Five stylish hybrids for those wanting to ease into the EV lifestyle

Electric vehicles are the future but today still command a price premium over traditional petrol and diesel-engined cars and hybrid models. If you're not ready to make the move to full electric quite yet but like the idea of the tech and the idea of saving fuel and dollars at the servo, a hybrid engined vehicle could be for you.

We've got more details on the ins and out of hybrids, plug-in hybrids and EVs here, but if you're keen to see what stylish hybrids are out there, read on.

There’s nothing quite like the Mazda MX-30 M Hybrid. Although it’s described as an SUV, it’s more of a high-riding coupe. The mild-hybrid version of the full electric MX-30 acts like an entree or step-gap between the traditional Mazdas Australians have come to know and love and the future electrified versions.

There are some other eco-friendly aspects to this car beyond the engine too which include fibres made from recycled plastic bottles for the door trim, cork harvested from live trees used on the centre console and seat upholstery that is made from 20 per cent recycled thread.

Related EV: Mazda MX-30 Electric 2021 Review

Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross PHEV transplants the plug-in hybrid tech from its bigger brother, the Outlander PHEV, into a smaller, sleeker, city-savvy body. It claims to be able to get up to 55km range on battery power alone, while the petrol engine enables an anxiety-free combined range of around 700km.

Using a dedicated smartphone app, the battery charge can be checked remotely and there’s even scope to help charge other vehicles, appliances and, eventually, entire homes, thanks to built-in bi-directional charging.

Find your own stylish hybrid Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross here on carsales

The Lexus UX utilises the famous Hybrid Synergy Drive System which has been in Toyota and Lexus models for over a decade. As a self-charging hybrid, it regenerates power as you drive so you won’t have to plug it into an external power source.

Hybrid models can run solely on battery power, so you can creep in and out of the driveway without disturbing the neighbours when you’re sneaking out late. Activated by an ‘EV mode’ button on the centre console, it only works for short distances and at low speeds (up to 45km/h).

Find your own stylish hybrid Lexus UX here on carsales

Related EV: Lexus UX 300e Luxury 2022 Review

There’s a lot packed inside the Volvo XC40 Recharge Plug-In Hybrid, Volvo’s compact but practical SUV that delivers a 40km electric-only range courtesy of its petrol-electric powertrain. Based on the conventional XC40, the Recharge PHEV couples a three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine with a dual-clutch transmission and electric motor, making this one of the more complex powertrains on the market today.

This is part of Volvo's transformation plan with the brand selling only electrified vehicles from mid-2021.

Find your own stylish hybrid Volvo XC40 here on carsales

Related EV: Volvo XC40 Recharge Pure Electric 2021 Review

Yes, you read that correctly, there is a hybrid Ferrari! The Ferrari SF90 Stradale is the prancing horse's first plug-in hybrid model which it launched back in 2019. Stradale translates to "made for the road" and with four motors – three of them electric, the other a twin-turbocharged V8 it claims the title of Ferrari’s fastest-ever road model.

Each front wheel has its own 99kW electric motor, complemented by a 574kW/800Nm mid-mounted bi-turbo V8 petrol engine, adding up to about 750kW. A 7.9kWh lithium-ion battery can deliver up to 25km of pure-electric range on top of the car's F1 style energy recuperation technology.

So the price may be a little higher than say a Hybrid Toyota Corolla, but when it looks this good and is "made for the road", paying $846,888 + on-road costs, it all seems worth it.

Find your own stylish hybrid Ferrari SF90 Stradale here on carsales

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