A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, or PHEV, can provide most of the benefits of an electric car in around-town driving while also delivering that seamless road trip experience that we've become accustomed to in gasoline-only (and hybrid) vehicles.
The best PHEVs for 2024 offer an acceptable amount of all-electric driving range. Some of these plug-in hybrids could perhaps cover your work commute without burning gasoline. However, that gas engine is there when needed, so a cross-country drive could be accomplished without charging up.
For this list of "affordable" plug-in hybrids, we decided on a price of no more than $50,000. This price cap excludes some PHEVs that offer substantially more all-electric range, but those vehicles can cost upwards of $100,000 in some cases and are not considered mainstream.
So, here we’ve listed the top 2024 PHEVs in terms of total all-electric battery range. We consider the listed vehicles to be both affordable and mainstream. We’re using EPA window-sticker data, as listed for each vehicle on FuelEconomy.gov. Let’s see which affordable, mainstream 2024 PHEVs can get you the most electric miles on a fully charged battery.
1. 2024 Toyota Prius Prime SE: 44 Miles
$34,070
The Prius Prime is the plug-in variant of Toyota’s legendary hybrid sedan. The SE trim is the most efficient and most affordable PHEV Prius. Thanks to smaller-diameter wheels and slightly fewer options, the Prius Prime SE gets you 44 miles of all-electric driving and an impressive 127 MPGe. The higher-spec XSE and XSE Premium provide 39 electric miles and 114 MPGe.
2. 2024 Toyota RAV4 Prime: 42 Miles
$45,040
The plug-in hybrid RAV4 nearly matches the Prius Prime on all-electric driving range. With its crossover ride height and larger utility body, the RAV4 Prime can’t match the Prius in overall fuel economy, but with 94 MPGe and 432 miles of electric range, it’s a solid offering—and it’s got passenger and cargo space the Prius can’t match.
3. 2024 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV: 38 Miles
$41,840
If you need lots of space in your PHEV, the plug-in Outlander is the right choice for you. Mitsubishi’s PHEV SUV seats 7 and offers lots of cargo space. The Outlander gets 38 miles on a full battery charge and averages 64 MPGe overall.
4. 2024 Ford Escape PHEV: 37 Miles
$40,500
The Ford Escape Plug-in Hybrid gets 101 MPGe in combined city/highway driving when it is operating in gas-electric mode. The Escape PHEV boasts 37 miles of all-electric driving. Its 14.4-kWh battery can be fully recharged in around 3.5 hours using a 240-volt (Level 2) charging station.
5. 2024 Kia Sportage Plug-in Hybrid: 34 Miles
$40,965
Kia has been on a roll lately, introducing bold, futuristic designs in vehicle segments that usually feature bland, unexciting styling. The updated Sportage is no exception. In plug-in hybrid guise, the Sportage offers 34 miles of gas-free driving and averages 84 MPGe when the gas engine kicks on.
6. 2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale: 33 Miles
$45,440
A new type of vehicle for Alfa Romeo, the Tonale is a small SUV with a plug-in drivetrain offering up to 33 miles of electric range and 77 MPGe overall. The Tonale stands out among this bunch by offering 285 total horsepower and a massive 360 lb-ft of torque, giving this crossover the kind of performance we used to expect from hot hatchbacks, including a 0-60 time of 6 seconds flat.
6. 2024 Dodge Hornet PHEV: 33 Miles
$42,995
Built on the same platform as the Alfa Romeo Tonale, the Dodge Hornet offers a plug-in hybrid drivetrain on the top two trims, R/T and R/T Plus. Thus equipped, the Hornet PHEV serves up 288 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque, enough muscle to sprint from 0 to 60 mph in 5.6 seconds. The Hornet PHEV gets the same 33 miles of all-electric range and 77 MPGe as its Alfa twin.
6. 2024 Hyundai Tucson Plug-In Hybrid: 33 Miles
$40,100
The Hyundai Tucson is an excellent choice for families that want a roomy, practical family SUV with exceptional fuel economy. In PHEV format, the Tucson gives you up to 33 miles of all-electric driving on a full charge. After that, you can expect up to 80 MPGe, which is rather impressive for a vehicle of this size.
6. Kia Niro PHEV: 33 Miles
$34,390
The Kia Niro is unique in that it comes in hybrid, PHEV, and electric variants. With a starting price of $34,390, the Niro is one of the most affordable plug-in hybrids. Offering 33 miles of electric-only range, the Niro PHEV can charge to full using a 240V charger in 2 hours and 45 minutes.
Honorable Mention: 2016-2019 Chevrolet Volt: 53 Miles
$20,000 or less
Though you won't find one new for sale today, the 2016-2019 Chevy Volt was ahead of its time and still leads the way in terms of all-electric range in an affordable PHEV (or EREV/extended-range electric vehicle). At 53 miles of all-electric range and a starting price tag (when new) of around $34,000, the second-gen Volt was and still is the best of the best. You can find one used for under $20,000 these days if the Volt is what you are after.
