What Are the Cheapest Hybrid Cars?

Hybrids are booming in popularity right now, with their share of new-car registrations nearly doubling since 2021, according to Experian. It makes sense, too: If you want to save on gas but don’t want to make the jump to a full-electric vehicle, a partially electrified hybrid is the perfect compromise. Naturally, some of you looking to be as frugal as possible also want to spend as little as possible upfront on the car itself.

Related: What Are the Best 2024 Hybrids for the Money?

The growing demand for hybrids has resulted in an explosion of different models to choose from far beyond the humble Toyota Prius that really kicked off this wave of electrification. Pickup trucks, minivans and SUVs are all getting electrified nowadays. While hybrids often have a slight bump in price over their gas-only counterparts, all but one vehicle on our list of the 10 least expensive hybrids have a list price under $30,000. Best of all, there’s a lot of overlap between the models on this list and our list of which hybrids offer the best bang for your buck when it comes to miserly fuel consumption, too.

Below are the 10 cheapest hybrids on the market right now. All list prices include destination fees and are for the most recent model year listed on the brands’ websites as of this writing. For the purpose of this list, note that plug-in hybrids have been excluded. All fuel-economy ratings are for the least expensive hybrid trims only.

Cheapest New Hybrids

1. 2025 Toyota Corolla Hybrid: $24,760
2. 2025 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid: $26,250
3. 2025 Ford Maverick: $27,990
4. 2025 Kia Niro: $28,365
5. 2024 Toyota Prius: $29,085
6. 2025 Toyota Camry: $29,535
7. 2025 Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid: $29,745
8. 2025 Honda Civic Hybrid: $29,845
9. 2025 Kia Sportage Hybrid: $29,965
10. 2025 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid: $32,150

1. 2025 Toyota Corolla Hybrid

• Starting price: $24,760
• EPA-estimated fuel economy (city/highway/combined): 50/43/47 mpg

Move over, Prius — and we’re not making a left-lane joke here, we promise. If you want an affordable Toyota compact hybrid, the Corolla Hybrid sedan tops our list. The standard front-wheel-drive version offers the best combination of efficiency and low starting price out of any car we analyzed, with a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine and electric motor combo good for a combined 138 horsepower. All-wheel drive is available for those of you who want it for a $1,400 upcharge, although it does come with a slight ding in fuel efficiency.

2. 2025 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid

• Starting price: $26,250
• EPA-estimated fuel economy: 51/58/54 mpg

The Hyundai Elantra Hybrid’s base Blue trim became an even better deal for 2025 thanks to a $1,150 drop in price, and on top of that, it’s the trim with the best fuel economy. All Elantra Hybrids get a solid combined mpg of 50 or more, though, and feature a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine and 32-kilowatt motor combo good for a combined 139 hp and 195 pounds-feet of torque. While we found the Corolla Hybrid to have a more comfortable ride with more of the convenience tech we crave (specifically, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto) in a head-to-head test, the Elantra Hybrid was the more efficient of the two, significantly outperforming its EPA estimates.

3. 2025 Ford Maverick

• Starting price: $27,990
• EPA-estimated fuel economy: TBA

Ford’s smallest pickup is easy to live with on multiple fronts, packing both an easy-to-maneuver footprint as well as a reasonable sticker price. The 2025 Maverick received its first major refresh since debuting for 2022, with updated styling, a larger 13.2-inch touchscreen, an 8-inch digital instrument cluster and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto standard. The Maverick also now offers some key options that only make a good truck better, such as its nearly foolproof Pro Trailer Backup Assist and Pro Trailer Hitch Assist systems, a 360-degree camera system and, most notably, an AWD version of the Maverick hybrid.

4. 2025 Kia Niro

• Starting price: $28,365
• EPA-estimated fuel economy: 53/54/53 mpg

The least expensive crossover on our list is the funky Kia Niro, which uses a familiar sounding combo of a 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine mated to an electric motor and is good for a combined 139 hp and 195 pounds-feet of torque. While we found its engine to be a bit on the noisy side, the Niro’s cool contrasting “Aeroblade” side panel ensures that you won’t lose it among more anonymously styled crossovers in a parking lot.

5. 2024 Toyota Prius

• Starting price: $29,085
• EPA-estimated fuel economy: 57/56/57 mpg

The hatchback that popularized hybrids is still a fantastic value, and its 2023 redesign brought sleeker styling, better fuel economy and a lot more power. Unfortunately, that sleek new roofline makes it feel somewhat cramped, but if you can fit comfortably inside, you’ll enjoy some of the best fuel economy in its class. It’s also one of the safest new cars on the market, scoring both a five-star crash rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the highest Top Safety Pick+ award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The Prius comes standard with 194 hp and FWD, but you can upgrade to AWD and get 2 hp extra for a $1,400 upcharge and a small hit to its fuel economy.

6. 2025 Toyota Camry

• Starting price: $29,535
• EPA-estimated fuel economy: 53/50/51 mpg

The new ninth-gen Camry is available only as a hybrid now, and it starts at an affordable price point, offering a much more spacious car than the Prius for only $450 more. As with other Toyotas, the base trim (in this case, the LE) is also the most fuel-efficient one; it comes with a 225-hp four-cylinder engine and dual-electric motor duo and standard FWD. Upgrading to AWD is a $1,525 upcharge and a mild hit to fuel economy, but you get a higher-output 232-hp version of the Camry’s powertrain in return.

7. 2025 Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid

• Starting price: $29,745
• EPA-estimated fuel economy: Not available; 2024 model got 45/38/42 mpg and 2025 has no mechanical changes

One Toyota hybrid with standard AWD is the Corolla Cross Hybrid SUV, which pairs a 2.0-liter four-cylinder gas engine with three electric motors for a combined 196 hp. This is the Corolla Cross to get if you can afford it, as it packs a lot more power than the gas-only version plus all of the things we liked on the normal Corolla Cross, such as a logically laid-out interior and long list of standard features.

8. 2025 Honda Civic Hybrid

• Starting price: $29,845
• EPA-estimated fuel economy: 50/47/49 mpg

After a 10-year hiatus, the Civic Hybrid is back with more power and a nicer interior than many of its rivals. Powering the car is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine mated to a dual-motor hybrid system that outputs a combined 200 hp and 232 pounds-feet of torque. With stellar fuel economy, a reasonable price, quick drivetrain and excellent handling, this very well could be the hybrid sedan equivalent of having your cake and eating it, too.

9. 2025 Kia Sportage Hybrid

• Starting price: $29,965
• EPA-estimated fuel economy: 42/44/43 mpg

If you need a bit more room than the Corolla Cross has to offer, the Sportage Hybrid compact SUV has your back for just $220 more than the Toyota. The Sportage Hybrid features a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine mated to two electric motors; it outputs a peppy combined 227 hp. FWD is standard, with the base FWD LX trim getting the best fuel economy. AWD is available as an upgrade; however, the AWD Sportage Hybrid we tested had worse fuel economy than its EPA-rated 38/38/38 mpg would suggest.

10. 2025 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid

• Starting price: $32,150
• EPA-estimated fuel economy: 44/51/47 mpg

The Hyundai Sonata Hybrid is the only entry over $30,000 on this list, but it’s one that we enjoyed following its 2024 face-lift. It offers a comfortable ride, great fuel economy and (mostly) easy-to-use interior controls. The hybrid system mates an electric motor to a 2.0-liter four-cylinder gas engine for a combined 192 hp. While it’s smooth when transitioning between electric and gas power, we did wish the Sonata Hybrid had a better transmission than its six-speed automatic, which seems reluctant to shift at times. We weren’t as fond of the few touch-sensitive controls in the interior, either, but at least Hyundai included physical volume and tuning knobs. All in all, the Sonata Hybrid is a comfortable, roomy sedan with plenty of standard tech features that drivers want, including wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

More From Cars.com:

• Here Are the 11 Cheapest Electric Vehicles You Can Buy
• What Are the Most Fuel-Efficient Cars?
• How Much Does a Hybrid Save on Fuel Compared to Its Gas Equivalent?
• So You Want to Buy a Hybrid Car: 6 Things to Know
• Which Cars Under $40,000 Have Earned IIHS Top Safety Pick and NHTSA 5-Star Awards?

Related Video:

Cars.com’s Editorial department is your source for automotive news and reviews. In line with Cars.com’s long-standing ethics policy, editors and reviewers don’t accept gifts or free trips from automakers. The Editorial department is independent of Cars.com’s advertising, sales and sponsored content departments.