As opposed to hybrids, plug-in hybrids can be charged from an external source. Back in 1969, the General Motors XP-883 demonstrated this fuel-sipping technology with the help of a two-cylinder engine, six 12-volt batteries, and a direct current electric motor. Commercially viable PHEVs became a reality in 2008 with the unveiling of the Chevrolet Volt, which is twinned with the abysmal-selling Cadillac ELR luxury two-door coupe.
Similar to hybrids, plug-in hybrids wouldn’t have been possible without the Lohner–Porsche horseless carriage. Developed by Ferdinand Porsche of Volkswagen Beetle fame, this fellow began life as a battery-powered electric vehicle, then switched to a series hybrid setup with hub-mounted electric motors in each wheel, a plethora of lead-acid batteries, a gasoline-fueled engine, and a generator driven by the internal combustion engine.
Hybrids may excel in the urban jungle’s exhausting stop-and-go traffic, but plug-in hybrids are slightly better because of their larger battery packs. Extra zero-emission driving range means that no gasoline is used on the drive to work in the morning and back home in the afternoon. Charging from a household socket also means that you will rarely need to stop at a gas station for a tankful of gas, so yeah, PHEVs are darn swell like that.
Be that as it may, longer commutes defeat the purpose of a plug-in hybrid. When the combustion engine alone is tasked with propulsion, the heavier plug-in hybrid is – as expected – thirstier compared to the lighter hybrid. PHEVs are more expensive by design as well, but you don’t need to sell an arm and a leg to get such a vehicle with zero miles on the odo.
That said, here are autoevolution’s 5 best PHEVs under $40,000:
The South Korean automaker currently has two plug-in hybrids to sell in the United States, of which the larger of the bunch is $40,000 excluding destination charge. Lower down the spectrum, the 2022 model year Tucson Plug-In Hybrid can be yours at $35,400 plus $1,295 for freight. It’s not bad for a compact utility vehicle with 33 miles (53 kilometers) of EV range.
The Environmental Protection Agency further mentions 35 miles to the gallon on the combined test cycle, which means 6.7 liters per 100 kilometers to those who prefer the metric system. Marketed under the SEL moniker, the most basic of specifications also happens to be pretty well equipped.
Highlights include the Bluelink connected car system, 19-inch alloy wheels, HTRAC all-wheel drive, 261 horsepower in combined electric/gas mode, and the Blind Spot Collision Avoidance (BCA) system. The reason why the Tucson Plug-In Hybrid is first on the list is the six-speed automatic gearbox, which feels that much better than a continuously variable transmission.
Sister brand Kia likes conventional transmissions in hybrid and plug-in hybrid applications too, which is understandable given the synergies between these brands. Redesigned from the ground up for 2023, the sharp-looking Niro Plug-In Hybrid also happens to be the freshest plug-in hybrid on this list.
Equipped with a dual-clutch unit, the Niro Plug-In Hybrid uses a 1.6-liter NA four-cylinder engine as opposed to the force-fed 1.6 in the Tucson Plug-In Hybrid. As such, on fossil fuel alone, the smaller crossover has 106 pound-feet (144 Nm) to offer at 4,000 revolutions per minute as opposed to 195 pound-feet (264 Nm) at 1,500 through 4,500 revolutions per minute.
Similar to the larger sibling, the $33,740 Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid offers up to 33 miles of range combined as per EPA testing. The combined miles per gallon, however, are slightly better at 49 (4.8 liters per 100 kilometers).
The Prius Prime, which is Toyota’s way of referring to the more expensive brother of the Prius, isn’t the best-looking PHEV out there. The 2023 model isn’t available in the U.S. just yet, leaving the 2022 model as your only choice for the time being. On the upside, it’s the most affordable vehicle to make our list at $28,770 sans the automaker’s $1,095 destination charge.
Given the $40,000 budget mentioned earlier, you could ignore the LE base specification and mid-range XLE for the Limited trim level. This variant starts at $34,550 before taxes and extras, and there's a lot to like about it.
The 11.6-inch touchscreen with split-screen functionality and color head-up display stand out. As for the numbers that matter, those would be 25 miles (40 kilometers) in EV mode and 54 mpg (4.4 l/100 km) combined.
North America’s second-largest automaker after General Motors had problems with the rollout of the Escape Plug-In Hybrid. Related to the Kuga PHEV for Europe, the Escape Plug-In Hybrid came out in 2021 due to reports of high-voltage battery fires that resulted in a worldwide recall.
The Ford Motor Company blamed battery supplier Samsung SDI and sub-supplier Nex+ for that mess-up. Thankfully for prospective customers, the concern was corrected in series production, and the Escape Plug-In Hybrid is A-OK at the moment of writing. It’s also the most expensive on the list at $38,500 before the destination freight charge for the 2023 model year.
EPA ratings aren’t presently available for the 2023 Escape Plug-In Hybrid, but we do know the 2022 offers up to 37 miles (60 kilometers) on electricity alone. The 2.5-liter powerplant, on the other hand, offers no more than 40 miles to the gallon (5.9 liters per 100 kilometers) on the combined cycle.
Our final entry is a little leftfield from its peers in the sense that it uses a four-cylinder boxer engine rather than an inline setup. It’s similarly leftfield for using Toyota’s plug-in hybrid technology rather than its own. Oh, and baptizing a plug-in hybrid vehicle Hybrid is somewhat weird in and of itself.
However, its uniqueness and the appeal of a boxer over an inline powerplant make it a tempting proposition in the plug-in hybrid space. It’s also gifted with 8.7 inches (22 centimeters) of ground clearance, meaning that it can tackle unpaved and snow-covered roads alike without breaking a sweat.
The $36,845 Crosstrek Hybrid isn’t the most efficient plug-in hybrid on sale, though, precisely because of its boxer engine. Its platform isn’t perfect for plug-in hybridization either, so 17 miles (27 kilometers) will have to suffice despite boasting the 8.8-kWh battery of the Toyota Prius Prime.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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