Best self-charging hybrid cars you don't have to plug in 2024
Like the idea of a hybrid, but don't want to faff around with power cables? If so, these are the top 10 cars for you. We also name the model that looks good on paper but is actually best avoided...
If you do mostly short journeys and have a wall charger at home, driving a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) or electric car can save you a fortune in fuel. But what if you don't have a driveway or would rather not wrestle with a mucky charging cable at the end of each journey? Well, in that case, many traditional non-plug-in hybrid cars make plenty of sense.
They can't go as far on electric-only power, but the best still promise impressive fuel economy without the environmental concerns of pure combustion power. And because their batteries are small enough to be charged by the engine, you never have to plug them in.
These cars are often referred to by manufacturers as self-driving hybrids, but it’s a somewhat misleading term because they don’t really charge themselves. In reality, the batteries are charged by burning petrol in the engine, with a little extra added through regenerative braking.
But that doesn’t detract from the prospect of slashing your fuel bills. But which is the best hybrid car? Here we count down the top 10 – and reveal the traditional hybrid that's best to steer clear of. The results of our comprehensive road testing, which covers every single hybrid car on sale, have shown that the Honda Civic e:HEV is a cut above the rest and came out as the best self-charging hybrid.
Our list also features everything from small cars to spacious seven-seaters, with links to read our full reviews, or see the latest hybrid car deals.
How we choose the best self-charging hybrids
As the number of self-charging or full hybrids has grown, we ensure we drive every new model to find out how it performs against the competition.
As with all our reviews, we consider what buyers are looking for in a self-charging hybrid in particular and a new car in general. That’s informed by the 20,000-plus responses to our annual reader survey, which tells us what people want from their new car. In hybrid models, these factors are:
Reliability consistently comes high up on car buyers’ lists of priorities, and it’s no different for people shopping for a car with hybrid engine tech. The What Car? Reliability Survey is compiled using responses from more than 20,000 car owners, allowing us to give you a clear picture of how each model and manufacturer performs for dependability. We’re able to rank models, and determine the nature of common faults to give you the clearest picture possible.
Hybrid cars are often bought on the strength of their fuel economy. We compare the official economy figures with our own to give you a fair picture of what you can expect in the real world. Crucially, we compare these figures with those of rival models, helping you make the most frugal choice.
Whatever class of car you’re seeking, you’re likely to be looking for a model you can do long journeys in without having to call in a chiropractor afterwards. Our road testers consider how adjustable the seats are, whether there’s enough head and leg room for the tallest of drivers, and what lumbar support, if any, is included. We take comprehensive measurements, and compare these with rival models.
The comprehensive What Car? vehicle assessment regime for self-charging hybrids doesn’t end with those factors. To find out more about the tests we carry out as we rate and rank new car models see our how we test page.
