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If you're on the fence about electric vehicles but are looking to get a taste of what one can offer, a plug-in hybrid (PHEV for short) is a great alternative. In your daily commute, PHEVs offer the fuel savings and smooth driving of an electric car. The more you can drive on the electric motor, the more you'll save on fuel costs since electricity is typically less expensive. But because they also have a gasoline engine they alleviate range anxiety, which is a major concern among prospective EV owners. When a PHEV runs out of its battery charge, a gas engine kicks in and you can continue to drive until you recharge the battery or refuel the gas tank.
Among these types of vehicles, the Toyota Prius Prime is one of the more notable candidates. While we're fans of the current Prius Prime, which debuted in 2023, we'll be focusing on the previous generation, available from 2017 to 2022, because there should be more on the used market to choose from.
The Prius Prime has many strengths, but it isn't the only PHEV worth considering. We've looked back in our archive of Edmunds expert reviews and gathered four other PHEV candidates to consider. We'll highlight the pros and cons of each model to help you make the best decision.
Toyota Prius Prime
First year: 2017
Average CarMax price:$27,596
EPA-estimated combined fuel economy: 54 mpg
EPA-estimated EV range: 25 miles
Edmunds EV Range Test: 27 miles
Edmunds observed fuel efficiency: 63.3 mpg
EPA-estimated electric efficiency: 25 kWh/100 miles
Pick because: Excellent fuel economy from the gas engine, comfortable front seats, a full suite of advanced driving aids on all trim levels.
Pass because: Smaller cargo area compared to the standard Prius, unintuitive user interface for the larger 11.6-inch touchscreen, and poor rear visibility due to the split window design.
The Toyota Prius Prime starts with the solid foundation of the traditional Prius hybrid and adds a larger 8.8-kWh battery pack to give it an EPA-estimated all-electric driving range of up to 25 miles. Once the battery drains, the Prime turns into a typical hybrid and gets an EPA-estimated fuel economy rating of 54 mpg combined. It takes roughly five and a half hours to recharge the battery on a standard 120-volt wall socket or about two hours on a 240-volt plug. One drawback is the larger battery on the Prime reduces the cargo area compared to the regular Prius.
Pro tip: Keep an eye out for 2019 models and newer for Toyota's addition of Apple CarPlay® to the Prius.
Chevrolet Volt
First year: 2016
Average CarMax price
EPA-estimated combined fuel economy: 42 mpg
EPA-estimated EV range: 53 miles
Edmunds EV Range Test: 51.8 miles
EPA-estimated electric efficiency: 31 kWh/100 miles
Pick because: Longer all-electric range than most PHEVs, nimble handling, and easy to drive.
Pass because: Less rear seat space and a smaller cargo area than some competitors, and interior materials don't feel premium.
If you're willing to sacrifice some fuel economy for a greater electric range, the second-generation Chevrolet Volt is worth considering. Though the Volt ended its production run in 2019, its EPA-estimated electric range of 53 miles is roughly double that of the Prius Prime and is still impressive by today's standards. Additionally, the Edmunds test team was able to reach upward of 70 miles during its testing. Once the juice has run out of the Volt's battery, it is capable of a still solid 42 mpg on its gas engine. Other notable features of the Volt include nimble handling in turns and a quiet cabin, and it's one of the smoothest-driving plug-in hybrid vehicles we've tested. While the Volt has relatively handsome styling, Edmunds testers noted that the rear window was small and somewhat hard to see out of. Plus, the nose of the car was hard to spot from the inside, making it difficult to inch up to another vehicle when parking.
Pro tip: Keep an eye out for 2019 models during your search, as those came with a higher-resolution backup camera, a better software interface, and an optional 7.2-kW onboard charger that cuts charge times in half.
Hyundai Ioniq PHEV
First year: 2018
Average CarMax price: $24,406
EPA-estimated combined fuel economy: 52 mpg
EPA-estimated EV range: 29 miles
Edmunds EV Range Test: 30.3 miles
Edmunds observed fuel efficiency: 59.3 mpg
EPA-estimated electric efficiency: 28 kWh/100 miles
Pick because: Good combination of EV range and fuel economy, large cargo capacity, and intuitive software interface.
Pass because: Noisy engine, ride can feel jittery over bumpy roads.
The Hyundai Ioniq PHEV offers a nice combination of usable EV range and excellent hybrid fuel economy. The Ioniq is best thought of as a less expensive version of the Prius Prime, as it offers similarly stellar fuel economy and slightly more electric range. It also features a hatchback body style like the Prius; however, the Ioniq offers a larger cargo area. In fact, the trunk is the largest among all the PHEVs on this list. In testing, Edmunds drivers were able to go 30 miles on electric power and recorded up to 59.3 mpg from the hybrid engine. The interior has a basic yet effective layout, plus the audio and software interface is easy to use. Edmunds testers did experience some visibility issues near the front mirrors and the rear pillars, so make sure to test it yourself to see if it's an issue.
Pro tip: The Ioniq PHEV was sold alongside a fully electric Ioniq and a traditional hybrid Ioniq. Make sure you're looking at the plug-in hybrid version to avoid confusion. Also, the 2020 version received several updates both to styling and technology, so we recommend checking out that model year.
BMW 530e
First year: 2018
Average CarMax price: $34,544
EPA-estimated combined fuel economy: 26-29 mpg
EPA-estimated EV range: 16-21 miles
Edmunds EV Range Test: 15 miles
Edmunds observed fuel efficiency: 36 mpg
EPA-estimated electric efficiency: 46-49 kWh/100 miles
Pick because: Elegant-looking vehicle, quiet interior, and good fuel economy with hybrid engine.
Pass because: Low electric range, small trunk, and more expensive than others on this list.
If you're looking for something more upscale that doesn't advertise its PHEV credentials, the BMW 530e is worth considering. The 5 series is BMW's midsize luxury sedan, which means it offers a spacious cabin and a comfortable ride. Depending on the model year you're looking at, the 530e can travel 16 to 21 miles on battery power alone. This is probably enough to run a few errands or get you to work, but the return trip would likely be powered by the hybrid engine. The good news on this front is that it should be relatively easy to meet or exceed the EPA-estimated figures of 16-21 mpg (depending on the configuration), as Edmunds drivers averaged about 33-36 mpg during their testing. Since the 530e shares its design with the gas-only 5 Series, some modifications were needed to accommodate the added batteries for the PHEV version. As a result, the trunk area sacrifices about 4 cubic feet from its non-PHEV variant, making it the smallest cargo area in this group.
Pro tip: The 2020 and newer models received a larger battery for added range. The following year (2021 and newer), the 5 Series received a face-lift and a larger touchscreen.
PHEVs are sometimes overlooked in favor of fully electric vehicles, similar to how some people like to dive into the deep end of pools while others prefer to slowly make their way in from the shallow end. The way we see it, plug-in hybrids offer the best of both worlds. They have all-electric mileage for common short trips, and when life takes you farther out on the road, there is always an efficient gas engine to take you there, without concerns about battery range and time spent on public charging.
Ronald Montoya has worked in the automotive industry since 2008, writing hundreds of car-shopping articles on topics ranging from buying, selling, leasing, electric vehicles, maintenance, and more. He has also worked at multiple car dealerships and has bought and sold over 100 vehicles. Ronald is a senior writer at Edmunds, where he brings his passion for cars and finds ways to distill that knowledge to the average shopper.
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