as the hybrid pack adds 300kg to the weight and it feels it in the bends. Driven more gently, Volvo claimed the D6 offered 49g/km Co2 emissions and had a theoretical average economy of 149mpg.

The D6 has retained its value well since its production launch in 2013 and you’ll need from £16,000 to bag a tidy example today.

Kia Optima 2.0 PHEV – from £18,000

Drivers in the USA have enjoyed the benefits of the Kia Optima Hybrid since 2012, while European drivers had to wait until 2016. It’s worth seeking out for its premium feel and the quiet, efficient way the 2.0-litre petrol and electric motors go about covering large distances. Kia claims it can return 201.8mpg, though this is only possible if you make full use of the plug-in charging and official 38-mile battery-only running potential.

Otherwise, it’s a low-key way to wear your green credentials and it’s also a very practical family car if you choose the estate version.

Mercedes-Benz S400h – from £23,000

If you really wanted to wear a hair shirt to prove your green credentials while still running a luxury car, Mercedes offered its S300h with 2.1-litre turbodiesel engine and electric motor. However, if you value refinement above penny pinching, the S400h is the one to have.

It uses the refined 3.5-litre V6 petrol engine and the electric motor to offer a smooth driving experience. Fuel economy improves to 35.8mpg over the standard S350, while emissions register at 190g/km that’s some 57g/km less than that of the non-hybrid model. Of course, the S320 CDI bettered those figures, but this swish hybrid saloon offers a peerless drive and makes plenty of sense at prices from £23,000.

Lexus RC300h – from £25,000

If you want to stand out from the herd of compact German coupes, there are few better ways to do it than in the Lexus RX300h. Its bold looks might divide opinion, but they get you noticed, while the RC300h’s hybrid powertrain is markedly more subtle.

Using a 2.5-litre, four-cylinder turbo petrol allied to an electric motor it delivers 220bhp and sees the Japanese car from 0-62mph in 8.6 seconds. That’s hardly breathtaking performance, but 57.6mpg combined and 113g/km are impressive from a petrol-fuelled car in this class.

There’s a decent pool of used RC300h models to choose from, starting at £25,000, thanks to it being the most popular model with new RC buyers.

Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid – from £40,000

There are a lot of impressive number surrounding the Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid, but price is no longer one of them. Used, you can find them from £40,000, which makes them a tempting alternative to new and lightly used hybrid SUVs from lesser brands.

For the money, few can touch the Cayenne’s combined 410bhp from the supercharged 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine and 94bhp electric motor. Driving all four wheels, it sees the Porsche from rest to 62mph in 5.9 seconds, which ain’t bad for a 2.4-tonne off-roader. More considerate use will see 83.1mpg and 78g/km Co2 emissions, and it can waft up to 78mph on just battery power. It can also cover up to 22 miles solely on electricity to make it ideal for guilt-free town driving.

BMW i8 – from £50,000

Amid all of the hype around Ferrari, McLaren and Porsche creating limited run hybrid hypercars, BMW got on with building a much more affordable petrol-electric supercar with its i8. Okay, it may not quite have the performance of a La Ferrari, P1 or 918, but it’s no slouch and covers 0-62mph in 4.4 seconds. Driven with a bit more thought for economy and the i8 has a claimed combined consumption of 134.5mpg. In the real world, you’re unlikely to see that - think more like 42mpg or so. But the plug-in BMW can be driven for up to 20 miles or so around town on battery power alone. All in, it emits 49g/km of CO2.

All of that makes the i8 a surprisingly green option, so the fact it handles superbly, comes with four seats in coupe format and can now be had from £50,000 makes it a supercar you can run with a clean conscience.