5 best self-charging hybrid cars to buy in 2024
More than just a Prius these days
There are several types of hybrid car these days. The most popular variety in the UK at present is the “mild hybrid”, while there are also “plug-in hybrids” (PHEVs), but they’re relative newcomers compared with the “full hybrid” vehicles, exemplified by the Toyota Prius and, to a lesser degree, the Honda Insight, which both launched in the late 1990s.
What are ‘mild hybrid’, ‘full hybrid’, ‘plug-in hybrid’ and ‘pure-electric’ cars?
Full hybrid-electric vehicles (HEVs), to give them their industry-speak name, can be driven on electric power alone but only for around a mile, before the engine is needed to help keep the propulsion battery topped up. They don’t come with a plug for charging up using mains electricity, and Toyota started using the term “self-charging hybrids” in marketing campaigns to differentiate their HEVs from pure-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles.
The idea was to make them sound more hassle-free, though it irked some pure-electric vehicle advocates who said it made HEVs sound like pure-electric cars that could recharge on their own, as if by magic. The fact remains, they argued, that they use petrol engines and therefore produce exhaust emissions. The Advertising Standards Authority disagreed that the term was misleading, so the moniker “self-charging hybrid” has remained and been adopted by other manufacturers.
Over a mix of roads, HEVs can achieve fuel economy roughly on a par with diesel models, and they are more efficient in towns and cities where they can negotiate low-speed traffic mostly on electric power. It’s at sustained higher speeds, such as on motorways, that economy suffers.
The government eventually wants us all to switch to pure-electric cars, although the proposed 2030 ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars has been pushed back to 2035 by PM Rishi Sunak, giving buyers more time to try a “halfway house” hybrid.
So if you think that a full hybrid/ HEV is the right car for you at this present moment, there are plenty of options on the market still. Here are five of the best self-charging hybrids on sale in the UK this year.
Toyota Yaris
From £22,630
Toyota has doggedly stuck with self-charging hybrids at the expense of a broader electrification strategy, but it’s something that has paid off with the company becoming the leader in the field and having rolled hybrid power out across most of its range.
Despite concerns many years back about the reliability of complex hybrid systems, Toyota’s have proven to be eminently dependable, one of the factors making the Prius so sought-after among minicab drivers.
The latest example of Toyota’s Yaris supermini is now also a hybrid. It’s handsome and well-made, with a good level of specification as standard.
There’s only one powertrain option — a petrol-electric hybrid using a 1.5-litre engine and electric motor to produce 114bhp — but it’s an economical one, officially returning more than 68mpg.
Honda Civic
From £34,995
Honda’s new eleventh-generation Civic only comes as a self-charging full hybrid. It’s a lot more discreet than its predecessor but it’s none the worse for it. The quality is excellent, it drives rather well and the hybrid system, though complicated in engineering terms (and to explain), works admirably.
Most of the time, the Civic’s 2-litre petrol engine is used to charge the battery and supply the electric motor with energy, which in turn powers the wheels. But when a little more poke is required, the engine can also be used to directly power the wheels. The fact that the engine is rarely under stress means that the Civic is capable of returning 60.1mpg on the official test, and it feels a little more lively than hybrid systems from most rivals.
Kia Sportage 1.6 T-GDI Hybrid
From £35,475
The current generation of Kia Sportage, launched in 2022, is proving as popular as ever with UK buyers thanks to fresh styling, a slick advanced-looking interior and a strong range of powertrain options; it comes in mild hybrid, full hybrid and plug-in hybrid forms.
The full hybrid, which uses a 226bhp 1.6-litre petrol engine, could be the sweet spot for many with fuel economy of up to 50mpg, pricing between the other two and no need to plug in, though it attracts more tax than the PHEV and feels less sporty. Having said that, performance is relatively brisk with 0-62mph possible in as little as 7.7 seconds.
The engine can sound a little loud when drivers are pushing on a bit but the hybrid Sportage represents a highly competent and spacious family car with decently low running costs and an interior that will please all.
Ford Kuga 2.5 FHEV
From £38,725
All versions of the Kuga have plenty going for them, with good looks and a high level of interior tech as standard. There are no diesel models anymore and the plug-in hybrid version is on the thirsty side when the batteries run down. For drivers covering higher mileage, the self-charging Kuga is the one to go for, with the model returning more in the way of miles per gallon than the petrol-only version.
One of the Kuga FHEV’s strengths is that it can pull a trailer or caravan with a braked towing weight of 1,600kg, which is useful if that’s a concern. Fuel economy on a mix of roads is on a par with diesel models, making the Kuga a pleasing and sensible choice, even if the interior is less impressive than some alternatives.
Hyundai Santa Fe 1.6 T-GDI Hybrid
From £43,240
There’s an all-new, ultra-chunky-looking fifth-generation Hyundai Santa Fe coming out this year, but for now the still-excellent Mk4 continues in service, using the same 1.6-litre turbocharged hybrid powertrain as the Kia Sportage higher up our list. You can pair this with two- or four-wheel drive in the large, seven-seat Santa Fe, resulting in a highly practical family machine.
Space is good in all seating positions, while Hyundai has cleverly gone through the Santa Fe’s cabin and put power sockets, USBs and cupholders in all the right places to ensure life onboard is as comfortable for people in row three as it is for occupants sitting up front. Even with all seats in use, the boot on the Santa Fe is useful and it’ll also tow 1,650kg of braked trailer in this specification, if you’re planning to use it for holiday jaunts and leisure activities.
Don’t view the impending Mk5 as making this car obsolete; instead, view the incoming version as a way to get a great deal on a Mk4, still one of the best value and most likeable seven-seat SUVs you can buy.
Related articles
- After reading about the best self-charging hybrids, you might be interested to read our review of the new Hyundai Kona, which comes in petrol, hybrid or electric forms
- Read how Jeremy Clarkson got on with the Honda Civic hybrid
- Keen to go pure electric? Here are some of the best EVs that came with 0% APR finance in October 2023
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