Hybrid cars with the best MPG
Hybrid vehicles are a great choice no matter your needs – but which are the best?
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Hybrid cars with the best MPG
If you’re in the market for a hybrid vehicle, chances are you’re chasing the best possible MPG ratings.
This means you want to spend less time at petrol stations and save more money by not filling up as often.
If that sounds like you, then here are 10 hybrid cars with some of the best MPG ratings you’ll find.
It's worth noting that real-world mpg ratings will likely differ from the WLTP claims. These are the best-case figures supplied by the manufacturers.
Toyota Yaris Cross – 64.2mpg
 "Toyota Yaris Cross")
With crossover SUVs being all the rage at the minute, those who love the original Toyota Yaris may be feeling left out – but no longer.
A used Toyota Yaris Cross is a jacked-up version of the hatchback that’s rough and ready for action, while also being economical. It's got one of the best hybrid car MPG ratings.
In its best hybrid form, the Yaris Cross will return up to 64.2mpg and emit 115g/km of carbon dioxide, a measurement that tells us how many grams of carbon dioxide a car produces for every kilometre driven.
Read our Toyota Yaris review
Honda Jazz – 62.8mpg
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It’s no secret that the Honda Jazz’s main demographic is the elderly generation. This is because they’re reliable, cheap to run, don’t cost a fortune, and are very good on fuel. No more running out of petrol on the way to boules!
The Honda Jazz is now only available with a hybrid engine, which returns strong economy figures of around 62.8mpg and emits 126.1g/km of CO2. This returns low fuel costs and is great for all types of driving.
So next time you think about slating your nan because of her car, remember how savvy she’s actually being.
Read our Honda Jazz review
Toyota Corolla – 64.2mpg
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Taxi and delivery drivers both have something in common, apart from driving frequently. They also favour the Toyota Corolla – not just because it’s practical, but because it’s highly fuel-efficient.
Thanks to its self-charging hybrid setup, the Corolla can return up to 64.2mpg – the same as its Yaris Cross relative – but it emits less CO2 at 98g/km – meaning you can feel even less guilty driving around town.
Read our Toyota Corolla review
Hyundai Kona Hybrid – 57.6mpg
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Practicality and fuel economy rarely go hand in hand, but with the Hyundai Kona Hybrid, it’s second nature.
It’s available with a range of engines including petrol, diesel, and the more efficient plug-in hybrid (PHEV).
The latter Hyundai model returns up to 57.6mpg and emits 90g/km of CO2, whereas the lower-spec petrol and diesel engines return between 34 and 56.5mpg – still very good in our books.
However, if you want zero tailpipe emissions then we’d recommend the Hyundai Kona Electric, which can drive up to 300 miles on a single charge and is therefore the most efficient of them all.
Read our Hyundai Kona review
Suzuki Swace – 64.2mpg
 "Suzuki Swace")
Like the look of the Toyota Corolla but want to be that little bit extra? Step in the Suzuki Swace, a car that shares its platform but has a different badge. It's still a fuel-efficient hybrid car.
This means you get the same MPG rating of 64.2 from its onboard 1.8-litre hybrid engine setup.
It’s also an affordable estate car, which means you’ll benefit from much more boot space for those longer journeys.
It therefore also produces the same levels of CO2 at 98g/km, making it one of the lowest in its class.
Toyota RAV4 – 282.5mpg
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For many families, a hatchback just doesn’t cut it, which is why an SUV is a much more sensible option – especially the Toyota RAV4.
It’s got some tough rivals, including the VW Tiguan and Honda CR-V, but it’s got superb fuel economy on its side.
The standard hybrid petrol engines will give you up to 51.3mpg, but if you want the best then the RAV4 PHEV is the one to have, offering 282.5mpg and electric-only driving of up to 46 miles and 126g/km of CO2 emissions.
Read our Toyota RAV4 review
Kia Sportage – 252mpg
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The Kia Sportage is one of those ‘if you know, you know’ cars. This large SUV is practical, fuel-efficient, cheaper to run than some of its rivals, and looks great too.
This used Kia is offered with a vast range of engines, ranging from a petrol and diesel to more efficient hybrid and plug-in hybrid options.
If you want the highest economy figures, then the 252mpg PHEV is the way to go, but even the petrol will happily return around 40mpg, which is very impressive for a little engine with no hybrid assistance.
This Kia SUV also emits an average of 148g/km of CO2.
Read our Kia Sportage review
BMW 330e – 217.3mpg
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The perfect car rarely comes around because there are just so many factors to consider, but what BMW’s done with the 3 Series hybrid is astonishing.
It simply took the already excellent standard car and made it into a more efficient plug-in hybrid.
This means it still retains the 2.0-litre turbocharged engine but with added hybrid assistance, offering up to 41 miles of electric-only driving and a whopping 217.3 combined mpg.
It also offers incredibly low CO2 emissions at just 39g/km. Plus, used BMW models are available at lower prices if you fancy a bargain.
Read our BMW 3 Series review
Hyundai IONIQ – 256.8mpg
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The Hyundai IONIQ is best known for being an electric car, but there’s also a great hybrid that has a reliable engine you can fall back on.
There’s the regular hybrid that returns around 60mpg, and then there’s the top-of-the-range plug-in hybrid that returns up to 256.8mpg, which is staggering from a car that’s as practical as the IONIQ.
It also offers low CO2 emissions at 102g/km which is lower than others in its class.
Read our Hyundai IONIQ review
BMW X5 – 353.1mpg
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We’ve listed some pretty big hitters in the fuel-efficiency space, but none come close to the MPG rating of the BMW X5.
Aside from the top-spec 353.1mpg PHEV, there are also petrol and diesel options that offer between 20mpg and 42mpg.
Nowhere near the electrified version, but still impressive for an engine without hybrid assistance.
Because the X5 xDrive45e has such a high combined fuel efficiency figure, the CO2 emissions are very low at 39g/km, but it should be noted that this figure will increase with the petrol and diesel engines.
Read our BMW X5 review
How to get the best mpg from your hybrid car
Once you’ve got your economical car, it’s worth remembering some of these fuel-efficient driving techniques to eke as much range out of your new whip as possible.
Don’t accelerate too fast
Accelerating quickly can be fun, but it can have some pretty major consequences, especially regarding your fuel consumption.
Keeping a steady right foot on the accelerator is the better way to be driving around.
Don’t brake too harshly
Like accelerating too quickly, there’s also such a thing as braking too hard.
You don’t want to be constantly accelerating and braking when driving because this uses up fuel. Instead, you should aim to be as smooth as possible – a smooth operator, if you will.
Avoid speeding
You should make sure you’re sticking to the speed limit anyway, but you should pay particular attention to your speed if you’re trying to save fuel.
Drive even just a few miles per hour faster and you’ll pay the price at the next petrol station.
Check your tyres regularly
It’s good practice to check your tyres every once in a while to ensure they’re in good shape, especially before a long journey.
It’s also important for fuel economy, however. When car tyres get flat, they make it harder for the car to accelerate. Pump them up and enjoy this quick win!
Keep your car in tip-top condition
If you want to increase the life of your car and ensure that it’s as fuel-efficient as possible, regular servicing is the best thing you can do.
This means not skipping any service intervals, checking the brakes and tyres, and treating it with love and care.