With these hybrid cars, you will be able to carry your ECO Label without breaking your budget.
Until not long ago, people who bought a hybrid car did so because they had a vehicle with lower consumption than a standard combustion vehicle, or out of pure environmentalist mentality. Things have changed radically with the arrival of the environmental label , which penalizes us and hinders us when it comes to moving freely through city centers.
The market currently offers us vehicles with various types of hybridization , ranging from light hybridization to what we call “plug-in hybrids.” The positive point is that any type of hybrid car has the right to display the DGT’s ECO environmental badge on the windshield.
If you are about to change your car and are thinking about purchasing a hybrid vehicle to be able to overcome these mobility restrictions that we have mentioned, here is a selection of the most affordable hybrid vehicles that can be found at the moment.
Mild hybridization or pure hybrid. What is better?
Throughout the article we are going to refer to these two types of technology , so it is important to clarify how they work so as not to cause any type of confusion.
Although we call “hybrid cars” any type of vehicle that has a combustion engine that works in conjunction with a battery, the truth is that, in general terms, we can talk about the main types of hybrid cars :
- Light hybrid cars or Mild Hybrid (MHEV) : this is a type of basic hybridization. They run on an internal combustion engine (which can be gasoline or diesel), connected to a 48-volt electrical system with a battery. When the car brakes, the kinetic energy is stored in a battery, which will later be used to help the engine, slightly reducing consumption.
- Conventional hybrid cars (HEV): using larger batteries, HEVs not only store energy during deceleration and braking, but also allow the combustion engine not to act when driving at low speed or when the vehicle is stopped . They are much more efficient cars, although they also have a higher price.
- Plug-in hybrid cars (PHEV ): they are the perfect mix between an electric car and a combustion car. The PHEV battery is even larger, so they can be recharged by connecting the vehicle to the socket as if we had an electric vehicle. Plug-in hybrids can travel for a good number of kilometers in fully electric mode, without direct gas emissions of any kind. Of course, they are cars with a significantly higher price.
There are more types of hybrid cars, such as extended range electric cars. However, the most popular technologies that we are going to see on the market are those three that we just mentioned. If you want to go deeper into this topic, we recommend that you read our article on how a hybrid car works , and this other one in which we analyze point by point the differences between a conventional hybrid car and a plug-in hybrid .
The cheapest hybrid cars of 2023
We finally get into the matter. If you are gathering information to buy a car and have come to the conclusion that you want a hybrid vehicle, here is a list of what we consider to be the best affordable hybrid models that allow themselves the luxury of being able to show off the long-awaited ECO Label. :
Fiat 500
With the arrival of Low Emission Zones in Europe, the first models that should adapt to these standards are city cars . The 500 is the maximum representative of this segment, and Fiat has already done its homework well by launching its Mild Hybrid version .
The good thing about the 500 Hybrid is that it has just what is necessary to be able to carry the ECO label without its price having been affected too much. The little Italian continues to be a vehicle with low consumption, about 4.6 liters in the mixed cycle. Its engine is smaller than the one a few years ago, but it still generates 70 HP thanks to its one-liter engine. Regarding the price, we can get it from 14,800 euros .
hyundai i20
The i20 is one of the best-rated utility vehicles today, and is a regular in the cheap car rankings. This small subcompact from the Korean company is sold in a gasoline hybrid version with a 48-volt system , although you have to pay about 4,000 euros more for it than for the standard version, which has Label C.
Under the hood, this i20 has a 1.0 T-GDI engine that develops 100 HP , coupled to a 6-speed manual gearbox. Of the four versions that exist, this model is also the one with the best consumption approval, as it only uses 5.1 liters on average. You have it from 19,390 euros .
Suzuki Swift
Possibly one of the most underrated utility vehicles in history. The Suzuki Swift was also recently modernized with hybrid versions . We not only included this model because it is competitively priced, but because, historically, this vehicle has proven to have enviable reliability.
Starting from about 19,935 euros , we can buy the Swift in its 1.2 GLE Smart Hybrid version, which develops 83 HP and has an MHEV type hybridization.
Toyota Yaris
For many, the best in its category. Hybridization came to the Yaris more than a decade ago, so it is not surprising that the Japanese brand can opt for a conventional hybrid system without having too much impact on the price.
For 22,000 euros , the most economical Yaris offers us the typical Toyota hybrid experience, with a generous 116 HP engine and a CVT transmission – which seems to be there to remind us that perfection does not exist.
Renault Clio
The recently renewed Renault Clio E-Tech Hybrid is also worth about 22,000 euros . And, precisely, its main attraction is its multimode gearbox , a 6-speed automatic transmission that is the key to E-Tech technology.
The utility vehicle with conventional hybridization develops about 145 HP and consumes 4.3 liters in the mixed cycle.
Hyundai Bayon
Until now we have seen that it is difficult to find a hybrid utility vehicle under 20,000 euros. If we prefer to go for an SUV, the price shoots up even more. For that reason, if you want a cheap SUV and you are only interested in the ECO label, the Hyundai Bayon 48-volt hybrid can be a great option.
This small crossover uses the same 1.0 T-GDI engine as the i20 that we mentioned at the beginning. It is available from 19,155 euros .
Toyota Yaris Cross
It seemed that Toyota had its hybrid market firmly tied up, especially with the C-HR, a best-seller. However, the arrival of new models from the Renault Group and Korean manufacturers has led the Japanese to increase their presence in the B-SUV segment .
The Yaris Cross is, as it seems at first glance, a raised Yaris. And, in a matter of months, it has become a highly in-demand model. The basic 120H E-CVT model is available from 25,900 euros and develops 116 HP thanks to its conventional hybrid mechanics .
Renault Captur
If the Clio hybrid is a direct rival to the Yaris, the Renault Captur makes the same mark as the Toyota Yaris Cross. Although it is difficult to justify 27,000 euros for a vehicle with these characteristics – from this, or any other brand -, the truth is that we can consider the Captur hybrid cheap if we compare it with other alternatives that offer us simpler technologies.
This B-SUV consumes about 5.3 liters in the mixed cycle and develops an interesting 145 HP with the combination of its engines.
Fiat Tipo
If what we prefer is the typical compact with a hatchback body , the cheapest bet is the Fiat Tipo with Mild Hybrid mechanics . The starting price of this car is 25,000 euros . It offers us a 1.5 gasoline engine that develops 130 HP
Dacia Jogger Hybrid
If we talk about economical cars, it is not unusual for the Renault subsidiary to come up in the conversation. Although the compact minivan segment no longer has the interest it did two decades ago, the Dacia Jogger is a car aimed at all those who are looking for a comfortable vehicle and do not give in to fashions like the SUV.
The Dacia Jogger Hybrid offers us a Mild Hybrid mechanics with 140 HP and a consumption below 5 liters from 24,750 euros . Another important detail is that it can be purchased in a 5 or 7-seater version.
Suzuki Swace
We could talk directly about the Toyota Corolla Touring Sports, which is the model on which this family is based. However, this vehicle is even cheaper than the original, standing below 27,000 euros .
We are looking at one of the best-resolved compact cars with a family body on the market, with conventional hybrid mechanics and a renewed 140 HP engine . It also does not disappoint if we talk about consumption, since it approves 4.5 liters in the mixed cycle.
We have reached the end of the list. However, if you are also considering the purchase of a PHEV type vehicle, here is an article in which we talk about the best plug-in hybrid cars that you can buy right now.
