The best family hybrid cars to save on fuel costs
By Ben Welham
Last updated: 26 August 2025
Looking for the best hybrid family car?
A hybrid family car is essentially still a car with a normal internal combustion engine (normally petrol-powered) but with assistance from an electric motor.
This either works solely alongside the engine or can run alone for up to 40-50 miles in some cars.
This is ideal for driving around cities and towns or on longer motorway journeys because the battery can give the engine that little boost of economy and acceleration.
Here are our favourite hybrid cars for families:
Hyundai IONIQ PHEV
Peugeot 308 PHEV
Ford Kuga PHEV
BMW 330e
Hyundai Tucson
Toyota RAV4
Skoda Superb Estate
Volvo V60 Recharge
Toyota Corolla
Hyundai Santa Fe
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Hyundai IONIQ PHEV
The Hyundai IONIQ hybrid is one of those cars that offers everything a family could want from a hybrid car in such a well-sized package, while still being big enough for five people.
It’s also cheap to run and makes sense for longer-distance driving as well as shorter trips across cities or towns.
The IONIQ hybrid is powered by a 1.6-litre petrol engine mated to an electric motor that works together to power the front wheels via a six-speed automatic gearbox.
On the plug-in hybrid models, Hyundai claims you will get up to 39 miles on a single charge while using electric power only, and a total of 74.3mpg when both the engine and motor work simultaneously.
Hyundai is also one of our top ten most viewed manufacturers for hybrid cars - so you're in good hands.
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Peugeot 308 PHEV
Until recently you couldn’t buy a plug-in hybrid version of the Peugeot 308, but now you can – and it's one of the best hybrid family cars on the market.
It’s powered by a 1.6-litre petrol engine mated to a hybrid system that puts out a combined 180hp that drives the front wheels.
Being a plug-in hybrid, the 308 PHEV can travel on electric power alone. Peugeot claims it will travel up to 40 miles on a single charge. When working alongside the petrol engine, the two provide up to 281mpg.
Inside, the 308 is very spacious, despite being a hatchback, and is full of great tech options and has a boot space of 361 litres.
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Ford Kuga PHEV
If you're in need of a sensible family car with great hybrid power, it's hard to ignore the Ford Kuga.
In plug-in hybrid form, it gets up to 43.5mpg and can drive on electric power alone for 39 miles on a single charge.
Plus, if you want one that looks the part, the ST-Line adds all the sportiness without the added performance and cost – it's a win-win.
Sam Sheehan, motoring expert, said: "The Kuga is perfectly suited to family life, whether that involves fetching a week’s worth of family shopping, picking up the kids from school, or using it as daily commuter transport."
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BMW 330e
If you’re after a more upmarket family hybrid, can we suggest the BMW 330e?
This is a plug-in hybrid BMW saloon that offers high levels of luxury, style, fuel efficiency, and comfort. Plus, BMW is one of our top-viewed electric and hybrid brands - and it's got a fan club for a reason.
It’s powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine mated to a 113hp electric motor. Together, they return up to 157mpg, and on electric power alone the 330e can travel up to 31 miles.
Despite its weight of 1.8 tonnes, this used BMW is surprisingly light on its feet and feels rather sporty. It can launch itself from 0-62mph in just 5.9 seconds and handles twisty country roads with ease.
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Watch our BMW 330e review
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Hyundai Tucson
Hybrid family SUVs are becoming a popular choice since they're often cheaper than all-electric SUVs. The Hyundai Tucson is one of the best hybrid family SUVs on the market.
This hybrid Hyundai family SUV offers a huge boot, great interior technology, and a solid hybrid system.
Power comes from a 1.6-litre petrol engine that either produces 150hp or 180hp, depending on the trim you opt for.
In its top-spec guise, the mild-hybrid system can manage up to 230 miles of range when working alongside the engine, making it one of the best in its class.
Sam said: "If comfort is what you’re mainly looking for in a mid-sized SUV then the Hyundai Tucson should do nicely."
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Toyota RAV4
The second hybrid SUV to make an appearance on this list is the Toyota RAV4. It's one of the most popular family vehicles around the world because of its excellent fuel efficiency and size.
Powering this used Toyota SUV is a 2.5-litre petrol engine mated to an electric motor that offers a combined 50.4mpg.
There’s also the choice between front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive. Both produce similar power overall at around 220hp, but one will be better on looser surfaces.
Inside, the RAV4 is very spacious, offering seating for up to five people and a boot measuring 580 litres, expanding to 1,690 litres.
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Skoda Superb estate
If ultimate luxury is what you want to treat your family to, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t consider a Skoda Superb estate hybrid.
The Superb is essentially Skoda’s answer to the Mercedes S-Class, offering plush leather seats, a large 510-litre boot, and an excellent hybrid system as seen in select models.
Powering it is a 1.4-litre petrol engine mated to a plug-in hybrid system comprising an 85kW electric motor, which puts out a combined 218hp.
Being a plug-in hybrid, the Superb is capable of travelling up to 38 miles on electric power only.
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Volvo V60 Recharge
Volvo has a great selection of hybrid cars, some that really stand out among competitors.
The one we're choosing is the Volvo V60 Recharge T6, which is powered by a 2.0-litre petrol engine that’s both supercharged and turbocharged.
This, mated to its plug-in hybrid system, makes for a great all-rounder.
On electric power alone, the V60 Recharge can travel up to 54 miles, which is some of the best range from a plug-in hybrid vehicle.
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Toyota Corolla
There’s a reason Toyota’s Corolla and Prius models are so common among taxi drivers – they’re also some of the best hybrid family cars money can buy.
Not only that but they’re also very easy to drive, efficient, well-built, and cheap to run. You can save even more money by opting for a used Toyota model.
Power options comprise of two hybrid units.
The first is the cheaper 1.8-litre hybrid that produces 122hp, and the second is a larger 184hp 2.0-litre petrol hybrid system that might be the better choice if you need that little bit more power.
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Hyundai Santa Fe
Hyundai's Santa Fe has long been a loved family SUV, and now there’s a plug-in hybrid variant.
It consists of a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine mated to an electric motor and a 13.8kWh battery, offering up to 36 miles of all-electric range.
Inside the cabin, the Santa Fe is very spacious, offering up to seven seats (depending on its trim level).
It also has some cracking features across its infotainment system and dashboard.
You can’t expect the Santa Fe to drive too ferociously because it’s a practical family SUV, but you certainly can expect it to do everything you ask of it.
From lugging the kids and all their stuff about to do a long motorway journey up or down the country – it’s a true do-it-all type of car.
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Choosing the best hybrid family car
Finding the best hybrid family car is all about narrowing down what it is you need.
Consider things like your budget, how much space you need, what type of comfort and tech features you require, and what car you like the look of.
Take a look at our full range of used hybrid cars to see what's on offer.
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Learn more about hybrid cars:
Best family hybrid cars FAQs
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