The 10 best plug-in hybrids to buy in 2025
Plug-in hybrids were originally designed to offer the best of petrol and electric power – their electric drive is excellent for trips to town, but you still have a petrol engine to fall back on for longer drives. However, performance cars are also increasingly getting plug-in hybrid motors, giving them searing performance combined with a short electric range and lower emissions. Whether it's a performance car you're after or a sensible family run-around, these are the best plug-in hybrids on sale today.
McLaren Artura
Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) might be all about efficiency to most manufacturers, but when McLaren makes a PHEV, it does it for one reason and one reason only – to go quicker. As a result, the Artura is a twin-turbocharged V6 missile that accelerates from 0-62mph in 3 seconds and hits 205mph flat out. Meanwhile, the battery and electric motor torque fill the gaps between pressing on the accelerator and the car's turbo spooling, reducing lag and providing scintillating performance at any speed and in any gear.
Clever tech like this can often be heavy, but McLaren's eye for detail means the Artura, at 1,498kg, weighs just 46kg more than the old model. Launched in 2022, recent revisions to the Artura make it more fun – with better engine noise and a more focused chassis – but it also does the boring stuff, too, with an ability to run on silent electric power for around 17 miles at up-to-motorway speeds.
BMW M5
If Mercedes showed us how not to turn a performance legend into a plug-in hybrid with its new C63, BMW's M5 PHEV shows it is possible to build an electrified super saloon (or estate) people want to own. Instead of ditching its V8 (like the C63), the new M5 has the same engine as the old model, only now it is boosted by a 198PS (145kW) electric motor to give 728PS (535kW) total output getting the big Beemer from 0-62mph in 3.7 seconds and onto a 190mph top speed.
BMW has done a great job of hiding the M5's significant weight (2,435kg), but at times, it struggles, and the car's massive size (5,096mm long and 1,970mm wide) makes it difficult to extract the best from it on tight roads. The payoff of the bulky and heavy battery is that the M5 can run for around 35 miles on battery power alone and return close to 30mpg in mixed driving – extraordinary for something with this much power.
Volkswagen Passat
The Volkswagen Passat is one of the best family cars going. Its huge boot and generous rear-seat legroom make it a formidable family car, and it's built with an eye for detail that elevates it from other mainstream brands. Inside, its huge infotainment screens are easy to use and the cabin has pretty mood lighting that makes it feel fresh. The Passat strikes the right handling balance for a family car – it rides comfortably but never feels slack in corners.
Plug-in hybrid models have a few more strings to their bow because they can run for around 80 miles on battery power alone at up to motorway speeds, slashing your commuting costs if you can charge the car cheaply at home and don't live far from work. The Passat's electric drive makes it a very relaxing car to drive, and the large battery doesn't eat into the 690-litre boot's space.
Mazda MX-30 R-EV
The regular MX-30 EV is a quirky car. Quirky in its looks, like a hybrid between a small car, a coupé and crossover, and its execution, because it was an EV with a range that restricted it to not much more than city use. The new MX-30 R-EV looks as quirky as ever but solves the electric model's tiny range thanks to its range-extending petrol engine. As you'd expect, Toyota designed its plug-in hybrid its own way.
The MX-30 petrol engine is an 830cc Wankel Rotary that's incredibly smooth and acts purely as a generator with no physical connection to the wheels, giving the car a maximum range of around 400 miles, up from the 100-odd miles the standard model is capable of. In every other way, the R-EV is the same as the regular MX-30, complete with cork interior trims and novel suicide rear doors, but the decent range makes it much easier to live with.
Kia Niro PHEV
The Kia Niro has been a popular choice for the last six years in both plug-in hybrid and all-electric form. It was a rare beast in that it brought electrification to buyers on a budget and so the task falls again to its successor. The upside: vastly modernised looks and interior. The downside: range figures not dissimilar to those of its predecessor, albeit in a far more crowded marketplace.
Happily, those numbers were exceptional six years ago which means they're still impressive today, and we liked the cabin so much we reckon it’s still a great buy and suitable if you can do with 30 miles of real-world electric range. Kia means deals, good customer service and a sturdy warranty too.
Mazda CX-60
It’s odd to say that the most powerful car Mazda has ever made is a plug-in hybrid SUV but that’s the reality. The CX-60, a handsome BMW X3-sized machine with its long bonnet is here to be a flagship for Mazda, delivering an excellent cabin appointment, equipment levels and driving experience in a package that appeals beyond simply being left-field.
The claimed 39 miles of range translates to 30-35 in the real world and while that isn’t incredible but the power boost it delivers is lovely in this nicely set-up rear-drive machine. If you’re expecting a family and ruing the necessary sale of your sportscar, the way the Mazda handles, even as a family SUV, should be recompense enough.
BMW X5 xDrive50e
Having highlighted the distance limitation of electric range in the intro, two cars with 30 miles of real-world electric running isn’t exactly mind-blowing. Well, we present to you the new-for-2023 BMW X5 50e, a PHEV that claims to offer up to 67 miles of electric range on the WLTP cycle.
Of course, the real-world number is probably between 40 and 55 miles depending on your use case. It’s still better than most rivals and, let’s be real, it’s a BMW X5, so independent of the hybridisation it'll be a fantastic car in its own right.
Range Rover Sport
The new generation of Range Rovers appear to be Range titans, given these full size SUVs offer 70 miles of electric range. Yes, the P510e, with its six-cylinder petrol engine and 38.2kWh battery offer 510PS (375kW) and enough electric juice, so says Land Rover, for 75 per cent of your journeys.
The EV mode is versatile too, given it has a mighty top speed on electric only of 87mph. We’ve yet to have a drive but for now we can tell you it looks great inside and out and is well-equipped. Reliability is a question mark but so many buyers are willing to bench the worries just to have that inimitable Range Rover style.
Mercedes-Benz C300E
The range king of plug-in hybrids has been for the last few years, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class PHEV, which offers over 60 miles of claimed electric range. Obviously that drops a bit in real world use but it’ll still outstrip the BMW above. Still, the aforementioned ten-mile daily commute would be covered just fine.
There’s also versatility to it, given it can be had as a saloon or an estate car. Independent of the electrics, it’s a C-Class, which means it’s also good-looking, comfortable, fast, well-equipped and well-made. What’s not to like?
Peugeot 308 PHEV
Peugeot's 308 PHEV is a really good-looking car and comes with a nicely updated cabin, decent practicality and relatively competitive pricing. Also available in the long-serving family hatch are a range of powertrain options, including all-ICE, all-electric and yes, a plug-in hybrid.
While it only offers a claimed 37 miles of range, the 308 gets on this list simply by being a nice car. It's a pleasant place to be with a good driving position and decent equipment levels. It's also nice to drive and available in both hatch and SW estate variants. As a compelling alternative to the slightly off-its-game Volkswagen Golf, the 308 nails it.
Hybrid
List
Kia
Niro
Mazda
CX60
BMW
X5
Range Rover Sport
Mercedes
C-Class
Peugeot
308
Electric Avenue
road
news
McLaren
Artura
m5
Volkswagen
Passat
MX-30
