Offering a perfect blend of space and low running costs, these hybrid estate cars are great family cars and load luggers.
Estate cars aren’t just available with petrol and diesel engines these days. An increasing number of these big-booted models are offered with a hybrid or plug-in hybrid engine, which can lower your running costs – especially if you often drive in built-up areas.
To get close to the stratospheric mpg figures promised by plug-in hybrids, you’ll need to diligently recharge the car to top up the battery. With a full charge, these cars can typically manage 20-30 miles of electric-only driving. On local trips or short commutes, you can drive without using a drop of fuel. But you’ve also got an engine as a backup for longer journeys.
Depending on how and where you drive, a hybrid estate car could be the best of both worlds. If you’re up and down the motorway on a regular basis, however, a diesel estate might be more efficient.
Here are our top choices for the best hybrid estate cars to buy:
1. Volkswagen Passat eHybrid
Electric range: 81 miles
Boot space: 510 litres
One of the first cars to benefit from VW’s new-generation plug-in hybrid tech, the new Volkswagen Passat boasts a near-20kWh battery – nearly the same size as the entire battery in the first Nissan Leaf – for a huge electric range. Unlike most PHEVs, you can also fast-charge the Passat’s battery at up to 50kW. The Passat’s slippery shape and aerodynamic treatment help with the quoted 81-mile range, too – but it means you could drive purely on electric power for the majority of journeys. Driving on the battery helps the Passat’s refinement, and the calm cabin is helped by a new, much faster infotainment system that’s configurable to your preferences.
Shop used Volkswagen Passat cars for sale or read our Volkswagen Passat review
2. Skoda Superb iV Estate
Electric range: up to 35 miles
Boot space: 510 litres
Using the same 1.4-litre petrol engine, battery and electric motor as the Octavia, the Skoda Superb Estate trades a bit of efficiency for a bit more space. The extra room is more noticeable in the rear seats than in the boot, so the Superb is a better choice for loading kids into their car seats. There’s room under the boot floor to stash the charging cables and a home wallbox will fully recharge the battery in five hours. It’s worth noting that there’s a new version of the Superb on sale, with similarly long EV range and fast-charging ability as the Passat above.
Shop used Skoda Superb cars for sale or read our review of the new Skoda Superb
3. BMW 330e Touring
Electric range: up to 37 miles
Boot space: 410 litres
The 320d diesel is no longer the king of the BMW 3 Series Touring range. Many buyers are switching to the 330e plug-in hybrid, which offers the flexibility of fully electric driving with a traditional petrol engine backing it up. It might weigh a little more than other 3 Series models, but the 330e is still excellent to drive. One of the few downsides is that the boot is a bit smaller than the other cars on this list – the 3 Series isn’t the biggest estate anyway – although it does have a handy opening rear window to save opening the whole boot lid. Step up to the 5 Series PHEV if you need a bit more space.
Shop used BMW 3 Series cars for sale or read our BMW 3 Series review
4. Peugeot 308 SW
Electric range: 36 miles
Boot space: 548 litres
We could wax lyrical about the bold styling of the Peugeot 308 SW, but here we’ll lavish praise on the car’s impressive plug-in hybrid engine. Outputs of 180hp and 225hp make this engine the most powerful 308, and the electric shove makes it the fastest off the line. The plug-in hybrid powertrain feels much better resolved than some hybrid systems, with smooth transitions between petrol and electric, and well tuned throttle and brake inputs. You can also increase the level of brake regeneration, as you can in a fully electric car, and drive using just the accelerator pedal – while recharging the battery at the same time.
Shop used Peugeot 308 cars for sale or read our Peugeot 308 review
5. Skoda Octavia iV Estate
Electric range: up to 42 miles
Boot space: 490 litres
The Skoda Octavia Estate is a supreme all-rounder – it’s hugely spacious, good to drive and capable of chomping up hundreds of miles in one go. Add in a plug-in hybrid powertrain capable of over 40 miles of electric driving and you have a perfect family car. The electric mode is ideal for round-town trips and the school run, while the petrol engine is well suited to longer journeys. There’s also a more powerful plug-in option for the Octavia vRS, just in case you were worried you might have to sacrifice performance in a PHEV!
Shop used Skoda Octavia cars for sale or read our Skoda Octavia review
6. Toyota Corolla Touring Sports
Electric range: N/A
Boot space: 596 litres
Unlike the rest of the cars on this list, the Toyota Corolla Touring Sports doesn’t need to be plugged in, and its battery is only recharged by the engine or when slowing down. That means that it doesn’t have a long electric range but, at low speeds, the electric motor can take over from the petrol engine. As a result, it’s really efficient around town, where you could achieve more than Toyota’s 62mpg estimate. Plus, the fact that it doesn’t come with a plug will appeal if you don’t have access to a charger. Fancy the same car with a Superman-like S badge? The Suzuki Swace is a rebadged Corolla estate.
Shop used Toyota Corolla cars for sale or read our Toyota Corolla review
7. Mercedes E-Class Estate E300de
Electric range: 32 miles
Boot space: 480 litres
The Mercedes E-Class Estate is just fantastic – it’s luxurious, comfortable and absolutely vast. Diesel engines really suit the long-legged cruising ability of the E-Class, which makes a diesel-engined plug-in hybrid a smash hit. It’s the only diesel-engined PHEV engine you can currently buy, and combines the long-distance efficiency of a diesel engine with zero-emission driving around town. It’ll do 200mpg and 0-62mph in six seconds, albeit not at the same time. The only downside is that you’ll have to pull over to recharge it regularly if you want to achieve its lofty claimed efficiency.
Shop used Mercedes E-Class cars for sale
8. Volvo V60
Electric range: 54 miles
Boot space: 519 litres
Volvo is known for its load-lugging estates and the V60 is no different. It might be one of the most handsome estate cars on the road, but it has a larger boot than the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes C-Class – and the gap increases when you compare plug-in hybrid models. With the electric motor mounted underneath the middle of the car rather than under the boot floor, the Volvo V60 is one of the only PHEVs not to lose any boot space to petrol or diesel versions. Throw in a plush interior, a sub-5.5-second 0-62mph time and a massive towing capacity, and the V60 leaves few boxes unticked.
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9. Cupra Leon Estate
Electric range: 35 miles
Boot space: 470 litres
If you’d rather have a plug-in hybrid estate that’s all about sporty looks and handling, the Cupra Leon Estate e-Hybrid should be on your shortlist. Not only does it stand out with its copper detailing and big wheels, but it packs in an awful lot of tech – plus a powertrain that offers up to 35 miles of silent EV driving and 0-62mph in seven seconds. Short of the fiery 310hp petrol range-topper, the e-Hybrid is the quickest Leon estate available. But, if you can do without the in-your-face styling, a slightly less powerful plug-in-hybrid setup is offered in the SEAT Leon Estate.
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10. Mercedes CLA Shooting Brake
Electric range: 39 miles
Boot space: 454 litres
An estate car is sometimes called a Shooting Brake if it emphasises style over absolute practicality, and you can’t deny the Mercedes CLA Shooting Brake serves up a lot of style. The interior looks high-quality and flash, while refinement is boosted by the CLA 250e insistently running on electric power as much as possible. A fully charged battery enables nearly 40 miles of silent ‘leccy driving, which could cover the UK’s average daily commute without using a drop of fuel.
Shop used Mercedes CLA cars for sale or read our Mercedes CLA review
