Which are the best hybrid cars and SUVs in Australia?

If you're looking to buy a new car and want to go the eco-friendly route, you may want to consider a hybrid car that combines some of the best features of conventional fuel-based cars and modern eco-friendly electric cars. 

To find the best hybrid car for you, you could start by comparing the ANCAP safety ratings of various models. You may also want to read reviews on other sites like Drive and Carsguide. They compare cars based on several factors like safety, technical specifications, price, aesthetics, comfort, fuel economy, and so on 

For 2022, Drive listed the following cars as the top 10 best hybrid cars in Australia:

1. Mercedes-Benz C-class hybrid
2. BMW X3
3. Volvo XC40
4. Toyota Yaris
5. Toyota Kluger
6. Mitsubishi Outlander
7. Toyota Camry
8. Hyundai Ioniq
9. Toyota Corolla
10. Toyota Prius

Conventional cars that are fuel-based have an internal combustion (IC) engine that runs on fuel. On the other hand, electric cars use electric motors powered by chargeable batteries. A hybrid vehicle uses both, an internal combustion engine and one or more electric motors. By using both types of systems for power, a hybrid car is able to optimise fuel consumption while also being eco-friendly. Depending on the options available, a hybrid car can be powered by the IC engine and the electric motors in tandem, just by the IC engine or only the electric motors.

Two types of hybrid cars are common today - hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). There are a few differences that set them apart.

The electric motors in an HEV cannot be charged by an external power source. The batteries that power the motor are charged through regenerative braking and by the IC engine. 

A PHEV is quite similar in operation to the HEV but has one major difference, and that is the batteries can be charged by plugging a charging cable from an external power source as well as by the IC engine and regenerative braking. Since the batteries can be charged using an external source, the electric motors in PHEVs are relatively bigger than in HEVs. It means a PHEV car can generally go a longer distance on electric power than an HEV car before the petrol engine takes over.

A hybrid car is generally a good choice for someone looking to make small changes to reduce their environmental impact. Most hybrid cars have lower emissions than regular petrol vehicles and consume less fuel overall. 

If you plan to buy a hybrid car, you are likely to be spoilt for choice, with most brands offering several models across a broad range of categories and budgets. Depending on your requirement, you may want to start your search by deciding on the type of car you need. For example, if you have small kids or your family is growing, you may want to consider a spacious station wagon or a family SUV with extra boot space. On the other hand, a compact city car could be a practical choice if you drive alone and need an affordable option to commute in and around the city.  

Irrespective of the type of car you want to buy, safety is a non-negotiable aspect that you need to consider. Comparing ANCAP Safety ratings could thus be a good place to start your search for a safe and reliable hybrid car in Australia. The Australasian New Car Assessment Program, or ANCAP, is a car safety assessment programme based in Australia that crash-tests cars and rates them based on safety and reliability. 

Visit the ANCAP website, select the type of car you want to purchase and set the fuel type to hybrid and plug-in hybrid electric to see a list of the safest vehicles tested by ANCAP. When comparing cars, remember that ANCAP Safety's rating criteria are updated yearly even though the ratings remain valid for up to six years. You can sort the list by the latest rating year to find the safest cars in a category.  

If you plan to buy a car solely based on its safety ratings, here are a couple of vehicles with the highest ANCAP Safety ratings that you can choose from: 

• GWM Haval H6
  
  
  

This one is a mid-size SUV that can seat up to five people. It received a five-star ANCAP Safety rating in 2022. The vehicle scored 90 per cent in the Adult Occupant Protection tests and 88 per cent in Child Occupant Protection. Both conventional and hybrid models are available. 

• Lexus NX
  
  
  

The Lexus NX is also a mid-size SUV with spacious interiors. It was introduced in Australia in January 2022 and received a five-star ANCAP safety rating in the same year. You can choose between a hybrid or plug-in hybrid electric variant if you want to buy a Lexus NX.

There are a lot of factors to consider when comparing car models to find the right one for you. When we talk specifically about hybrid cars, you may want to check a car's electric-only range in addition to features like mileage, price, and safety. 

Most hybrid cars have an electric-only setting that lets you run the vehicle only on electric motors. This is the most eco-friendly option in a hybrid car. However, the batteries that power these electric motors tend to drain out quite quickly in most hybrid cars and then require a few hours to be charged back up fully (especially in the case of PHEVs). If your reason for buying a hybrid car is to be more eco-friendly, you might want to consider purchasing a car that offers a decent electric-only range. 

You should also look into the car's mileage when running on hybrid mode (fuel and electric) and just the fuel mode. The electric-only range and mileage of the hybrid vehicle will give you a sense of how economical it is. 

Price is an important factor regardless of the type of car you are buying. You might think hybrid cars are expensive because they employ two different power systems, but hybrid car models don't generally cost much more than their fuel-based counterparts. 

If you can't afford to pay for your car upfront, you can also apply for a car loan, but don't forget to consider both the price of a car and its ongoing costs while setting a budget. You could also use a borrowing capacity calculator to determine how much money you might be able to borrow for your purchase to narrow down your search accordingly.