Hybrids are no longer fringe players in the automotive world. Rather, gasoline-electric powertrains are trending toward the norm, with many automakers offering multiple hybrid options in their vehicle lines. Some are traditional setups that rely solely on a vehicle’s internal combustion engine to charge the battery pack, which then subsequently powers one or more electric drive motors. Others include external charge ports and—relatively—large-capacity battery packs as a means of offering some degree of electric-only driving. These vehicles, known as plug-in hybrids or PHEVs, are also capable of performing like run-of-the-mill hybrid vehicles.
While many hybrids favor fuel efficiency over outright performance, not all do. For example, the plug-in McLaren Arturo is a bonafide sports car that also happens to feature an electric motor and battery pack that can either motor the mid-engine Mecca about for short distances or assist the internal combustion engine during dynamic driving.
With so many hybrid vehicles available, it’s difficult to distinguish the merely good from the utterly great. That’s why we put practically every hybrid vehicle through our
comprehensive testing regimen. The hybrids on our 2023 Editor’s Choice list are the cream of the crop. These vehicles don’t just understand the assignment, they also just about ace it.
Here are the best hybrids and EVs for other years:
