Used Car of the Year Awards 2022: Hybrids

With demand for used cars on the rise, you’ll want to know which are the best buys. That’s where our annual Used Car Awards come in. These are our favourite hybrids...

Used Hybrid of the Year

BMW 530e

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Price from £20,000

We love the BMW 5 Series – especially the plug-in hybrid version – so it’s no surprise to find the latter grabbing the top gong here.

Like the rest of the range, the 530e is great to drive and wonderfully refined. With an electric motor to assist the smooth petrol engine, it’s also able to see off the 0-62mph dash in less than six seconds and polish off motorway cruises in spectacular style.

Start with a fully charged battery and the 530e can officially cover up to 36 miles solely on electric power, leading to potentially low running costs for such a large, luxurious car. Inside, the 530e is spacious, comfortable and classy, with the most user-friendly infotainment system on offer.

Prices for early cars start at just £20,000, and even a two- year-old example should set you back only around £25,000. At these prices, the 530e easily beats its impressive but smaller 330e sibling, thanks to its roomier interior and bigger boot. It’s much nicer to drive and be in than the Hyundai Ioniq and Volkswagen Passat GTE, and it trounces the Mercedes-Benz C350e for refinement and interior quality.

One we found: 2019 BMW 530e M Sport, 28,000 miles Price £25,950

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Also consider...

Hyundai Ioniq (2017-present)

Electric Car of the Year Awards 2021 - Hyundai Ioniq PHEV

If you don’t want to splash the cash on the 530e, the cheaper Ioniq is good to drive, spacious inside and decently practical. Pick the plug-in version and you’ll get up to 30 miles of electric range in the original cars and 39 miles in post-2020 versions. The earlier cars start at just £14,000, making the Ioniq better value than the Audi A3 e-tron and regular hybrid Toyota Prius.

One we found: 2018 Hyundai Ioniq 1.6 GDi PHEV Premium SE, 18,000 miles Price £14,299

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Volkswagen Passat GTE (2015-present)

Volkswagen Passat Estate GTE 2021 front wide tracking shot

Available in both saloon and estate forms, the Passat GTE is a smooth, quiet plug-in hybrid executive car with a smart, capacious interior. It can cover up to 31 miles on a full charge (39 miles in later versions), leading to potentially impressive fuel economy. It’s nicer to drive than the Mini Countryman PHEV, which costs similar money used, and more practical than the pricier BMW 530e.

One we found 2019 Volkswagen Passat 1.4 TSI GTE, 15,000 miles Price £22,950