Honda Jazz review – an easy-to-drive hybrid supermini
Top 10 best used hybrid cars 2024
These used hybrid cars will help you take your first step into electrified motoring on a budget
As sales of hybrid cars have shot up in recent years, so have the number of used hybrids filtering through to the second hand market. That’s great news for anyone looking to embrace electrified driving with the backup of a traditional combustion engine – there are now hybrid models of all shapes, sizes and price points to choose from.
Picking the right used hybrid for you can be a bit of a challenge. There’s some technical jargon to get your head around first, with mild hybrids, self-charging hybrids and plug-in hybrids offering different levels of electrification – you can read about the differences here. We’ve left out mild hybrids for this list, as they only offer a small amount of electric assistance and usually don’t offer an electric-only driving mode – something that most buyers expect from a hybrid.
Plug-in hybrids, as the name suggests, require plugging in to top up the battery. While that sounds like a hassle, you often get a much longer electric-only driving range in return, saving you fuel. There’s no need to worry about a plug for self-charging hybrids, making them the best option for those who don’t have access to a home charger.
Many of these cars impressed owners in our latest Driver Power owner satisfaction survey, and some even come with the balance of the manufacturer’s warranty. Read on to see what our picks for the best used hybrid cars are, or check out our guides to the cheapest electric cars and best hybrid family cars.
- Used prices from around £13,000
The Honda Jazz is the winner of our 2024 award for Best Used Hybrid because, while it’s certainly a great new buy, it makes even more sense as a second-hand car. Its hybrid system means that it’s frugal to run – it’ll return up to an official 62.7mpg – and going for a used option makes it even more of a bargain.
The Jazz comes with lots of clever interior features to make it particularly usable day-to-day, including its unique ‘magic’ rear seats, which flip up to allow you to slot in tall items such as plants or tall flat-pack furniture. Honda is renowned for its reliability, too, and that reputation was backed up by an impressive 11th-place overall finish in the 2024 Driver Power survey, with a sixth-place finish for reliability. The Honda Jazz is the car you should go for if you want a used hybrid that’s cheap to run and particularly easy to live with.
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- Used prices from around £15,000
The Renault Captur is one of our favourite small SUVs, and the package is only improved by the two hybrid engine options. Both the new facelifted Captur and used models can be had with a self-charging hybrid system that returns around 60mpg, while a plug-in hybrid engine was offered between 2020 and 2024. Both represent great value on the used market, and can be picked up for a significant saving over the new facelifted car.
The plug-in hybrid offers the best fuel savings on paper, with an electric driving range of around 30 miles and three-digit MPG figures if you keep the battery topped up. No matter which hybrid Captur you go for, though, you’ll get a comfortable ride, great visibility and a big boot for such a compact car. The fact that Renault decided to discontinue the PHEV Captur for the 2024 facelift means that the used market will be your only option if you want this engine.
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- Used prices from around £15,000
We’ve been singing the Skoda Octavia’s praises here at Carbuyer for years – it really does offer some of the best value for money on the market, and the same holds true when you shop used. Opting for a used Skoda Octavia also opens the door to the plug-in hybrid iV model, which is currently unavailable for the new facelifted model.
The regular Skoda Octavia is already a frugal car, but the PHEV takes things a step further. Its electric driving range of 43 miles is enough to cover many people’s daily commute, meaning you can spend more time with the engine switched off, saving fuel. Those low running costs are another huge plus point for the Octavia on top of its spacious interior and comfortable ride. It’s also something of a used bargain – prices start from around £15,000, making it more affordable than a used Volkswagen Golf Mk8 PHEV.
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- Used prices from around £12,000
The latest version of the Toyota Yaris will be just the ticket for many buyers wanting a small urban runaround that’s cheap to run. Under the sharply styled exterior is a bulletproof self-charging hybrid system that the Japanese brand has been refining for years, returning up to 70mpg. One of our only gripes with the Yaris was how expensive it was to buy new, but opting for a used version means that’s much less of an issue, especially if you opt for one of the pre-facelift models from 2023 or earlier.
All examples were fairly well-equipped, with an infotainment screen, reverse camera and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. For a little more sporty design flair, there’s the GR Sport model, while Excel models offer a more classy look. Sealing the deal for the Yaris is its impressive warranty – Toyota offers up to 10 years of cover if you make sure to service the Yaris annually (or every 10,000 miles) via an official dealer, so check this is the case when you buy.
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- Used prices from around £16,000
If you need an efficient small SUV then why not look at the company that kicked off the hybrid SUV trend all the way back in 2004. Back then, most manufacturers were far too concerned with improving their diesel range to think about hybrids, but Lexus went their own way and the Lexus RX gained hybrid power. The UX is the smallest car Lexus sells, however, inside there is still space for a small family and the interior has the same premium feel as any other prestige brand.
As a bonus to those that not only want the SUV shape and size but also need all-wheel drive, the UX is offered both in a more common two-wheel, as well as four-wheel drive option. Lexus also offers the same 10-year warranty from date of registration as Toyota, with the requirement that the vehicle is serviced with the main Lexus dealer.
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- Used prices from around £11,000
Hybrids really shine in our annual Driver Power survey; the Niro rounded out the top 10 in 2019. Buyers loved the low running costs and the intuitive infotainment system, and reliability was good too. The Niro makes a great used buy, as Kia’s market-leading seven-year warranty means that most Niros ever produced are still covered (providing they’ve clocked-up fewer than 100,000 miles).
It’s a curious mix of hatchback and SUV, being quite compact but still offering decent practicality for a family. You’ll get similar economy and performance to a diesel hatchback, while there’s a plug-in model that’s capable of even lower running costs if you regularly recharge the battery.
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- Used prices from around £20,000
The Hyundai Tucson is an impressive family SUV and won our Best Family Car award for 2023. The Tucson makes sense as a used buy now because there are cheaper two or three-year-old used pre-facelift examples with plenty of equipment and many years of Hyundai’s long warranty left.
The latest Tucson comes with a choice between a self-charging hybrid or plug-in hybrid (PHEV) system. Both are fitted with a 1.6-litre engine and electric motor, though the latter is more powerful in the plug-in hybrid version. Driven gently and the self-charging hybrid version can stay in EV mode for short periods of time, although the PHEV model can do so for up to 30 miles, making it more economical for short trips around town.
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- Used prices from around £32,000
The majority of PHEVs combine a petrol engine with an electric motor to give diesel-like fuel efficiency but Mercedes also offers the C-Class with a diesel-electric hybrid powertrain. Aimed primarily at long-distance drivers, the C 300 de offers diesel fuel economy for long journeys and the ability to run on electric power for over 60 miles.
This sensible car, available as a saloon or estate, has the same 300-plus bhp output as the Mercedes-AMG A35 hot hatchback, and 0-62mph is dispatched in under six seconds – although we feel the extra weight of the battery does blunt the car’s responses slightly. The petrol plug-in hybrid is nearly as efficient and will suit drivers who spend less time on the motorway.
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- Used prices from around £26,000
The Volvo XC90 is a seriously luxurious SUV, rivalling the most expensive BMW, Audi and Mercedes SUVs, but used models can be picked up for less than half the cost of the brand-new facelifted model.
Sitting at the top of the range is the T8 plug-in hybrid, formerly badged under the XC90 Recharge moniker. It’s capable of a claimed 235mpg and over 40 miles of electric running — although, as with all PHEVs, this depends on keeping the battery charged and resisting the temptation to use the combined, huge hybrid power available. It’s also worth noting that Volvo upgraded the battery throughout the XC90’s lifetime, so earlier models can’t travel quite as far in EV mode.
The latest T8 produces 449bhp and hits 0-62mph in just over five seconds — quicker than a Honda Civic Type R. Earlier models aren’t quite so speedy, but they will certainly feel fast enough for a large, seven-seater SUV. In all, the XC90 is a practical, family-friendly seven-seater, with space in the rearmost seats for adults and even a decent boot with all seats in place. Throw in some slick Scandinavian styling and good fuel economy, and you’re onto a used hybrid winner.
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- Used prices from around £13,000
The Corolla name was revived in 2019 and arrived with a sharper, more purposeful design than ever before. Underneath was an engine and battery combo that has become common for Toyota, making the Corolla a self-charging hybrid and boosting the car’s efficiency, while maintaining low service costs.
Several different trims levels are available, from base specification that offers the most affordability, through to the sportier specification that adds to the dynamic looks. Toyota’s impressive 10-year warranty is offered here, too, meaning there will still be plenty of cover left for used examples if they’ve been serviced at an official dealer.
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