Best Small Hybrid Cars 2024

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Best small hybrid cars 2024

  • What are the best small hybrids?
  • We test and rate the contenders
  • Find a small hybrid for sale

Looking for an efficient, versatile vehicle for both city and highway driving? Take a look at some of the best small hybrid cars on the market.

Perfect for navigating through the UK's bustling city streets and ideal for longer motorway journeys, these compact hybrids offer a seamless blend of electric and petrol power. For urban drivers contending with congested roads, small hybrid cars provide an eco-friendly solution by reducing air pollution compared to traditional petrol cars, especially when idling in traffic. While fully electric vehicles are a clean alternative, they often come with higher price tags and require charging infrastructure, which might not be accessible for everyone. This makes small hybrid cars an excellent compromise.

These top-rated small hybrid cars are not only easy to drive in tight city spaces but also ensure effortless parking. Their dual power sources mean you save on fuel costs, even in stop-start city traffic. Beyond city limits, these hybrids demonstrate impressive performance on rural roads and offer a comfortable cruise on motorways.

While, in the grand scheme of things, the cars here are small, we have chosen a mixture of shapes of sizes of car from small cars to small SUVs, so there should be something on this list to suit everyone. If you're looking for something a bit larger, then check out our guide to the best hybrid cars and the best hybrid SUVs. Otherwise, here are the best small hybrid cars on sale today.

If you're ready to buy we've got over 10,000 Used Hybrid Cars for Sale, while if you want more choice, we have over 70,000 Used Cars for Sale. If you're looking to save money, check out our guide to the Best Car Deals.

Best small hybrid cars 2024

  1. Ford Puma
  2. Toyota Yaris
  3. Volkswagen Golf
  4. Toyota Corolla
  5. Honda Jazz
  6. Renault Clio
  7. Mercedes-Benz A250e
  8. Lexus UX
  9. MINI Countryman PHEV
  10. Kia XCeed PHEV

1. Ford Puma

Year launched: 2020

Ford Puma Review 2023: Exterior Front
9/10

Stylish, fun and affordable, the Ford Puma is one of the very best small crossovers on sale in the UK. The 155PS 1.0-litre EcoBoost model is also available as a mild-hybrid (badged mHEV), which helps this likeable little crossover return 50+mpg.

The Puma is based on the Ford Fiesta, which means it's great to drive. All Pumas come with a selectable drive mode system, which means you can tinker with the road handling to make it as comfortable or as sporty as your mood desires. However, if you want hot hatch thrills, we’d recommend buying a model in ST-line trim which adds a sportier suspension set-up. 

Despite its compact size, the Puma is a lot more practical than the Fiesta. The boot, for example, has a ‘Megabox’ design that features a deep, square underfloor load area with a plug to allow you to wash it out. There is also lots of head and legroom in the front, too, but large adults might find the rear seats a comfortable but snug fit. 

2. Toyota Yaris

Year launched: 2020

Toyota Yaris Review 2023 front three quarter
9/10

The Toyota Yaris is one of the best small cars on sale regardless of its powertrain. So that it's also an excellent hybrid car is win-win. Toyota pioneered the idea of a small car with petrol-electric power in the old Yaris and it proved so popular this model is hybrid only. Meanwhile, its combination of edges and curves mean it finally gets the looks deserving of its high-tech powertrain.

The Yaris' 1.5-litre petrol-electric powertrain is a cracker for town driving. It'll return 60mpg even in heavy traffic and it comes with a CVT automatic gearbox fitted as standard, so it drives like a dodgem with no physical gears. It's nearly as quiet too, because most of the time it drives on electricity, and it's also good fun to drive on twisting roads. All models get adaptive cruise control and lane assist, making long journeys more relaxing. 

There's just enough space to keep four adults comfortable on a long drive, the boot will swallow a couple of suitcases and while the interior isn't brimming with character, it's solid and smart. And feature-packed. Even the basic model has an infotainment screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, further confirming the Yaris as a near-perfect small hybrid car. 

3. Volkswagen Golf

Year launched: 2020

Volkswagen Golf GTE Review 2024: Dynamic moving
9/10

The Volkswagen Golf has long been a highly recommended car, and – depending just how hybrid you want to go – that's no different when it comes to mixing petrol and electric power. Many versions of the latest Golf use mild-hybrid technology, which works very well, but you can also choose from a couple of plug-in hybrid models.

The Golf eHybrid is the everyday, run-of-the-mill model, mixing a 1.5-litre petrol engine with an electric motor, giving it an official fuel economy of 313.9mpg and up to 42 miles of electric only driving on a single charge. It comes in a range of trim levels and essentially adds plug-in capability to the regular Golf.

The Golf GTE, on the other hand, channels the spirit of the legendary Golf GTI, but with electric assistance. Power is bumped up to 245PS from its 1.4-litre engine and electric motor, with claimed fuel economy of 235.4mpg and electric-only driving for up to 37 miles before you need to plug it in. Oh, and it's rather fun to drive, too.

4. Toyota Corolla

Year launched: 2019

Toyota Approved Used Cars for Sale
9/10

The Toyota Corolla hybrid is one of our favourite hatchbacks because it blends performance and comfort with low running costs. What’s more, because it’s a Toyota, it has a strong reputation for reliability and is backed by a comprehensive five-year warranty. 

The 1.8-litre hybrid powertrain will return 60+mpg on-the-road and the Corolla’s soft suspension makes it easy to drive and comfortable on the motorway. Yet it's still good to drive, with tidy handling and responsive steering. There's also a more powerful 2.0-litre hybrid, which is slightly less efficient but delivers strong performance. 

But it’s at low urban speeds that the Corolla proves its metal, with its refined hybrid system operating in near-silence and a smooth CVT gearbox. You also get lots of useful driver tech as standard, with all models benefitting from LED headlights, electronic parking brake and a reversing camera.

The Corolla is surprisingly spacious for a compact hatchback. Large adults will have no trouble getting comfortable in the front or back, while the 361-litre boot puts the Corolla above rivals like the Ford Focus and Volkswagen Golf on storage. 

5. Honda Jazz

Year launched: 2020

Honda Jazz Review 2023 front left exterior
8/10

Looks past the Honda Jazz's rather staid image, and it's a great car. Comfortable, versatile and powered by an efficient petrol hybrid powertrain that can return 60+mpg, the Jazz is the complete small car package. 

The Jazz was relaunched in 2020 with the introduction of an all-new model. However, fans of the old car will not be disappointed with Honda’s latest offering because it remains true to the original, with a firm emphasis on space and practicality.  This means the Jazz retains its ‘magic seat’ system, which lets you flip and fold the rear seats in a number of configurations to provide up to 1205 litres of luggage space. 

The hybrid setup combines a 1.5-litre petrol engine combined with two electric motors and a battery pack. The total power output of 109PS might not sound a lot, but it actually feels pretty eager, covering 0-62mph in 9.4 seconds and returning 60+mpg. It's comfortable and easy to drive, while there's plenty of in-car tech, and Honda has an excellent reliability reputation. 

6. Renault Clio

Year launched: 2019

Renault Clio Review 2023 Front Side View
8/10

Are you looking for a fashionable and spacious small hybrid car with low fuel costs? The Renault Clio E-Tech is one of the best looking cars in its class, with 60+mpg capable petrol hybrid system, is also one of the cheapest to run. 

The hybrid Clio looks identical to the standard model, but it’s able to travel for 80 per cent of urban journeys on battery power alone. If you are gentle with the throttle, the Clio will also travel up to 38mph in all-electric mode, which means it’s very relaxing to drive and should be a lot less polluting around town than the regular Clio. 

The Clio's exterior dimensions haven’t changed much over the last few years, but there is no shortage of space inside its smartly designed cabin. Adults will find the best space in the front, but the rear seats are wide and supportive enough for tall people to travel in snug comfort. The boot is a good size, too, with a generous 391 litres on offer. 

7. Mercedes A250e

Year launched: 2020

Mercedes-Benz A-Class Review 2023 front exterior
8/10

The latest Mercedes A-Class makes many small hatchbacks look as up-to-date as an old Lada. It's classy cabin is filled to the brim with the latest technology and cool design touches, while it's well-made and there's plenty of space and comfort. 

The A-Class can be powered by everything from a basic 1.3-litre unit to a 422PS 2.0-litre firecracker, but it's the A250e we're interested in here. This mates that 1.3-litre petrol engine to a punchy electric motor for 218PS, and allows the baby Mercedes to travel up to 44 miles without ever waking the engine. It'll do over 200mpg officially, although unlike the traditional hybrids here you'll need to charge it up frequently to get anywhere near that. 

It's fairly brisk, too, with enough performance to worry some hot hatchbacks. But really the A-Class is about comfort, refinement and cool infotainment rather than blatting about. The only issue is the price, but why not see if you can nab a good deal on heycar? 

8. Lexus UX

Year launched: 2019

Lexus UX Review 2023: front static
7/10

The Lexus UX is a small premium crossover SUV that rivals the Volvo XC40, Audi Q3 and BMW X1. However, unlike its rivals, the UX is only sold with a ‘self-charging’ petrol-electric powertrain.

The 250h is the most popular model in the UX line-up. It combines a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine with an electric motor positioned on the front axle to return 50+mpg, which puts it in the same fuel economy bracket as its diesel rivals. Although its battery pack is quite small, the clever way the powertrain balances power sources means that, in an average journey, it'll be in electric mode more than half the time. 

The interior is pretty good, too. The seats are very comfortable, with a high-up seating position even in their lowest setting. Adults in the rear have lots of headroom, although legroom is a bit on the tight side due to the limited size of the footwells. Dropping the rear seats, meanwhile, is easy - and they fold properly flat, giving plenty of space for bulky items as long as you don’t mind leaving the kids at home.

9. MINI Countryman PHEV

Year launched: 2017

MINI Countryman Review 2023 Front External
7/10

If you want your small hybrid car to also be stylish and on-trend, the MINI Countryman PHEV is a small hybrid SUV that should tick many boxes. 

It's chunky looks and wealth of personalisation options mean you'll stand out from the crowd, while you also get MINI's solidly built, funkily designed interior. Despite the name, the Countryman is actually fairly practical and roomy, too. 

The PHEV version is powered by a willing little 1.5-litre three-cylinder engine mated to an electric motor, battery and six-speed automatic gearbox. It won't push you in the back of your seat but it's punchy enough, and manages around 26 miles on electric power alone before the engine will kick in. The claimed 135mpg figure is again entirely dependent on how often you plug it in, however. 

10. Kia XCeed

Year launched: 2019

Kia XCeed Review 2024: driving dynamic
7/10

The main attraction of the Kia XCeed is how much you get for a remarkably low price. It's a really solid all-rounder – essentially a regular Ceed hatchback that's been lifted off the ground and given some styling tweaks to make it feel more like an SUV.

All XCeed have at least a mid-hybrid system, but it's the PHEV model that has the potential to get you the best fuel economy. Charge its battery fully and you'll get up to 30 miles on electric power only, while the claimed combined fuel economy is 201.7mpg. It is a chunk pricier than the petrol version, so you'll need to ensure your journey requirements fit its strengths, but if you're an around-town kind of person with relatively few long journeys, it could be just the ticket.

As with all Kias, the XCeed comes with a tremendous seven-year warranty from new, which combined with its very decent driving manners and a load of equipment included as standard, make it a tempting proposition.

Best Small Hybrid Car FAQs

Phill Tromans

Written by

Phill Tromans

The Ford Puma 1.0 EcoBoost Hybrid (mHEV) is the best small hybrid car in the UK. Stylish, fun and affordable, the self-charging hybrid Puma is one of the most rounded crossover SUVs on sale. All hybrid versions return 50+mpg, while the ‘Mega Box’ boot adds a layer of practicality that’s rarely seen in the small car sector. 

The main difference between a mild hybrid and a 'full' plug-in hybrid is that the battery is unable to solely power the car. The battery in a mild hybrid is much smaller than a full hybrid, while the motor is usually a starter-generator that assists the engine under acceleration. It can also allow the engine to be switched off under coasting or make use of the start/stop function for longer periods to improve efficiency. 

We'd argue it's the latest Toyota Corolla which is not simply a great small hybrid car, it's a great hatchback all round. Performance, refinement and economy are all present, meaning you won't miss your old diesel. 

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