Australian families are drawn to many different types of car, from hatchbacks and wagons to small, medium and large seven-seat SUVs. Across hybrid, EV and conventional engines, here’s our best family cars to test drive in 2025.
Motoring
The cheapest hybrid and PHEV cars in Australia for 2025
Hybrid cars are cheaper than ever as buyers look for better fuel economy. Here are the best affordable hybrid and plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV) hatchbacks, sedans, SUVs and utes available in Australia.
Electric vehicles are drawing a lot of attention from new car buyers in Australia, but behind this wave is a bigger and stronger tidal force with hybrid passenger cars, SUVs and even utes.
At the most affordable end of the market, hybrids are no longer significantly more expensive than equivalent petrol models, with more brands offering options for those keen to reduce their weekly fuel bills without switching to electric cars.
Here is a guide to choosing hybrid cars, including the cheapest hybrids in Australia under $40,000, the cheapest hybrid medium SUVs under $50,000, the cheapest hybrid large family SUVs under $65,000 and the cheapest plug-in hybrid electric vehicles under $65,000. These PHEVs include a broad range of SUVs and the first tranche of dual-cab utes, led by the new 2025 BYD Shark 6.
Prices are based on current driveaway pricing in Victoria for private buyers. Due to strong competition, new arrivals and price changes are frequent, so always check manufacturers' websites for deals.
In this article
- Why choose a hybrid car?
- Cheapest hybrid cars and SUVs in Australia under $40,000
- Cheapest hybrid medium SUVs under $50,000
- Cheapest hybrid large SUVs under $65,000
- Cheapest plug-in hybrid (PHEV) SUVs and utes under $65,000
- Will I get better fuel economy in a plug-in hybrid car?
- Fuel economy in hybrids is usually higher in the real world
Why choose a hybrid car?
Petrol-electric hybrid cars bring lower fuel consumption compared to their internal combustion engine (ICE) counterparts. The improved fuel efficiency can bring savings at the petrol bowser, lowering your vehicle ownership costs.
Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) usually have a price premium at the point of purchase but should bring long-term savings. PHEVs are gaining popularity for their electric-like performance in town and independence from public charging stations on longer trips. They often have appealing features commonly found with EVs, such as Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) capability.
More: Hybrid vs plug-in hybrid vs mild hybrid vs electric vehicle: what’s the difference?
Cheapest hybrid cars and SUVs under $40,000
The cheapest hybrid cars in Australia under $40,000 cover light hatchbacks, small sedans and hatches, and small and medium SUVs.
- MG3 Hybrid+ light hatch – from $27,888 driveaway (4.3L/100km economy)
- GWM Haval Jolion Hybrid small SUV – from $31,990 driveaway (5.1L/100km economy)
- MG ZS Hybrid+ small SUV – from $32,990 driveaway (4.7L/100km economy
- Toyota Yaris Hybrid light hatch – from $33,189 driveaway (3.3L/100km economy)
- Hyundai i30 Hybrid small sedan – from $34,990 driveaway (3.9L/100km economy)
- Toyota Yaris Cross Hybrid small SUV – from $36,107 driveaway (3.8L/100km economy)
- Toyota Corolla Hybrid small hatch – from $36,443 driveaway (4.0L/100km economy)
- Toyota Corolla Hybrid small sedan – from $36,662 driveaway (3.9L/100km economy)
- GWM Haval H6 Hybrid medium SUV – from $36,990 driveaway (5.2L/100km economy)
- Honda HR-V e:HEV small SUV – from $39,900 driveaway (4.3L/100km economy)
Some other best affordable hybrid cars have a recommended retail price under $40,000 but creep over that mark when calculating Victorian driveaway prices. These include:
- Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid small SUV – from $40,990 driveaway (4.2L/100km economy)
- Hyundai Kona Hybrid small SUV – from $41,017.80 driveaway (3.0L/100km economy)
Note that economy figures are based on Australia’s official ADR 81/02 combined-cycle fuel consumption testing. The cars listed have a hybrid system that allows them to run on electric power alone; we have not included those with ‘mild’ hybrid systems that offer more modest fuel-saving benefits.
More: Australia’s best small and compact SUVs of 2024
More: Australia’s best, affordable, new first cars for drivers in 2025
Cheapest hybrid medium SUVs under $50,000
Medium SUVs are the most popular type of new vehicle sold in Australia today, but as we’ve seen in our list of the cheapest hybrids under $40,000, there’s only one medium SUV that qualifies – the GWM Haval H6 Hybrid.
If your budget can stretch a bit further, the choice expands to hybrid and plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV) medium SUVs such as these under $50,000:
- GWM Haval H6 Hybrid – from $36,990 driveaway (5.2L/100km economy)
- BYD Sealion 6 PHEV – from $45,684.45 driveaway (1.1L/100km economy)
- Leapmotor C10 PHEV – from $46,890 driveaway (0.9L/100km economy)
- Hyundai Tucson Hybrid – from $46,990 driveaway (5.3L/100km economy)
- Toyota RAV4 Hybrid – from $47,013 driveaway (4.7L/100km economy)
- Jaecoo J7 SHS PHEV – from $47,990 driveaway (1.0L/100km economy)
The Kia Sportage Hybrid (4.9L/100km economy) has a recommended retail price below $50,000 but slips over that mark to start from $50,906.09 driveaway once on-road costs are added. The Nissan X-Trail e-Power (6.1L/100km ecconomy) also comes highly recommended as one of the best affordable hybrid medium SUVs in Australia, but starts higher at $55,523 driveaway.
A highly competitive new-generation MG HS Hybrid is due for release soon, with a PHEV version expected to follow later in 2025.
More: Australia’s best medium SUVs of 2024
Cheapest hybrid large SUVs under $65,000
Large family SUVs are also incredibly popular in Australia, both in five-seater and three-row seven-seater form. Diesel power has traditionally dominated this segment, but hybrids are gaining momentum. Some of the most affordable models include:
- GWM Tank 300 Hybrid five-seater – from $55,990 driveaway (8.4L/100km economy)
- Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid seven-seater – from $62,374.60 driveaway (5.6L/100km economy)
- GWM Tank 500 Hybrid seven-seater – from $64,490 driveaway (8.5L/100km economy)
The Toyota Kluger Hybrid seven-seater sits just outside this bracket, priced from $68,012 driveaway (5.6L/100km economy). You can also get a seven-seat version of the Mitsubishi Outlander medium SUV with a PHEV powertrain, priced from $69,990 driveaway (1.5L/100km economy).
Cheapest plug-in hybrid (PHEV) SUVs and utes under $65,000
The most affordable plug-in hybrid cars in Australia are SUVs, although the BYD Shark 6 and GWM Cannon Alpha utilities are now available, signalling a new trend in the popular dual-cab ute segment. These will be followed soon by the Ford Ranger PHEV, albeit priced much higher (from $78,013 driveaway). The cheapest PHEVs in Australia under $65,000 include:
- BYD Sealion 6 medium SUV – from $45,684.45 (1.1L/100km economy, 92km EV range)
- Leapmotor C10 medium SUV – from $46,890 driveaway (0.9L/100km economy, 145km EV range)
- Jaecoo J7 SHS medium SUV – from $47,990 driveaway (1.0L/100km economy, 90km EV range)
- Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross PHEV small SUV – from $47,990 driveaway (1.9L/100km economy, 54km EV range)
- GWM Haval H6GT PHEV medium SUV – from $53,990 driveaway (0.8L/100km economy, 180km EV range)
- Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV medium SUV – from $57,990 driveaway (1.5L/100km economy, 84km EV range)
- BYD Shark 6 dual-cab ute – from $60,354.45 driveaway (2.0L/100km economy, 100km EV range)
- GWM Cannon Alpha dual-cab ute – from $62,190 driveaway (1.7L/100km economy, 115km EV range)
Watch out for a raft of other PHEVs with a strong value equation coming to Australia in the months ahead, including plug-in hybrid versions of the Chery Tiggo 7 medium SUV and Tiggo 8 large SUV.
More: Australia's best hybrid and PHEV cars, SUVs and utes of 2024
Will I get better fuel economy in a plug-in hybrid car?
Official fuel consumption figures published by most carmakers for their PHEVs are based on a combination of the EV-only battery range and a limited amount of petrol driving (25km).
So, if you only travel short distances and are diligent in recharging the battery before it runs out of charge, you might be able to achieve less than 2.0L/100km – better than any non-plug-in hybrid or traditional petrol-engined car.
For most Australian drivers, however, this will be difficult to achieve, if not impossible. A drawback to consider with PHEVs is that failing to recharge them may bring higher fuel consumption than an equivalent internal combustion engine (ICE) car, with the hybrid system components typically making the car heavier overall.
Fuel economy in hybrids is usually higher in the real world
Claimed fuel consumption figures for all new vehicles are based on testing conducted in laboratories in accordance with the relevant Australian Design Rule (ADR 81/02). This provides a benchmark that allows us to compare against other vehicles but does not usually reflect real-world driving conditions.
In response to this, the Australian Automobile Association (AAA) has established a Real-World Testing Program. For hybrid cars, there are mixed results between the mandatory lab-based claim and testing conducted in real-world conditions – from a perfect match to a 32 per cent discrepancy.
- GWM Haval Jolion Hybrid – 6.6L/100km real-world result (+32%)
- Honda CR-V Hybrid – 6.2L/100km real-world result (+12%)
- Toyota Yaris Cross Hybrid – 4.3L/100km real-world result (+12%)
- Toyota C-HR – 4.4L/100km real-world result (+10%)
- Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid – 4.5L/100km real-world result (+7%)
- Toyota Camry Hybrid – 4.5L/100km real-world result (+8%)
- Toyota Kluger Hybrid – 5.8L/100km real-world result (+4%)
- Toyota RAV4 Hybrid – 4.8L/100km real-world (+2%)
- Toyota Corolla Hybrid – 4.2L/100km real-world result (+0%)
Toyota dominates sales of new hybrid cars in Australia and today only offers hybrid power in several of its model lines, including Yaris, Corolla, Camry, Yaris Cross, C-HR, Corolla Cross, RAV4 and Kluger. The market-leading brand sold more than 118,000 hybrid cars in 2024, pushing industry-wide hybrid car sales (including PHEVs) to almost 200,000 units for the calendar year.
More: Fuel efficiency in Australia – does your car, SUV or ute match its fuel consumption claim?
The information provided is general advice only. Before making any decisions please consider your own circumstances and the Product Disclosure Statement and Target Market Determinations. For copies, visit racv.com.au. As distributor, RACV Insurance Services Pty Ltd AFS Licence No. 230039 receives commission for each policy sold or renewed. Product(s) issued by Insurance Manufacturers of Australia Pty Ltd ABN 93 004 208 084 AFS Licence No. 227678.
