Best used green cars (and the ones to avoid)
Thinking of buying a used electric car or hybrid? We take a look at the second-hand green cars that are worth your cash...
Think electric cars and hybrids are only for new car buyers? Think again. Now that these cleaner, greener technologies have been around for a few years, they’re filtering down nicely into the used market, meaning there’s now a plug-in car out there to spark (ho, ho!) everyone's imagination.
And you don’t have to put up with driving around in something weedy or abhorrent, either. Many of these used electric cars and hybrids are now genuinely desirable, with usable electric ranges, comfortable rides and, ahem, electrifying performance.
To prove it, here are our top 10 used green cars, plus, as ever, two with all the appeal of a flat battery (I'm sorry. That's it for now).
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10. Honda CR-Z
Who says buying a great-value green car has to mean missing out on driving fun? The Honda CR-Z proves otherwise. With its great handling and manual gearbox, it involves you in the action, but, like most hybrids, it’s frugal around town. Prices are low, reliability is high, and the CR-Z looks fantastic to boot. Sure, there’s not much room in the back, but that’s par for the course with a coupé. Otherwise, there’s lots to love here, and potential future classic status too. The CR-Z was in production from 2011 to 2016, so shopping starts from as low as £5000 and prices go up to around £10,000 for the later ones.
We found: 2013 Honda CR-Z Sport, 46,000 miles, £6000
Read the used Honda CR-Z review
9. Vauxhall Ampera
Here's a bit of a curveball. Indeed you might struggle to find a Vauxhall Ampera, as not many of them were sold when it was new. But if you can, you should, because it's comfortable, quiet and spacious. It also has the potential to become a bit of a cult classic. It uses its combination of a petrol engine and an electric motor cleverly, too, meaning you can run it on electric mode far more than most plug-in hybrids. Keep in mind, though, that although it's reasonably practical it’s only a four-seater.
We found: 2015 Vauxhall Ampera Positiv, 20,000 miles, £14,000
Read the full Vauxhall Ampera review
8. Kia Soul EV
If you’re after a small SUV with electric power and enough room for all your family needs, the Kia Soul EV could be the answer. This version can’t match some other electric cars for range (although the all-new Soul EV, launched in 2019, can, thanks to tech it shares with the firm's groundbreaking e-Niro, also recently launched), and neither is it the most refined or upmarket feeling thing inside, but it does offer loads of space inside – and you get the balance of Kia’s seven-year warranty to add extra peace of mind.
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