The 8 best hybrid cars we’re most excited for in 2024

Are you stuck deciding whether to spring for an all-electric car or to stick with the familiar and buy a new gas-powered vehicle? Or have you already decided to have it both ways and buy a new car, truck, or SUV with a hybrid power supply so you can avoid battery range anxiety, save on fuel, and do your bit for the environment? In either case, there are many excellent choices among new hybrid vehicles as some brands cease making gas-only vehicles.

To select the eight 2024 hybrid cars below, we considered several factors. We studied manufacturer history and success with hybrids, buyer satisfaction with earlier models, quality and value among comparable vehicles, and even the hybrids’ fun factors.

Why hybrids still matter

New battery electric vehicles (BEVs) get the most automotive news coverage. Still, hybrid gas and electric cars, SUVs, and trucks are pivotal in the automobile industry’s gradual but inevitable global transformation to BEVs. Many first buyers of all-electric vehicles were among the earliest hybrid car customers. Hybrid vehicles will likely be the gateway choice of the last BEV holdouts who cling to the smells and sounds of internal combustion engines (ICEs) until the gates close on the century-plus era of gasoline-powered cars.

All-electric cars aren’t everyone’s best choice today. BEVs cost more than ICE or hybrid-powered vehicles. The infrastructure for fast charging on trips is growing but isn’t ready to support a nation of BEVs. Electric vehicle service industries are also in their infancy. Hybrids continue to play an important role and will likely continue for at least another decade.

And let’s not forget that many hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) and plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) are also pretty cool. The 2024 hybrid cars below are the ones we’re most excited to see, drive, and, depending on our budgets, possibly buy ourselves. You’ll find sporty cars, compact sedans, luxury sedans, small SUVs, and even a couple of trucks. If you’re looking for quality, value, better-than-ICE fuel economy, and even a little fun, these are the hybrid rides we think you’ll like.

2024 Audi Q5 55 TFSI e quattro S tronic plug-in hybrid, starting at $57,800

Are you looking for a classy but compact SUV with plenty of zip? Audi’s Q5 PHEV may surprise you with its sprightly performance. The electric motor and turbocharged four-cylinder gas engine combine to produce 362 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque. For shorter, quiet trips, you can go 23 miles of range with battery power only. The EPA combined mileage estimate is 60 MPGe.

2024 BMW 330e PHEV, starting price $46,595

BMW 330 sports sedans have always been a sure bet for sprightly performance, and the 2024 330e plug-in hybrid version is true to the tradition. You can travel up to 22 miles on battery power alone, says BMW, but with gas and electric motors putting out a combined 288 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, you can get from zero to 60 in just 5.6 seconds. The EPA estimates 28 mpg combined city and highway driving.

2024 Ford Maverick hybrid, starting price $25,315

When Ford launched the 2022 Maverick pickup truck with a starting price in the low $20,000 range in 2021, the market didn’t just respond; it RESPONDED. So many people wanted to buy the small pickup, despite its unibody platform, that Ford had to stop taking orders when the wait times were unacceptably long.

For 2024, Maverick’s starting price is still low, even with a $1,500 upcharge for the hybrid version. The hybrid combines a 2.5-liter four-cylinder gas engine with an electric motor for 191 horsepower. It’s not fast, taking 7.7 seconds from zero-to-60 mph. However, the payback comes in the EPA’s 42 mpg city and 33 mpg highway mileage estimates.

2024 Honda CR-V hybrid, starting price $35,400

The Honda CR-V compact SUV has grown in size and popularity since its U.S. debut in 1997. The 2024 CR-V has three hybrid models: the Sport Hybrid, Sport-L Hybrid, and Sport Touring Hybrid. All 2024 CR-V hybrid models have two electric motors and a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 204 horsepower. The EPA rates the CR-V at an estimated 40 mpg combined mileage with front-wheel drive and 37 mpg with all-wheel-drive.

Mercedes-Benz S 580e plug-in hybrid, starting price $122,550

The most powerful of the Mercedes-Benz S-Class sedans, the S580e hybrid combines a 362 hp gas motor and 148 hp of electric power for 510 horsepower. Mercedes-Benz says you can travel 46 miles without the gas motor if you run on electricity alone. The S 580e accelerates from zero-to-60 mph in 4.4 seconds. The EPA estimates 20 mpg or 53 MPGe in city driving and 29 mpg or 48 MPGe in highway driving. You can pay more for a high-performance luxury sedan, but there’s no rational reason.

2024 Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid, starting at $91,700

If you’re looking for a hybrid with the power to work and play, the 2024 Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid is a strong candidate. The two engines combine for 463 horsepower, allowing the E-Hybrid to accelerate from zero to 60 in 4.6 seconds. The Porsche can also tow up to 7,700 pounds so that you can haul a decent-sized boat or camper. The EPA estimates a combined 25 mpg for this model.

2024 Toyota Prius hybrid, starting price $27,950

When Toyota redesigned the Prius in 2023, it was as if the manufacturer finally recognized that people who cared about the environment might also appreciate good looks. The Prius first appeared in the U.S. market in 2000 and, for almost two decades, was the sole electrification poster car. The 2024 Prius hybrid powertrain produces 194 horsepower with a combined 57 mpg mileage rating. Overall, the new Prius models are faster, more economical, and easier on the eyes than the previous generations.

Toyota also offers the Prius Prime, a PHEV model that takes electrification to the next level. We chose the regular hybrid version over the plug-in model primarily because the fuel isn’t much different economy. The Prius Prime models also cost significantly more than the standard hybrid, and due to demand, the dealer markups tend to be extremely high.

2024 Toyota Tacoma i-Force Max hybrid

Starting prices aren’t yet available for the hybrid version of Toyota’s fully re-done Tacoma pickup, but that won’t likely cut demand for the potent powertrain in the popular mid-size truck. Toyota gave the 2024 Tacoma a complete redesign with an updated interior and body on a new body-on-frame platform stronger than ever because it’s the same frame used by Toyota’s Tundra, Sequoia, and Land Cruiser.

Toyota plans to start delivering the 2024 Tacoma with the i-Force Max Hybrid early this year, and the wait should be worth it. The hybrid iForce Max powerplant will put out 326 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque. The hybrid Tacoma is rated to tow up to 6,000 pounds and has a payload of 1,709 pounds. Mileage estimates and performance times aren’t yet available for the Tacoma hybrid.

Summing up the best 2024 hybrids

So, there’s no lack of variety, value, and excitement with the latest hybrid models. Whether you are seeking an economical, dependable ride, a vehicle for adventures, high performance, or sumptuous luxury, you can be sure a hybrid model meets your requirements.

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