ARE HYBRIDS WORTH IT?
ADVANTAGES OF HYBRID CARS
In 1999, we became the first carmaker to offer hybrid vehicles in Europe.
We’re passionate about sharing the benefits of hybrid driving, whether it’s saving money on fuel and tax, or easing environmental impact.
🕐 30 April 2022
Benefits of hybrid cars
Combining the practicality of a combustion engine with the emission-cutting benefits of electric power, there are many advantages to driving a hybrid over a petrol or diesel car.
To help you find out whether a hybrid is the right option for you, we've rounded up all the key points drivers should consider.
Fuel economy
As hybrids use two power sources, they require less fuel to run than a traditional car. For shorter, slower journeys, a hybrid will predominantly use electric power.
This means a full tank will go further, saving you money.
For example, the Honda HR-V can travel up to 460 miles on a full tank — that's the distance from Watford to Dundee.
Lower emissions
Hybrid and electric cars were introduced to combat the negative environmental impact of diesel or petrol-powered vehicles.
Carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, including methane and nitrous oxide, are emitted from the exhausts of traditional cars. Since a hybrid is partially powered by electricity, it will produce less emissions than a full-petrol vehicle.
Test results vary, but the average petrol or diesel car emits between 39 and 41 tonnes of CO2.
Hybrids typically emit approximately 33 tonnes.
Performance without plugging in
Unless you pick a plug-in hybrid, you won’t need to be concerned with finding a charging station. A self-charging hybrid can give you the advantages of an electric-powered car, without ever worrying about running out of charge.
Hybrids also use a process called regenerative braking to charge the battery, using energy created while braking. Instead of being wasted as heat, this energy is recycled to partially refill the battery.
According to tests by Which?, hybrid cars deliver superior fuel economy to petrol and diesel. Combining statistics from tests in town and on motorways, hybrids notched up an average mpg of 53.2. Diesel came second with 46.8 and petrol ranked last, with 41.9.
Tax benefits
Owning a hybrid vehicle means paying less road tax than you would with a petrol-powered car. In the UK, hybrids are classed as ‘alternative fuel’ cars. The tax rates are £10 less per year than for a petrol vehicle with the same CO2 output.
For company car drivers there are even more savings, as a hybrid’s lesser CO2 output means a lower band for benefit-in-kind tax.
Dual benefits
Hybrid cars offer a great combination of petrol and electric virtues.
Electric power provides quiet, zero-emission running at city speeds. At higher speeds, there’s the power of a traditional petrol engine.
As with a conventional car, you can quickly refuel with petrol and continue on a long journey.
Fuel economy
As hybrids use two power sources, they require less fuel to run than a traditional car. For shorter, slower journeys, a hybrid will predominantly use electric power.
This means a full tank will go further, saving you money. For example, the Honda HR-V can travel up to 460 miles on a full tank. And the hybrid Honda Jazz can travel up to 540 miles.
Less Depreciation
Hybrid cars hold their value better than petrol cars, thanks to their reliability, lower running costs and the fact there are fewer models on the market.
As hybrids use electric power at slower speeds, there’s less wear and tear on the engine. The brakes last longer, too – they don’t have to work as hard because the regenerative braking system helps to slow the car down.
What Car? analysed more than 7,000 different makes and models and discovered electrified vehicles retain 47% of their value on average, after three years and 30,000 miles.
Considering a good-quality used car? Search Honda's used hybrids.
affordable to maintain
Because hybrid cars spend some of their time running on electric power, there’s less wear and tear on the engine.
The brakes last longer, too. They don’t have to work as hard because the regenerative braking system helps slow the car down. As the brakes need replacing less often, servicing costs are kept down.
For peace of mind, the Honda i-MMD battery is covered by a comprehensive warranty for the first five years or 100,000km – whichever comes first.
Should I buy a hybrid?
If you’re not ready to commit to a full electric vehicle, a hybrid can be a great option that offers you most of the benefits, without changing the way you drive.
For instance, the Honda i-MMD Hybrid powertrain used in our hybrid cars delivers efficient performance that switches between electric and petrol power, depending on your speed.
This offers a responsive drive, while delivering greater fuel economy and lower emissions.
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