Excellent green cars you can buy on a budget

Registrations of battery electric (BEV), plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and hybrid vehicles have never been stronger, with sales boosted by tax advantages, government incentives and the looming ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars. In short, sales of conventional cars are on the slide, as Britain’s motorists turn green.

The promise of lower running costs is one thing, but electrified cars tend to be more expensive than their petrol and diesel equivalents. Which is why we’ve trawled the classifieds in search of wallet-friendly green cars. Here are 20 eco warriors.

To many people, the Toyota Prius is the definitive eco car. We might be on a road to a future of zero emission vehicles, but the Toyota has sold more than six million examples of the Prius across four generations and more than 70 million hybrids in total. The Prius Mk1, launched in 1997, is a classic of the breed.

Power was sourced from a 1.5-litre Atkinson cycle engine allied to a compact electric drive motor and separate generator, with a nickel-hydride battery pack behind the rear seats. Owners could expect fuel economy of 57.6mpg and CO2 emissions of 114g/km in exchange for a poor ride and a general coarseness.

A lot has changed in a decade. When we tested the Renault Fluence in 2012, it was one of the only electric cars on the market, and in many ways, it shows how quickly the industry has developed. Renault claimed it could cover 115 miles on the single charge, although this could vary between 50 and 125 miles depending on the driving style and conditions.

The growth of the electric car market has renewed interest in the Fluence, which seemed destined to disappear into obscurity. The battery system is owned by Renault, so you’ll need to consider the hire costs when buying a used Fluence. Costs vary depending on the length of contract and your expected mileage.

It might lack the space-age looks of the original Honda Insight, but the Mk2, launched here in 2009, makes more sense for a greater number of people. Having rear seats helps, as does having five doors and a more familiar hatchback body. There was just one powertrain available: a 1.3-litre petrol engine mated to an electric motor and battery pack.

Like many hybrids of the era, the Insight’s ride is firm, but the car was surprisingly agile for one weighed down by a heavy battery pack. Honda said the Insight could deliver 56mpg, but we found that 43mpg is a more realistic figure. Not bad for a car that you can buy for less than £5000, especially when you factor in the exemption from VED (road tax).

The REVA G-Wiz arrived in 2009 when the modern electric car industry was still in its infancy. Early cars featured conventional lead-acid batteries beneath the seats, which ran out faster than your kids’ radio-controlled car.

A more efficient lithium-ion battery pack arrived later, but this didn’t make the G-Wiz any more appealing. Driving one felt as safe as cycling along the North Circular during rush hour. Don’t be in a hurry to buy one; spend your money on an Oyster card. Or walk.

Back in December 2011, when the Peugeot 3008 Hybrid4 hit the market, it cost a cool £26,995. That’s some £4200 more than the costliest 3008 diesel you could buy. To put it another way, that’s around £33,750 in today’s money. Not cheap, then.

The idea of a diesel hybrid might seem a little odd in this post-Dieselgate era, but a decade ago it made more sense. Roughly three miles of electric range, official fuel economy of 74.4mpg and CO2 emissions of 99g/km made for good headlines. As did the 40% boost to the standard diesel’s 600-mile real-world range.

A few months ago, you could buy a used Renault Zoe for less than £5000. Even taking into the account the fact that, in most cases, the price excluded the cost of battery hire the Zoe made sense for anyone dipping their toes in the electric car pond. Metaphorically speaking, of course.

The combination of a shortage in the supply of new cars and the surge in interest in electric vehicles means that Zoe prices have gone up. Today, you’ll need at least £7500 for an early example, plus the cost of leasing a battery from Renault. You should expect around 80 miles of range from an early Zoe.

Fancy a bit of greenwashing to go with your sun worshipping? The BioPower badge on the back of the Saab 9-3 Convertible talks a good talk; anyone following behind might think you’re piloting a hybrid. How very 2022.

Unfortunately, you’re not, because the BioPower badge means the engine will run on conventional unleaded petrol or eco-friendly E85 bioethanol fuel. Good news, until you discover that E85 is no longer commercially available in the UK. Still, it’ll come in handy when you’re driving in Europe.

It might look like the Prius Mk2, but the third-generation Toyota Prius of 2009 was actually an all-new car. Highlights included a more powerful 1.8-litre engine, more efficient electric propulsion, and CO2 down to just 89g/km in its greenest form.

Battery charge permitting, the Prius will run in electric mode up to 31mph, but the real draw is the promise of excellent fuel economy. Forget the official figures because they’re too optimistic. Instead, bank on achieving something like 47.5mpg overall, which is roughly the same as an equivalent diesel hatchback, only without the diesel stigma. You get an Uber stigma instead.

Buying a Lexus RX400h for its green credentials feels like cheating. This is a four-wheel drive SUV with a 208bhp 3.3-litre V6 and 165bhp of electric boost. It’ll hit 62mph in just 7.0sec, hitting 100mph in under 17sec. There’s also a 68bhp motor powering the rear wheels. Talk about having your eco cake and eating it, whatever that means.

Sure, the official fuel economy should be taken with a pinch of salt – 22mpg is more realistic around town – but the RX400h has aged better than many of its contemporary rivals. It’s also built to last; finding examples with 200,000 to 250,000 miles on the clock isn’t uncommon.

It’s the world’s most popular electric vehicle, so you won’t be short of choice when buying a used Nissan Leaf. That said, much like the Renault Zoe, prices have risen over recent months, so you’ll need at least £6000 rather than £4000 to turn over a used Leaf.

A used Nissan Leaf should come with the battery included, but look out for Flex models, which come with a battery lease. Don’t expect to travel much further than 70 miles on a single charge when looking at an early example, but 100 miles is realistic from the 30kWh version, introduced in 2015.

Don’t believe everything you read in sales material. Honda said the Civic IMA could deliver 61.4mpg, but that’s around 15mpg more than the reality. Not a bad figure, but the difference is significant enough to put a dent in your carefully considered household budget.

Then there’s the fact that the Civic IMA four-door saloon differs from the European Civic, so it’s less interesting to look at, to live with and to drive. Still, it’s rarer than a Toyota Prius, so that’s one thing working in its favour, plus you get Honda’s legendary reputation for reliability. 

It was good enough to be named European Car of the Year in 2012, but the Vauxhall Ampera, also known as the Chevrolet Volt, never managed to fulfil its undoubted potential. This was the first plug-in passenger car to be offered for sale in the UK, but the range extender concept was killed by the rise of the pure electric car and a market slow to react to something new.

Thanks to the petrol engine/generator and petrol tank, an Ampera offers a maximum cruising range of more than 300 miles. Once the battery is depleted to 22 per cent charge, the 1.4-litre petrol engine starts to provide electrical power for the main traction motor and to maintain minimum charge in the battery. Clever stuff. 

Technically, the Renault Twizy is a quadricycle, so like the G-Wiz it doesn’t strictly qualify for this list of eco cars. However, if you’re after something small, like very small, and you don’t mind the odd shower from passing vehicles, the Twizy is worth a look. It’s one of the cheapest used electric ‘cars’ you can buy.

Like the other Renaults on this list, you need to factor in the cost of leasing the battery, but it should cost pennies to run. A range of 43 miles is realistic and it takes just 3.5 hours to charge the battery using a domestic socket. Could you live with a car with no windows and no heater? It’s your call.

At the time of its launch in February 2011, the Honda Jazz IMA was Britain’s cheapest petrol-electric hybrid vehicle. Not that it was that cheap; a price tag of £15,995 is the equivalent of £20,000 in today’s money.

For that, you got an official 62.8mpg and CO2 emissions of 104g/km. In reality, you’re looking at a figure closer to 55mpg, which makes the Jazz IMA an appealing used buy. Diesel-like economy without the diesel stigma combined with the car’s excellent reputation for reliability. Jazz hands all round.

Our Richard Bremner called this “an Auris with Prius electro-mechanicals, providing a Toyota hybrid at slightly lower prices in more mainstream clothing”. It looked good on paper, with class-leading CO2 emissions of 89g/km,  the servicing costs of a 1.0-litre Yaris and 74.3mpg. Still want that Prius, etc?

It’s not in the least bit exciting, but it’s probably the best value hybrid on our list of 20 eco warriors. Efficient if driven with a feather-light right foot,  well equipped and inoffensive. Not a bad place to start when searching for an economical car at this end of the market.

The original Honda Insight beat the Toyota Prius to market by a matter of weeks to become the world’s first mass-produced petrol-electric hybrid. But while the Prius has become the brand generic for hybrid vehicles (and Uber chariots), the Insight’s impact has been forgotten beyond enthusiast circles.

Which is a pity because the Insight still looks like a vision of the future. Power was sourced from a 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine paired with an Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) hybrid system. A lightweight body and slippery aerodynamics helped to deliver CO2 emissions of just 80g/km, while fuel economy of 100mpg isn’t unfeasible. A modern classic.

In 2014, Andrew Frankel drove a Mercedes E300 hybrid from Tangier to Goodwood without visiting a filling station. That’s 1200-plus miles, non-stop, in a standard Mercedes saloon, albeit with the optional 80-litre fuel tank. He achieved it in 26 hours and 23 minutes at an average of 73.6mpg.

Impressive stuff. Just as impressive is the fact that you can buy the same E300dh BlueTEC model for as little as £6500. Perfect, if you need to get to Morocco without stopping. Just make sure it’s got the larger fuel tank – a £100 option when new.

We described the 3.5-litre V6, electric motor and CVT gearbox as “like silk” and “one of the quietest, most cosseting cruisers around”. CO2 emissions of 186g/km might look a little archaic in 2022, but a decade ago it was an impressive figure for a luxury petrol-engined car.

Examples with 200,000+ miles on the clock could cost as little as £3500, but even the best on the market shouldn’t cost more than £5000. 

More than a decade on from its launch, we still maintain that the Honda CR-Z was a compelling blend of the original Honda Insight and the first and second-generation CR-Xs. The fact that you can buy one for around £4000 makes it even more attractive.

A hybrid that’s fun to live with and great to look at – where do we sign? Sure, it doesn’t offer the crackerjack levels of performance the styling would suggest, but decent fuel economy and low emissions make it one of the most economical compact coupés you can buy.

Finding a used Toyota Prius Mk2 won’t be a problem. Finding one without battle scars, questionable stains on the upholstery and intergalactic miles on the clock might be more problematic.

A five-door hatchback body makes the Prius Mk2 more practical than the original, but it remains little more than a tool to get from A to B. Don’t be fooled by the official 65.7mpg; a figure closer to 50mpg is more realistic.