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Hi Daragh,

OK, with on-street parking, I’d recommend you steer well and truly clear of a plug-in hybrid for now. I’m in the same position and with the dearth of public chargers, it’s a real nightmare to get a charge into them and use them at their most efficient. Unless you feel happy using local public chargers, of course, but if you’re going to do that I’d make sure to do the literal legwork, and see how far they are from your home as you may sometimes have to leave the car charging and walk home. Not the most convenient.

If you’re looking at a hybrid, of course, that turns us instantly in the direction of Toyota. The Camry is a truly excellent car, but it’s a bit of a mobile sofa. If you thought that the Superb’s ride was a bit too soft, then I don’t think you’d be a candidate for a Camry. Possibly a Lexus, then? An ES 300h is basically a Camry in a smarter suit, but again it’s not the sharpest car to drive. An NX 300h SUV might be a good balance — roomy enough to be toddler-friendly, reasonably sharp to drive and a hybrid without a plug. The Toyota RAV4 is another good (even excellent) option, but again would perhaps be a bit too soggy at the controls for your taste.

There is a hybrid (as opposed to plug-in hybrid) Hyundai Tucson on the way soon, and we mean the incoming new version, which gets much more dramatic styling than that of the current car, and which will have suspension and steering fettled, in part, by Hyundai’s N-Sport division. Could be worth hanging on for that if you like the look of it.

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Hi Kevin,

It will depend on the model, but it could be as little as €700 for a ‘Luxury’ spec GS 450h from 2008. 

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Hi Joe,

With that annual mileage, I honestly don't think you, nor the charging network, are ready for a pure EV, at any price. The longest range version of the Tesla Model 3 gets closest to your needs, but is a good deal smaller than your Jaguar.

For now, I'd suggest that, if you're adamant that you don't want a pure diesel, then a hybrid is indeed your best option. Another to consider alongside the two you've mentioned is the Lexus ES. Nonetheless, with your mileage, I'd expect the diesel-electric hybrid Mercedes to be the best all-rounder - and the E-Class is a lovely car anyway.

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Hi Tony,

Currently you can buy the following hybrids on the Irish market: Toyota Corolla, CH-R, RAV4, Prius, Yaris, and there are probably a few run-out  examples of the Auris Hybrid out there still in dealerships. There’s also the Kia Niro and the Hyundai Ioniq. There’s the full Lexus range — CT, IS, RC, GS, ES, LS, NX, RX and LC. There’s the Ford Mondeo Hybrid, too. There’s the new Honda CR-V Hybrid, some Mercedes diesel-hybrids and petrol plug-in hybrids, oh and the new AMG 53 six-cylinder mild hybrids.

Suzuki does mild hybrids too — for the Baleno, Swift and Ignis. Then there are the plug-in hybrids — Kia Niro and Hyundai Ioniq again, plus the Volvo XC90 and XC60 T8 models, along with the S90 and V90; the BMW i8, 330e, 530e, X5 40e, 225xe, and the MINI Countryman S E; there’s also the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport plug-ins, the Mitsubishi Outlander, the Volkswagen Golf and Passat GTE, the Audi Q7 e-tron and the Porsche Panamera and Cayenne.

I bet I've forgotten some...

Expert answer

Hi Eimear,

It’s a tricky one and it kind of depends on what age of car you’re looking at. I think with your driving profile and the fact that, as you say, you don’t drive much in town, hybrid may not be right for you. Emphasis on the ‘may.’

If you’re buying a new hybrid, that equation changes a little. The current Toyota Prius, for example, gets an easy 65mpg on the motorway, which is better than I’ve ever got out of any diesel. Ditto the Kia Niro plugin-hybrid. It’s not just new cars either. A few years back I squeezed better economy out of a Lexus GS 300h on a run from Dublin to West Cork and back than I did on the same route, in the same week, with a Ford Mondeo Vignale diesel.

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Hi Emma,

I think a hybrid could well suit you, and with your M50-heavy driving (especially in stop-start traffic) it could prove ideal. The IS 300h is indeed a lovely car — beautifully built and good to drive, but you might find that the cabin and boot are on the small side for your family needs. It could be worth looking at the larger GS 300h (same engine, similar real-world economy) or maybe the NX 300h crossover. If you fancy something a bit cheaper, the Prius is always a good choice, as is Kia’s really rather good Niro hybrid.

Read our reviews for more:

Lexus IS reviews

Lexus GS reviews

Lexus NX reviews

Toyota Prius reviews

Kia Niro reviews

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Hi Emil,

As far as reliability and solidity go, there’s nothing to worry about. As long as it comes with a full service history and has been looked after by its previous owners, it should prove to be one of the most reliable cars you could possibly buy. Now, things to worry about — space; the CT 200h is very comfy and nice up front, but space in the back seats is quite poor and the boot is small, so bear that in mind. Secondly, economy. The CT 200h uses an older hybrid system, derived from the third generation Toyota Prius, and it’s quite tricky to get the best economy from it. As long as you drive gently, and mostly in town, you should be fine, but longer journeys, especially on the motorway, will seriously hit your fuel consumption figure.

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Hi Brian,

The diesel question is a particularly thorny one, mostly because we don’t have any firm guidance from the Government on what is going to happen with the taxation system. If anti-diesel taxes are brought in, then that will definitely have a serious effect on diesel used prices. For now though, all we can reliably say is that diesel is still popular outside the major urban centres and, for the most part, it’s still the best choice for the long-distance driver. I say most part, because hybrids are improving all the time and such cars as the Kia Niro and Toyota Prius are well able to manage better than 60mpg even on long motorway hauls, while a Lexus GS 300h, for example, is every bit as frugal in daily driving as a rival diesel product.

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Hi David,

How about a BMW 320i? Not as powerful as your 330d, of course, but a really lovely engine, and pretty frugal for all those long journeys. Of course, if you’re buying a year-old car then diesel is still a viable option, especially if you’re racking those miles up, so another 330d could well be a good choice. It’s Euro 6 emissions compliant, so even if there are some penalties for diesel models coming down the line, it probably (fingers crossed) won’t be affected.

There are some other options, of course. How about a Lexus GS 300h? Big, comfy, great for long journeys, and 40mpg+, plus you’re future-proofing yourself with a hybrid (not a plugin). The IS 300h is also a good bet, but is a touch small on the inside, hence we’d possibly try and spend the extra to the the GS. Here are a few reviews to read:

Lexus GS reviews

Lexus IS reviews

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Hi Robert,

It will depend on the total spec, inclusive of extras, but a rough calculation says it should be around €4,800-€5,000.