► CAR’s list of the best diesel hybrid cars on sale
► What is a diesel hybrid car?
► And which ones should you look for?
The best hybrid cars tend to use petrol ICEs in combination with electricity, but there is an alternative. Combining diesel power with a battery and electric motor sounds like a winning combination for the best fuel economy. A diesel hybrid is much more rare than your average hybrid or plug-in hybrid, but there are still a few around – and we’ve rated the best ones on the market right now. I
A diesel hybrid is an ‘electrified’ powertrain using a diesel combustion engine coupled to an electric motor and battery pack. Almost all electrified diesels available are mild hybrids, which provide a small torque boost and a smooth start/stop system to help save fuel. Diesel mild hybrids also usually feature a mechanism that allows a car to coast with the engine at idle when no throttle is applied. And, even so, they’re still few and far between.
However, if you’re looking for lower company car bills, have a wallbox charger at home or the opportunity to charge at work, a diesel plug-in hybrid could be a strong option. Not many diesel plug-in hybrids are available at all, though, due to low demand and the additional costs of developing such a powertrain – even if they seem to make the best sense in terms of maximising possible fuel economy.
Keep reading for our list of the best diesel hybrids – both mild hybrid and plug-in hybrid – that you can buy. If you’re after something more family focused, check out our best hybrid SUV, best family hybrid and best hybrid estate car buying guides.
Best diesel hybrid cars to buy
BMW 320d Touring
Hybrid type: Mild
Priced from: £45,520
The competition may have caught up with it, but the 3-series Touring is still one of the best estate cars out there. It’s a do-everything car, managing to handle sweetly, carry large amounts of luggage and people, feel good inside and look distinctive out. The 320d is a perennial favourite of the engine range and, while it’s a little gruff, it provides plenty of power and manages favourable economy. Eco Pro mode allows you to track your fuel efficiency closely, and the engine is desperate to coast when you’re cruising to ensure it’s sipping as little of the tank as it can.
CAR verdict: ‘It’s still arguably all the car you could ever need. While the 3-series Touring isn’t perfect, it’s immensely practical for its size, well-built and still steers like a BMW should do: i.e. with a degree of sharpness and excitement.’
Read our review of the BMW 3-series Touring here
BMW X1 sDrive18d
Hybrid type: Mild
Priced from: £35,425
It might look a little derivative, but the latest X1 from BMW is its best small crossover yet. Just the right amount of tech, just the right amount of plushness inside and a good amount of technology as standard. The sDrive18d – like the 320d Touring – has a slightly gruff engine note from its 2.0-litre engine, but it’s torquey and a dependable workhorse – and features a super modern mild hybrid system that can provide it with a short e-boost.
CAR verdict: ‘While the cost of entry is higher than an Audi Q3 or Mercedes GLA, the X1 offers more kit in a more premium feeling interior, more space and a sharper steer. It’s a well-rounded family car.’
BMW X1 review
Mercedes GLC 300de
Hybrid type: Plug-in
Priced from: £64,460
This is currently one of the very few diesel plug-in hybrid options available on the UK market, sitting alongside the soon-to-be-replaced E-Class plug-in hybrid. The GLC 300de currently has one of the highest zero-emission ranges of a plug-in hybrid car, with Mercedes claiming up to 78 miles on a single charge. The GLC 300de features all of the technology and interior design of the latest C-Class, including the latest version of Merc’s MBUX infotainment system, but in a taller SUV body and with a larger boot space.
CAR verdict: ‘The new GLC is roomy and nicely appointed, its ride is best in class, period, and the driving pleasure is more C-class inspiring than SUV-like ponderous.’
Mercedes GLC review
Audi S7
Hybrid type: Mild
Priced from: £69,940
A rare groove indeed, but a car we highly rate. The A7 in general still has a dramatic silhouette and, while it’s getting on a bit now, the car is ageing gracefully. The S7 is powered by a 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 that just oozes with smooth torque and punchy power, thanks to an e-boost system that includes an electric supercharger. Head-to-head, Audi says from a standing start this car will open up a 2.9 metre lead after 1.3 seconds of acceleration over an S7 without the tech. Buying one of these will surely turn heads, but the powerful performance package you get for the actually-quite-reasonable sum of money is one that’s hard to ignore.
CAR verdict: ‘Where previous S6 and S7 models have simply been less powerful, less exciting versions of the RS model, here is a genuinely alternative proposal. A quietly confident but easy-going grand tourer with a massive range and realistic running costs.
Audi S7 review
Range Rover D350
Hybrid type: Mild
Priced from: £102,475
The latest Range Rover is still the top dog when it comes to the luxury SUV class. When the latest L460 version launched in 2022, it brought a new level of refinement and clean design inside and out, and kept a tight grip on its imperious driving position and deft off-road abilities, despite now being a car that hovers around the 2.5 tonne mark. The diesel versions of the Range Rover are mild hybrid only, but the D350 version is arguably the best engine of the bunch. If you want to plug in, it’ll have to be with a petrol combustion engine.
CAR verdict: ‘Yes, the Bentley Bentayga and Porsche Cayenne handle better, but few cars are as comfortable as the Range Rover or quite so well rounded. Welcome to the new luxury SUV benchmark.’
Range Rover review