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Compare the best small hybrid cars

High quality small hybrid cars from rated and reviewed dealers
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Rated 4.5/5 from 57,096 reviews
Last updated May 17, 2024 by Tom Wiltshire

Best small hybrids of 2024

More and more small cars are being offered as hybrids nowadays - it's a great way to offset emissions and improve fuel economy, but without the expense and re-engineering required in making them fully electric, especially since it's often more cost-effective to build large electric cars than it is small ones.

Hybrid engines actually work really well with small cars, offering seriously impressive fuel economy as there's less weight for the battery and electric motor to lug around. This does usually come at the expense of a few factors, though - cabin and boot space can be reduced, as can driver enjoyment. But if you reckon that's worth it for the potential fuel savings, keep reading for our pick of the best small hybrid cars in the UK.

Renault Clio

1. Renault Clio

9/10
Renault Clio review
The Clio hybrid uses a clever two-motor system, inspired by Renault’s F1 experience, to deliver over 60mpg in the real world, and it looks pretty smart doing it. It's good fun to drive, though the hybrid system can be a little clunky at full throttle. The interior's a great place to sit, with high-quality materials and a big, easy-to-use touchscreen infotainment system. There's also a decent 301-litre boot, even if that has shrunk compared to the standard petrol Clio.
MG MG3

2. MG3

8/10
MG MG3 review
The old MG3 was a pretty rubbish car with an antiquated engine - but the new one couldn't be more different. Not only is it a proper hybrid with surprisingly perky acceleration, a smooth powertrain and real-world economy in the mid-50s, but it has a much-improved interior packed with tech - even if it's not quite as nice inside as a Renault Clio. To top it all off, it undercuts any other hybrid car this size, making it the cheapest full hybrid car in the UK as well as one of the best.
Toyota Yaris Hybrid

3. Toyota Yaris

8/10
Toyota Yaris Hybrid review
The little Yaris looks sharper now than it has done since the late nineties, and it’s far more enjoyable to drive than you might expect, with well-balanced responses in corners. The 1.5-litre petrol hybrid engine is available with two power outputs, but both are capable of more than 60mpg in the real world without even trying - drive really carefully and you'll see over 70mpg. It’s tiny in the back seats and the boot, though, and an MG3 is more fun to drive and significantly more powerful.
Mazda 2 Hybrid

4. Mazda 2 Hybrid

7/10
Mazda 2 Hybrid review
Not to be confused with the regular Mazda 2, the Mazda 2 Hybrid is in essence a Toyota Yaris with Mazda badges on it. That means it shares that car's brilliant hybrid system, though you can't get the more powerful 130hp model. Not to worry, as the regular 116hp car has more than enough power for most and will still return fantastic fuel economy. It's priced similarly to the Toyota so which one you go for depends on your preference of brand and aftercare.

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Peugeot 208

5. Peugeot 208

8/10
Peugeot 208 review
Peugeot's recently added a 1.2-litre hybrid engine to the 208 hatchback, which frankly makes an already excellent car just a little bit better. It's not as smooth a hybrid system as a Toyota Yaris, and it does add a bit to the 208's already substantial price tag - but you'll soon see where the money's gone when you step inside. Plus an easily achievable 55mpg in the real world should help cut your fuel bills.
Honda Jazz

6. Honda Jazz

7/10
Honda Jazz review
The Jazz has long been one of the most practical small cars you can buy, and that hasn’t changed thanks to a generous 304-litre boot, and those clever ‘Magic Seats’ in the back, that flip up vertically (for tall, narrow loads) as well as folding down flat. Its tall silhouette makes it much more capacious for rear passengers than a Renault Clio or Toyota Yaris, too. The 1.5-litre hybrid engine is very efficient, and is cleverly designed to run on electric power almost all the time making it extremely smooth around town.
Vauxhall Corsa

7. Vauxhall Corsa

7/10
Vauxhall Corsa review
The Vauxhall Corsa is mechanically identical to the Peugeot 208 (above) but is positioned as more of a budget offering - it's a little cheaper, but feels it especially inside where the design and build is just that bit too plain. It's great to drive and very efficient, though, even if the rear seat space is a little tight.
Toyota Yaris Cross
2024
Urban Living Award
Highly Commended

8. Toyota Yaris Cross

8/10
Toyota Yaris Cross review
The third car on this list with the same powertrain - the Yaris Cross is basically just a taller, more practical Toyota Yaris. That certainly solves the issue of boot space and rear seat space, though you pay more for the privilege and it's not quite as sharp to drive. You don't lose much in efficiency though, which is impressive.
Suzuki Ignis

9. Suzuki

7/10
Suzuki Ignis review
The Suzuki Ignis is only a 'mild' hybrid, which means it's not capable of running exclusively on its electric power like the other cars on this list. That means it's a lot more like a regular petrol car, even coming with a manual gearbox - but combined with the Ignis' featherweight body means exceptional fuel economy. The Ignis is also great fun to drive, and you can even have it with four-wheel drive.
Ford Puma

10. Ford Puma

8/10
Ford Puma review
The Puma is about the same size as the Toyota Yaris Cross (above) but comes with only a mild hybrid engine, so fuel economy can't match that car. It's fantastic fun to drive though, especially if you chuck it through the corners on a twisty road. And with reasonable rear seat space and a really clever, flexible boot, it's ideal for family use.

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Small hybrids FAQs

A hybrid car basically has two engines — a petrol one (or, rarely, a diesel) and an electric motor which sits between the petrol one and the gearbox. Both engines working together give you brisk performance, which  means that the petrol engine can be detuned for better economy. A hybrid can also run for short distances (usually about a mile or so) on electric power, and recharges quickly from driving and braking, so that you end up with a good portion of an average journey — especially an urban on — on electric power alone. A plug-in hybrid takes that basic principle and adds a bigger battery which can be charged from mains power, meaning that you can run for much longer distances on electric, but you’re carrying more weight, so economy on longer runs suffers.

A hybrid doesn’t — it’ll top up its battery as you go from driving and braking. A plug-in hybrid does, as the whole idea is to charge it up and use the battery for your regular day-to-day short journeys, saving the petrol engine for longer runs.

Not that far, because there’s not enough room to stash a big battery. A conventional hybrid (a Clio or Yaris, for example) will cover only a mile or so on electric power, but will do that repeatedly on one journey, charging itself as it goes. The best plug-in hybrids — the Volkswagen Golf e-Hybrid and the Mercedes A250e — will go for an official 44 miles on one charge of their bigger batteries, which equates to north of 30 in the real world, but the penalty is that they’re thirstier on long journeys once the battery is run down but the weight still has to be carried.

It’s actually the MG3, which costs from £18,495, undercutting the Toyota Yaris and the Renault Clio by several thousand pounds. A Suzuki Ignis is slightly cheaper still, but is only a mild hybrid.

Mercedes claims a massive 282mpg for its plug-in hybrid, but of course it will depend on how much you plug it in, how often, and how far you drive it. For solid real-world consumption, look to the Honda Jazz or Toyota Yaris, both of which can hit a genuine 60mpg in real-world conditions.

The winner here is the Honda Jazz, which while it only has a 304-litre boot on paper has the most flexible load area around. It's a very tall car and its seats go right into the floor, giving you as much capacity as some small vans.

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