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The longest-range plug-in hybrids
Like the idea of a plug-in hybrid car, but want to spend as much time as possible on electric power? Here are the top 10 models with the longest electric ranges
Shafiq Abidin
Updated: 4 May 2026
If you need a car to help minimise your fuel costs, a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) can make a lot of sense. That’s because they essentially offer the best of both worlds; combining a combustion engine with an electric motor and a battery to give the option of running on electric power for short journeys, the engine on longer ones – or a blend of the two.
So, if you regularly cover a 30-mile round trip to work or to drop your kids off at school, for example, and also undertake regular long motorway jaunts, a PHEV could be the ideal choice. They make good options for company car drivers, because low official CO2 emissions compared with petrol or diesel-powered models result in low benefit-in-kind (BIK) ratings.
The Omoda 9 SUV has the longest electric-only range of any PHEV, with an official range of 93 miles from its 34.5kWh (usable capacity) battery. This, combined with a 70-litre fuel tank, means it’s capable of as much as 700 miles of running between fill ups. But beside that car, which are the other longest-range PHEVs you can buy in the UK?
We’ve put together a list of 10, and revealed how much you can save on each with our Target Price deal and free New Car Deals service. In each case, we've used the official WLTP electric-only ranges of each model, although we have also revealed real-world range figures where appropriate.
If you like the idea of a PHEV and you want to reap the financial rewards, we have a top tip for you: you must charge it regularly. Otherwise, they can be quite inefficient, because the engine works harder to pull the weight of the motor and battery.
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Omoda 9
Best buy: 1.5T SHS 34.46kWh Noble DHT3 4WD Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr
0-62 mph: 4.9 sec
MPG/range: 40.9 mpg
C02 emissions: 38 g/km
Seats: 5
Boot: 660 litres
Insurance group: 45U
Driving
Interior
Practicality
Buying & Owning
Strengths
- Smooth ride
- Spacious interior
- Lots of creature comforts as standard
Weaknesses
- Shallow boot
- Wayward handling
- Fiddly infotainment
Version Noble | Electric-only range 93 miles | List price £44,995 | Target Price £41,395
The Omoda 9 is only available in one configuration – which consists of a 1.5-litre petrol engine, three electric motors and four-wheel drive. Aside from the 93-mile pure-electric range, contributing to as much as 700 miles of combined driving between fill ups, the Omoda 9’s 443bhp output also means 0-62mph is done and dusted in under five seconds. Of more importance is its comfort: thanks to adaptive suspension fitted to all models, the ride is well-judged.
However, it does have a few flaws: the brakes are grabby, and the handling isn't as sharp as rivals such as like the Skoda Kodiaq. The Omoda 9 is well-priced and well-equipped, costing far less than premium rivals like the BMW X3 and Range Rover Velar, but the trade-off is a fiddly infotainment system and lots of cheap-feeling buttons and dials inside. In short, the Omoda 9 is very much focused on keeping costs low.
Read our in-depth Omoda 9 review
New car deals
Best price from £41,050
What is What Car? best price?
The What Car? best price shows you the cheapest way to buy your new car, whether it's by choosing an in-stock car through our partner Autotrader or placing a factory order.
Available now from: £41,050
RRP from: £44,995
Nearly new deals
From £33,799
Leasing deals
From £420
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What Car? indicative Personal lease example (subject to status)
Omoda 9
Expected annual mileage 5000 Term months 48 Deposit months 12 Monthly payment £419.97 Initial payment £5,039.64
Step-by-step
Leasing works a bit like a long-term rental. You drive it, but you don’t own it.
- Choose your car, pick your terms and apply for lease credit online
- Pay monthly rental payments for your chosen term length
- Drive it, enjoy it, then give it back at the end
What you get
When you lease with Autotrader you get all of this:
- Full manufacturer’s warranty
- Road tax and roadside assistance included
- Free returns within 30 days*
Excess mileage charges and return conditions apply. Subject to availability and credit status. 18+ T&Cs apply.
In partnership with
£5,285 total upfront (£5,040 initial rental plus £245 processing fee) | 5000 miles | 48 months
- Lower total monthly cost than PCP/HP
- No balloon payments
- Road tax included
Chery Tiggo 9
Best buy: 1.5T 34.46kWh Summit DHT3 4WD Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr
0-62 mph: 5.4 sec
MPG/range: 39.72 mpg
C02 emissions: 44 g/km
Seats: 7
Boot: 143 litres
Insurance group: 44U
Driving
Interior
Practicality
Buying & Owning
Strengths
- Long electric-only range
- Strong performance
- Very well equipped
Weaknesses
- Tight third row seats
- Fidgety ride
- Lack of physical buttons
Version Summit | Electric-only range 91 miles | List price £43,105 | Best Price £43,105
The Tiggo 9 landed in UK showrooms last winter, and its affordable price point makes the 91-mile electric-only range all the more impressive. By comparison, the Skoda Kodiaq can only muster up 76 miles on its electric motor, while the Hyundai Santa Fe falls well short at just 33 miles. The Tiggo 9 can also complete a 30-80% charge in around 20 minutes, and comes with vehicle-to-load (V2L) technology as standard – a rarity for a PHEV.
Power is provided by Chery’s Super Hybrid System (SHS), which combines a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with two electric motors to send 422bhp to all four wheels. Statistically the Tiggo 9 is very impressive, but it is somewhat flawed dynamically. The handling isn’t as composed as, say, a VW Tayron, while even the smallest road imperfections highlight the tall SUV’s sub-par comfort.
However, considering the Tiggo 9 undercuts almost all of its rivals, and comes with a wonderfully minimalist interior that still claims a 15.6in touchscreen and head-up display, it’s undoubtedly a lot of car for the money.
Read our in-depth Chery Tiggo 9 review
New car deals
Best price from £38,993
What is What Car? best price?
The What Car? best price shows you the cheapest way to buy your new car, whether it's by choosing an in-stock car through our partner Autotrader or placing a factory order.
Available now from: £38,993
RRP from: £43,105
Nearly new deals
From £33,690
Leasing deals
From £432
About our price indicator
What Car? indicative Personal lease example (subject to status)
Chery Tiggo 9
Expected annual mileage 5000 Term months 48 Deposit months 12 Monthly payment £432.14 Initial payment £5,185.68
Step-by-step
Leasing works a bit like a long-term rental. You drive it, but you don’t own it.
- Choose your car, pick your terms and apply for lease credit online
- Pay monthly rental payments for your chosen term length
- Drive it, enjoy it, then give it back at the end
What you get
When you lease with Autotrader you get all of this:
- Full manufacturer’s warranty
- Road tax and roadside assistance included
- Free returns within 30 days*
Excess mileage charges and return conditions apply. Subject to availability and credit status. 18+ T&Cs apply.
In partnership with
£5,431 total upfront (£5,186 initial rental plus £245 processing fee) | 5000 miles | 48 months
- Lower total monthly cost than PCP/HP
- No balloon payments
- Road tax included
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Audi A3
Best buy: 1.5 TFSI Sport Sportback S Tronic Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr
0-62 mph: 8.1 sec
MPG/range: 53.3 mpg
C02 emissions: 120 g/km
Seats: 5
Boot: 380 litres
Insurance group: 23E
Reliability
Safety
Costs
Quality
Performance
Strengths
- Sharp handling
- Excellent driving position
- Punchy but frugal engines
Weaknesses
- Audi's unimpressive reliability record
- BMW 1 Series has a better interior
- Expensive top trims and optional packages
Version TFSIe Sport | Electric-only range 88 miles | List price £39,290 | Best Price £35,889
The Audi A3 features a spate of engine options, including this plug-in hybrid (PHEV) version that pairs a 1.5-litre petrol unit with an electric motor and a 19.7kWh (usable) battery. This means it has a vast official electric-only range of 88 miles, which is the same as the Volkswagen Golf eHybrid. As such, these two cars are close to the longest-range PHEVs on sale.
For context, the A3 TFSI e and Golf eHybrid can travel significantly farther than a Toyota Prius (44 miles), as well as larger SUVs with bigger batteries, such as the Range Rover Sport (76 miles). While we are yet to drive the TFSI e version of the new A3, the regular model is great to drive, with tidy handling and a comfortable driving position.
One area where the A3 steps ahead of the Golf is with its interior, because it's slightly more intuitive to use, thanks to its use of physical controls for the volume and climate controls. It also feels slightly more premium than the Golf, courtesy of its soft-touch plastics, fabric dashboard inserts and perforated door panels. Mind you, it is slightly more expensive to buy.
Read our in-depth Audi A3 review
New car deals
Best price from £26,990
What is What Car? best price?
The What Car? best price shows you the cheapest way to buy your new car, whether it's by choosing an in-stock car through our partner Autotrader or placing a factory order.
Available now from: £26,990
RRP from: £30,300
Nearly new deals
From £24,100
Leasing deals
From £312
About our price indicator
What Car? indicative Personal lease example (subject to status)
Audi A3
Expected annual mileage 5000 Term months 60 Deposit months 12 Monthly payment £312.36 Initial payment £3,748.32
Step-by-step
Leasing works a bit like a long-term rental. You drive it, but you don’t own it.
- Choose your car, pick your terms and apply for lease credit online
- Pay monthly rental payments for your chosen term length
- Drive it, enjoy it, then give it back at the end
What you get
When you lease with Autotrader you get all of this:
- Full manufacturer’s warranty
- Road tax and roadside assistance included
- Free returns within 30 days*
Excess mileage charges and return conditions apply. Subject to availability and credit status. 18+ T&Cs apply.
In partnership with
£3,993 total upfront (£3,748 initial rental plus £245 processing fee) | 5000 miles | 60 months
- Lower total monthly cost than PCP/HP
- No balloon payments
- Road tax included
Volkswagen Golf
Best buy: 2.0 TSI GTI Clubsport DSG Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr
0-62 mph: 5.6 sec
MPG/range: 38.7 mpg
C02 emissions: 167 g/km
Seats: 5
Boot: 374 litres
Insurance group: 31E
Driving
Interior
Practicality
Buying & Owning
Strengths
- Exceedingly comfortable ride with adaptive suspension
- Tidy handling
- Strong and frugal 1.5 TSI 150 engine
Weaknesses
- Automatic gearbox can be hesitant
- Interior quality could be better
- There are more spacious rivals
Version 1.5 TSI 204 eHybrid Style | Electric-only range 88 miles | List price £37,445 | Best Price £37,445
The updated Volkswagen Golf eHybrid shares its hybrid system with the new Audi A3, so as mentioned previously, it also has an enormous official electric-only range of 88 miles. We've already driven the Golf eHybrid and we can confirm it's very good; it's pleasant to drive and comfortable, particularly with the optional adaptive suspension fitted.
But what about fuel economy? Well, when we MPG tested the Golf against the new Toyota Prius with a depleted battery, we managed a real-world fuel economy figure of 48mpg (that's slightly less than the 53.8mpg the Prius achieved). However, the Golf is more efficient when running on battery power, so it costs less to run than the Prius when regularly topped up with electricity.
It's worth noting that you can have a PHEV Golf from the base-spec Match trim, but we'd suggest bumping up to Style for a small (£1k-ish) premium. That's because it adds sports seats, three-zone climate control and upgraded LED headlights.
Read our in-depth Volkswagen Golf review
New car deals
Best price from £22,590
What is What Car? best price?
The What Car? best price shows you the cheapest way to buy your new car, whether it's by choosing an in-stock car through our partner Autotrader or placing a factory order.
Available now from: £22,590
RRP from: £29,040
Nearly new deals
From £21,428
Leasing deals
From £239
About our price indicator
What Car? indicative Personal lease example (subject to status)
Volkswagen Golf
Expected annual mileage 5000 Term months 24 Deposit months 12 Monthly payment £238.96 Initial payment £2,867.52
Step-by-step
Leasing works a bit like a long-term rental. You drive it, but you don’t own it.
- Choose your car, pick your terms and apply for lease credit online
- Pay monthly rental payments for your chosen term length
- Drive it, enjoy it, then give it back at the end
What you get
When you lease with Autotrader you get all of this:
- Full manufacturer’s warranty
- Road tax and roadside assistance included
- Free returns within 30 days*
Excess mileage charges and return conditions apply. Subject to availability and credit status. 18+ T&Cs apply.
In partnership with
£3,113 total upfront (£2,868 initial rental plus £245 processing fee) | 5000 miles | 24 months
- Lower total monthly cost than PCP/HP
- No balloon payments
- Road tax included
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Toyota RAV4
Best buy: 2.5 22.7kWh Icon CVT Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr
0-62 mph: 7.6 sec
MPG/range: 217 mpg
C02 emissions: 30 g/km
Seats: 5
Boot: 0 litres
Insurance group: 40E
Driving
Interior
Practicality
Buying & Owning
Strengths
- Exceedingly frugal
- Spacious for four six footers
- Good performance
Weaknesses
- Pricey to buy for private buyers
- Rivals are tidier to drive
- Rear seats could be more versatile
Version Icon | Electric-only range 85 miles | List price £43,845 | Target Price £43,845
The new sixth-generation RAV4 looks to build on the huge success of its predecessor (it was Toyota’s best-selling car of 2025), and it’ll do so with some subtle changes. The regular hybrid system is gone, and in its place comes a 270bhp front-wheel drive PHEV unit, which allows for up to 85 miles of clean, green driving. That’s better than both the slightly cheaper VW Tiguan PHEV (75 miles) and costlier Audi Q3 e-hybrid (73 miles)
You can upgrade to a 304bhp four-wheel drive version, but we reckon the base model strikes the right balance between frugality and speed. What’s more, the RAV4’s other shining qualities include good handling, an excellent ride and a huge amount of space – even for a quartet of six-footers. It’s also quieter and more relaxed to drive than its predecessor, with less road noise and fewer vibrations.
Read our in-depth Toyota RAV4 review
New car deals
Best price from £37,345
What is What Car? best price?
The What Car? best price shows you the cheapest way to buy your new car, whether it's by choosing an in-stock car through our partner Autotrader or placing a factory order.
Available now from: £37,345
RRP from: £44,195
Nearly new deals
From £35,990
Leasing deals
From £409
About our price indicator
What Car? indicative Personal lease example (subject to status)
Toyota RAV4
Expected annual mileage 5000 Term months 36 Deposit months 12 Monthly payment £409.47 Initial payment £4,913.64
Step-by-step
Leasing works a bit like a long-term rental. You drive it, but you don’t own it.
- Choose your car, pick your terms and apply for lease credit online
- Pay monthly rental payments for your chosen term length
- Drive it, enjoy it, then give it back at the end
What you get
When you lease with Autotrader you get all of this:
- Full manufacturer’s warranty
- Road tax and roadside assistance included
- Free returns within 30 days*
Excess mileage charges and return conditions apply. Subject to availability and credit status. 18+ T&Cs apply.
In partnership with
£5,159 total upfront (£4,914 initial rental plus £245 processing fee) | 5000 miles | 36 months
- Lower total monthly cost than PCP/HP
- No balloon payments
- Road tax included
Skoda Superb Estate
Best buy: 1.5 TSI e-TEC MHEV SE Technology DSG Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr
0-62 mph: 9.3 sec
MPG/range: 56.5 mpg
C02 emissions: 118 g/km
Seats: 5
Boot: 690 litres
Insurance group: 23E
Driving
Interior
Practicality
Buying & Owning
Strengths
- Hugely spacious boot and interior
- Comfortable on adaptive (DCC) suspension
- Well equipped and priced – PHEV makes a cheap company car
Weaknesses
- Grabby brakes on the PHEV
- Interior quality not the best in places
- 3 Series Touring is more fun to drive
Version 1.5 TSI iV SE Technology | Electric-only range 84 miles | List price £41,575 | Best Price £40,575
Unlike the previous generation, the Skoda Superb is now only available as a PHEV in estate form. Mind you, that's not such a bad thing because it has a vast boot; even with the batteries located under the floor, there's 510 litres of space. That's the same as the Volkswagen Passat eHybrid and more than the Mercedes E-Class Estate E300e (460 litres).
Rear seat space is also impressive, because there's plenty of head and leg room for a couple of six-footers. Up front, the driving position is comfortable and the dashboard is easy to use thanks to its physical controls. Unfortunately, these controls do feel a bit cheap, as do some of the dashboard materials.
The hybrid system is similar to what you'll find in the Audi A3 TFSI e and VW Golf eHybrid; the Superb Estate iV comes with a 1.5-litre petrol engine and an electric motor that develop 201bhp, as well as a 19.7kWh (usable) battery. When running in electric-only mode, the Superb can travel up to 84 miles officially – that's slightly higher than the Passat, and much farther than a BMW 5 Series Touring (60 miles) and the E-Class Estate (67 miles).
Read our in-depth Skoda Superb Estate review
New car deals
Best price from £38,060
What is What Car? best price?
The What Car? best price shows you the cheapest way to buy your new car, whether it's by choosing an in-stock car through our partner Autotrader or placing a factory order.
Available now from: £38,060
RRP from: £38,430
Nearly new deals
From £26,495
Leasing deals
From £274
About our price indicator
What Car? indicative Personal lease example (subject to status)
Skoda Superb Estate
Expected annual mileage 5000 Term months 24 Deposit months 12 Monthly payment £273.78 Initial payment £3,285.36
Step-by-step
Leasing works a bit like a long-term rental. You drive it, but you don’t own it.
- Choose your car, pick your terms and apply for lease credit online
- Pay monthly rental payments for your chosen term length
- Drive it, enjoy it, then give it back at the end
What you get
When you lease with Autotrader you get all of this:
- Full manufacturer’s warranty
- Road tax and roadside assistance included
- Free returns within 30 days*
Excess mileage charges and return conditions apply. Subject to availability and credit status. 18+ T&Cs apply.
In partnership with
£3,530 total upfront (£3,285 initial rental plus £245 processing fee) | 5000 miles | 24 months
- Lower total monthly cost than PCP/HP
- No balloon payments
- Road tax included
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Jaecoo 8
Best buy: 1.5T SHS 34.46kWh Luxury DHT3 AWD Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr
0-62 mph: 5.8 sec
MPG/range: 50.5 mpg
C02 emissions: 47 g/km
Seats: 7
Boot: 110 litres
Insurance group: 42U
Driving
Interior
Practicality
Buying & Owning
Strengths
- Long electric-only range
- Good interior quality
- Lots of luxuries as standard
Weaknesses
- Poor ride and handling
- Tight in the third row
- Fiddly infotainment system
Version Luxury | Electric-only range 83 miles | List price £45,000 | Target Price £45,000
Jaecoo’s flagship seven seater, the 8, has many admirable qualities. For starters, the extensive standard kit list includes dual 12.3in displays, a 14-speaker sound system, heated and ventilated front seats, plus vehicle-to-load functionality. The 8 uses an identical engine setup to the Omoda 9, albeit slightly detuned to 422bhp, resulting in a lower (but still respectable) 0-62mph time of 5.8secs. Likewise, the 83-mile pure-EV range is also inferior to the Omoda 9, though the Jaecoo 8 is still one of the longest-range PHEVs on sale.
As for drawbacks, the Jaecoo 8 has poor third-row headroom and the boot isn’t as big as some rivals, such as the Chery Tiggo 9 (819 litres) and the Peugeot 5008 (916 litres). What’s more, the grabby brakes, vague handling and fidgety ride also seem to be common flaws with the Omoda 9 – but with added tyre roar and suspension creaks. The Jaecoo 8 therefore isn’t as recommendable as a 5008 or a Hyundai Santa Fe; but if you do opt for one, go for the entry-level to keep costs down.
Read our in-depth Jaecoo 8 review
New car deals
Best price from £42,250
What is What Car? best price?
The What Car? best price shows you the cheapest way to buy your new car, whether it's by choosing an in-stock car through our partner Autotrader or placing a factory order.
Available now from: £42,250
RRP from: £45,500
Nearly new deals
From £38,600
Leasing deals
From £434
About our price indicator
What Car? indicative Personal lease example (subject to status)
Jaecoo 8
Expected annual mileage 5000 Term months 48 Deposit months 12 Monthly payment £434.14 Initial payment £5,209.68
Step-by-step
Leasing works a bit like a long-term rental. You drive it, but you don’t own it.
- Choose your car, pick your terms and apply for lease credit online
- Pay monthly rental payments for your chosen term length
- Drive it, enjoy it, then give it back at the end
What you get
When you lease with Autotrader you get all of this:
- Full manufacturer’s warranty
- Road tax and roadside assistance included
- Free returns within 30 days*
Excess mileage charges and return conditions apply. Subject to availability and credit status. 18+ T&Cs apply.
In partnership with
£5,455 total upfront (£5,210 initial rental plus £245 processing fee) | 5000 miles | 48 months
- Lower total monthly cost than PCP/HP
- No balloon payments
- Road tax included
Volkswagen Passat
Best buy: 1.5 TSI eHybrid 19.7kWh Elegance DSG Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr
0-62 mph: 8.1 sec
MPG/range: 217.3 mpg
C02 emissions: 30 g/km
Seats: 5
Boot: 510 litres
Insurance group: 37E
Driving
Interior
Practicality
Buying & Owning
Strengths
- Spacious interior and boot
- PHEVs are cheap to run as company cars
- A quiet and comfortable cruiser
Weaknesses
- Could be sharper to drive
- Not enough physical controls
- VW's reliability record is nothing special
Version 1.5 TSI eHybrid Elegance | Electric-only range 81 miles | List price £47,650 | Best Price £41,200
The ninth-generation Volkswagen Passat is the best one yet. It's comfortable, refined and enormously practical, plus the interior feels slightly better built than the closely-related Skoda Superb's.
The hybrid system in the Passat is very familiar, because it's the same as what you get in the Superb Estate. In this instance, the Passat can travel 81 miles on electric-only power officially, which is similar to the Superb, but more than a Citroën C5 X (39 miles) and Volvo V90 (52 miles).
The Passat PHEV's enormous electric-only range means it has potential for tiny fuel bills, particularly if you charge at home on a cheap overnight tariff. If you do need to use a public charger though, the Passat can accept up to 50kW DC, which makes topping on a longer journey much quicker than a BMW 330e Touring (which is limited to AC and a maximum charging rate of 3.7kW).
Read our in-depth Volkswagen Passat review
New car deals
Best price from £32,949
What is What Car? best price?
The What Car? best price shows you the cheapest way to buy your new car, whether it's by choosing an in-stock car through our partner Autotrader or placing a factory order.
Available now from: £32,949
RRP from: £41,350
Nearly new deals
From £29,599
Leasing deals
From £440
About our price indicator
What Car? indicative Personal lease example (subject to status)
Volkswagen Passat
Expected annual mileage 6000 Term months 48 Deposit months 12 Monthly payment £440.17 Initial payment £5,282.04
Step-by-step
Leasing works a bit like a long-term rental. You drive it, but you don’t own it.
- Choose your car, pick your terms and apply for lease credit online
- Pay monthly rental payments for your chosen term length
- Drive it, enjoy it, then give it back at the end
What you get
When you lease with Autotrader you get all of this:
- Full manufacturer’s warranty
- Road tax and roadside assistance included
- Free returns within 30 days*
Excess mileage charges and return conditions apply. Subject to availability and credit status. 18+ T&Cs apply.
In partnership with
£5,527 total upfront (£5,282 initial rental plus £245 processing fee) | 6000 miles | 48 months
- Lower total monthly cost than PCP/HP
- No balloon payments
- Road tax included
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BYD Seal U
Best buy: 1.5 DM-i 26.6kWh Comfort CVT Auto Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr
0-62 mph: 8.9 sec
MPG/range: 706.8 mpg
C02 emissions: 9 g/km
Seats: 5
Boot: 425 litres
Insurance group: 32E
Driving
Interior
Practicality
Buying & Owning
Strengths
- Long electric range for Comfort models
- Price undercuts most rivals
- Incredibly well equipped as standard
Weaknesses
- Unsettled ride
- Light and vague steering
- Rivals have more rear head room
Version 1.5 DM-i Comfort | Electric-only range 78 miles | List price £35,315 | Best Price £32,290
The Seal U DM-i is the first of a plethora of PHEVs being planned by BYD, and it makes for good reading on paper. We’d recommend the Comfort trim, which gets the same 214bhp setup as the base-level car (0-62mph in 8.9sec), but swaps an 18.3kWh battery for a larger 26.6kWh pack. The result is an all-electric range that’s almost double that of a Kia Niro PHEV, despite costing thousands of pounds less.
The Seal U is also extremely well-equipped, with highlights including a rotating 15.6in multimedia screen, digital driver’s display and a head-up display, as well as 360-degree cameras to help with parking. The interior itself is wrapped around lots of soft-touch materials that look both robust and elegant.
There are some flaws, however. Some rivals get even more head and legroom within, while offering a superior driving experience. Indeed, one of the Seal U’s drawbacks is a sometimes unsettled ride and light, vague steering.
Read our in-depth BYD Seal U review
New car deals
Best price from £27,990
What is What Car? best price?
The What Car? best price shows you the cheapest way to buy your new car, whether it's by choosing an in-stock car through our partner Autotrader or placing a factory order.
Available now from: £27,990
RRP from: £34,995
Nearly new deals
From £24,900
Leasing deals
From £284
About our price indicator
What Car? indicative Personal lease example (subject to status)
BYD Seal U
Expected annual mileage 5000 Term months 36 Deposit months 12 Monthly payment £284.35 Initial payment £3,412.20
Step-by-step
Leasing works a bit like a long-term rental. You drive it, but you don’t own it.
- Choose your car, pick your terms and apply for lease credit online
- Pay monthly rental payments for your chosen term length
- Drive it, enjoy it, then give it back at the end
What you get
When you lease with Autotrader you get all of this:
- Full manufacturer’s warranty
- Road tax and roadside assistance included
- Free returns within 30 days*
Excess mileage charges and return conditions apply. Subject to availability and credit status. 18+ T&Cs apply.
In partnership with
£3,657 total upfront (£3,412 initial rental plus £245 processing fee) | 5000 miles | 36 months
- Lower total monthly cost than PCP/HP
- No balloon payments
- Road tax included
Volkswagen Tiguan
Driving
Interior
Practicality
Buying & Owning
Strengths
- Well-judged ride and handling balance
- Has a large boot and great seating flexibility
- Roomier than many rivals
Weaknesses
- Higher trims are as pricey as premium-badged rivals
- Option packs drive up the price
- 1.5-litre petrol engine is noisy when revved
Version 1.5 TSI eHybrid Match | Electric-only range 78 miles | List price £42,960 | Best Price £42,960
Volkswagen has been busy overhauling a lot of its line-up in recent times. As such, a new third-generation Tiguan has been launched with refreshed styling, upgraded interior tech and new engines. This means it features the same PHEV system as other VW Group cars on this list, including the VW Golf, Skoda Superb and VW Passat, although it can manage less miles on electric-only power because of its larger size.
Despite that, it still has a much longer electric-only range than most of its family SUV rivals, including the Ford Kuga, Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sportage, all of which can travel between 42 and 44 miles officially on electric power.
Along with a long official range, the Tiguan has other strengths, including a spacious interior, a comfortable ride and a generous equipment list. Speaking of which, if you want the PHEV you have to step up to Match trim, which coincidentally is our favourite trim level. It comes with three-zone climate control, adaptive cruise control, ambient interior lighting, wireless phone-charging and sat-nav as standard.
Read our in-depth Volkswagen Tiguan review
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What Car? indicative Personal lease example (subject to status)
Volkswagen Tiguan
Expected annual mileage 5000 Term months 48 Deposit months 12 Monthly payment £366.44 Initial payment £4,397.28
Step-by-step
Leasing works a bit like a long-term rental. You drive it, but you don’t own it.
- Choose your car, pick your terms and apply for lease credit online
- Pay monthly rental payments for your chosen term length
- Drive it, enjoy it, then give it back at the end
What you get
When you lease with Autotrader you get all of this:
- Full manufacturer’s warranty
- Road tax and roadside assistance included
- Free returns within 30 days*
Excess mileage charges and return conditions apply. Subject to availability and credit status. 18+ T&Cs apply.
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£4,642 total upfront (£4,397 initial rental plus £245 processing fee) | 5000 miles | 48 months
- Lower total monthly cost than PCP/HP
- No balloon payments
- Road tax included
FAQs
Which PHEV has the highest capacity battery?
The Omoda 9 has an enormous 34.5kWh (usable) battery, which is one of the largest of any PHEV. For context of just how big that is, it's almost twice the size of the pack found in the VW Golf eHybrid (19.7kWh).
What is the best-selling PHEV?
The BYD Seal U was the best-selling PHEV in the UK in 2025, helping it also become Europe's best-selling PHEV with over 66,000 units sold across the year.
What are the advantages of a PHEV?
Plug-in hybrids offer many benefits, including the potential for cheap running costs if you're able to charge them regularly. CO2 emissions are generally very low, meaning that they can make for very cost-effective company cars due to the low benefit-in-kind (BIK) tax rates they attract.
What are the disadvantages of a PHEV?
There are some disadvantages to buying a plug-in hybrid. If you're buying privately they are expensive, plus you need to plug them in regularly to maximise fuel efficiency. Other disadvantages include high maintenance costs, as well as a heavy weight because of the motor and battery, which can impact performance and handling.
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