The 10 cheapest hybrid cars you can buy – reviewed and rated

Version 1.5 Hybrid SE | List price £18,495 | Target Price £17,823

The cheapest hybrid you can buy is the MG3. While some rivals are better to drive and more practical, it does have plenty of appeal thanks to its cheap price tag, comfortable ride and generous equipment list. Even this entry-level SE car, for example, comes with a 10.25in touchscreen, front and rear electric windows, and adaptive cruise control.

The most notable aspect of the MG3, though, is its hybrid system. Not only is it surprisingly punchy with 191bhp at its disposal, but it's also great on fuel. Officially, it can manage 63mpg on average, which is similar to what the Renault Clio and mild hybrid Suzuki Swift can achieve. We also like the fact it's quiet and refined to drive around town, with the engine chiming in smoothly when necessary.

There is a slight concern with reliability, though. MG finished in last place out of 31 brands in our 2024 Reliability Survey, which is lower than Renault (9th) and Suzuki (3rd). At least it comes with a seven-year/80,000-mile warranty to give you peace of mind.

Read our in-depth MG3 review

Version 1.6 E-Tech Full Hybrid 145 Evolution | List price £21,595 | Target Price £19,477

Our 2024 Small Car of the Year, the Renault Clio is a fantastic all-rounder. It’s fun to drive without sacrificing much in the way of comfort, plus it has a smart yet practical interior. The best part, though, is that it's very well priced. Sure, the MG3 is slightly cheaper, but it's not as capable as the Clio, particularly when it comes to handling, practicality and build quality.

This entry-level Evolution car is very well equipped for the money, and includes full LED headlights, automatic windscreen wipers, keyless start, automatic climate control, a 7.0in touchscreen infotainment and rear parking sensors. We would recommend going for the mid-level Techno trim, though; it gets a leather steering wheel, a wireless phone-charging pad, automatic LED headlights, front parking sensors and a rear-view camera.

While our favourite engine in the Clio is the more affordable entry-level 1.0-litre petrol engine, the hybrid is a great alternative, particularly if you want a Clio with an automatic gearbox. The system is smooth, quiet and efficient, just as a hybrid should be. Indeed, the hybrid can officially average 67.3mpg, which is an identical figure to the equally efficient 128bhp Toyota Yaris.

Read our in-depth Renault Clio review

Version 1.5 Hybrid SE | List price £21,995 | Target Price £21,995

MG has launched a new version of the ZS small SUV, and it's now available with hybrid power for the first time. The system is similar to what you'll find in the MG3, but with slightly more power (194bhp as opposed to 191bhp). This means it's quite nippy, with a quick response when you put your foot down; it can officially do 0-62mph in 8.7 seconds (that's faster than the Renault Captur hybrid).

Unfortunately, the driving experience is let down by an unsettled ride and road noise at speed. This is a shame, because the ZS is otherwise quite pleasant to drive.

Of course, efficiency is a key aspect of any hybrid, and thankfully the ZS delivers here with its official average figure of 55.4mpg. What's more, despite its competitive price, it comes with loads of equipment as standard, including a 12.3in infotainment screen, automatic LED headlights, adaptive cruise control and keyless entry for the SE version. 

Read our in-depth MG ZS review

Version 1.5 Hybrid Icon | List price £22,640 | Target Price £20,959

Toyota was a pioneer with hybrid tech, and its expertise is proven by its cars – including the Yaris. The entry-level car is powered by a 114bhp 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol engine plus an electric motor. It's one of the best systems out there, particularly when it comes to fuel economy; officially, it can average 70.6mpg.

Meanwhile, performance is competitive with rivals, with 0-62mph taking 9.7 seconds (the Renault Clio hybrid takes 9.9 seconds). If you want more power, there's also the 128bhp version that shaves half a second off that time.

Other strengths of the Yaris include its strong reputation for reliability. In the small car section of the 2023 What Car? Reliability Survey, the Yaris finished in joint third place with the previous-generation Hyundai i10. Meanwhile, Toyota as a manufacturer finished in fifth place out of 31 brands in our 2024 league table.

Read our in-depth Toyota Yaris review

Version 1.6 HEV Expression | List price £22,995 | Target Price £22,441

Amazingly, one of the cheapest hybrid cars you can buy is a seven-seater.

Indeed, the Dacia Jogger has genuine seven-seat usability, with a good amount of head room and leg room in the second and third rows. What's more, the boot is very large with 565 litres of space with the second row seats folded and in place (you can remove them if you like to make even more room); that's a similar to the VW Touran.

While the entry-level 1.0-litre petrol engine is cheaper to buy, the hybrid is a good option if you want more power and efficiency, or an automatic gearbox. The system is similar to what you'll find in the Renault Clio and Renault Captur; it's a 1.6-litre hybrid petrol system that produces 138bhp. While it's very quiet to drive around town in electric mode, the 1.6-litre engine is quite loud, plus you get a slight vibration through the pedals when it's running.

Read our in-depth Dacia Jogger review

Version 1.5i Hybrid Centre Line | List price £24,135 | Target Price £22,698

The Mazda 2 Hybrid can make you think you're seeing double, because it's essentially a rebadged version of the Toyota Yaris.

Mind you, that's no bad thing, because it gets the same 114bhp hybrid system. It's also good to drive, with agile handling and a comfortable ride with the 15in wheels fitted to the entry-level Centre Line car. Power is fed to the front wheels via a CVT automatic gearbox which, while responsive at most speeds, causes the engine revs to soar and stay high when you accelerate. This is a bit of a shame, because the system is otherwise quiet and refined.

Our recommended trim in the 2 Hybrid is the entry-level Centre Line version, because it comes with a reasonable amount of kit as standard without pushing up the price. The equipment list includes automatic high-beam headlights, rain-sensing wipers, air-con, a reversing camera and a 9.0in touchscreen infotainment system.

Read our in-depth Mazda 2 Hybrid review

Version 1.6 Hybrid 140 Expression | List price £24,245 | Target Price £24,011

The third-generation Dacia Duster has just arrived on the scene, and it's available with two hybrid engines (you can have a mild hybrid or a regular hybrid). In this instance, we're referring to the regular hybrid, because it can run on electric-only power at low speeds and for short periods (the mild hybrid can't do that).

The hybrid system is familiar, because it's the same as what you get in the Dacia Jogger, plus it's very closely related to the system you get in the Renault Clio and Renault Captur. Officially, it can average 55.3mpg, which is slightly more than a Kia Sportage hybrid (51.4mpg). While it's a good option, we actually recommend the mild hybrid because it's better value.

The cheapest trim level you can get with the hybrid is Expression, and it's reasonably well equipped. It comes with a 10.0in touchscreen infotainment system, a 7.0in digital driver's display, a rear-view camera and rear parking sensors.

Read our in-depth Dacia Duster review

Version 1.6 E-Tech Full Hybrid 145 Evolution | List price £24,595 | Target Price £21,875

The Renault Captur is essentially a Renault Clio on stilts, so it's available with the same engines. Depending on your needs, you can have a 90bhp 1.0-litre petrol engine with a six-speed manual gearbox or an automatic 141bhp 1.6-litre hybrid. The latter offers stronger performance and managed a 0-60mph time of 9.7 seconds in our tests – that's slightly quicker than the Nissan Juke Hybrid and Toyota Yaris Cross.

Overall, the Captur is a good small SUV, especially when you consider its competitive pricing, comfortable ride and practical rear seats. Interior quality could be better, though.

In terms of standard kit, the entry-level Evolution version quoted here comes with automatic lights and wipers, climate control and keyless entry. If your budget can stretch to it, we’d suggest jumping up to Techno trim because the price difference isn’t huge and you get ambient interior lighting, power-folding door mirrors, a height-adjustable boot floor and a Google-based infotainment system as standard.

Read our in-depth Renault Captur review

Version 1.5 Hybrid Icon | List price £25,530 | Target Price £23,749

The Toyota Yaris Cross is the most efficient car we've ever tested. During our Real MPG fuel economy test, the front-wheel-drive 114bhp version managed a real-world average of 60.1mpg and an incredible 103.3mpg on our simulated town route, making it a fantastic choice if you live in a town or city.

Overall, we recommend the Yaris Cross over the hybrid versions of the Nissan Juke and Renault Captur, because it offers superior fuel economy and reliability. It's not the most spacious small SUV, though; the Skoda Kamiq and VW T-Roc are superior in this area, although they're not offered with regular hybrid power.

In terms of trim levels, the entry-level Icon version includes keyless entry, a rear-view camera, adaptive cruise control, automatic headlights and a 9.0in infotainment touchscreen. We’d go for Design trim, though, because it gets you some genuinely useful features, such as adjustable lumbar support for the driver, a larger touchscreen and electric rear windows.

Read our in-depth Toyota Yaris Cross review

Version 1.5 i-MMD Hybrid Elegance | List price £26,885 | Target Price £25,724

Small cars are not known for their space and practicality, but the Honda Jazz is. It has a boxy, MPV-like shape, which means the interior is surprisingly spacious. Six-footers will have no trouble getting comfortable in the front, plus there's plenty of space for two adults in the back. There's also a clever party trick; the Jazz has seat bases in the back that flip upwards, which makes it very easy for carrying tall items in the back.

There's only one engine option in the Jazz, and it's 1.5-litre hybrid. With 96bhp on tap, it can accelerate more quickly than a 94bhp 1.0-litre VW Polo or 128bhp Toyota Yaris, getting from 0-60mph in a respectable 8.6sec in our tests. Efficiency is good too, and it did very well in our real-world Real MPG test but not quite as well as the Yaris.

The entry-level Elegance version is our favourite; it's very well equipped and includes automatic lights and wipers, adaptive cruise control, power-folding door mirrors, front and rear parking sensors and a whole host of safety kit.

Read our in-depth Honda Jazz review

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