The car makers in the UK are constantly innovating with the hybrid and electric variants and breaking new grounds every season. In the present times, almost every car manufacturer have at least one hybrid vehicle under their ownership. The modern day vehicles are endowed with low emissions and high fuel economy. Whether you are looking for a SUV or a compact hatchback, you now have a hybrid variety for every kind of car model. The below listed cars have been considered as some of the most eco-friendly cars of this year.
-
Toyota Prius Hatchback
First launched in 1997, the latest generation of Toyota Prius is considered one of the best models of eco-friendly cars to battle pollution. The modern interiors as well as the exteriors of this car are worth praising. The carbon dioxide emission of this vehicle is less than 75g/km which ensures that you do not have to pay either road tax or the London Congestion Charge making this an ideal vehicle for the Uber drivers and the minicab owners. Priced from £23, 295 onwards the Toyota Prius comes with a generous five year/100000 miles warranty which makes it an all rounder vehicle to be driven on the UK roads.
-
BMW i3 Hatchback
The BMW i3 Hatchback was first launched in 2013. This vehicle uses a small engine powered by petrol as an on board generator to charge the batteries instead of putting direct power on the wheels of the car. The carbon dioxide emission of the BMW i3 Hatchback is just 13g/km which makes it one of the most eco-friendly cars and into the lowest tax bracket. The upbeat modern design is to watch out for and inspite of being a tad expensive (£32.300 onwards) it has still won rave reviews.
-
Hyundai Ioniq Hatchback
The Hyundai Ioniq Hatchback has been the first ever vehicle to be offered as a fully electric vehicle, a hybrid vehicle as well as a plug-in hybrid vehicle. This vehicle poses a strong competition to the Toyota Prius in terms of being one of the most eco-friendly cars and wins the spot with many consumers owing to it’s conventional design. The Hyundai Ioniq Hatchback returns around 83mpg and the carbon dioxide emission is 79g/km which however, makes it liable to pay the London Congestion Charge although it costs nothing to road tax. The gearbox of this vehicle is considered to be extremely appealing. This car is priced from £19,995 onwards.
-
Kia Niro SUV
The Kia Niro is a refined and a quite vehicle and combines the body style of that of an SUV with a high-tech hybrid engineering. The vehicle comes in a fuss free robust design with a conventional body shape. One of the most striking features of the Niro is that these eco–friendly cars makes hybrid motoring seamless and normal. The automatic gearbox is equipped with dual clutch which renders the driving experience much like the Toyota Prius. These eco-friendly cars provide a 74 mpg economy and carbon dioxide emissions of 88g/km. Priced at £21,295 onwards the Niro comes with Kia’s seven year/100000 miles warranty period.
-
Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV SUV
The Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric vehicle) is not much expensive than the standard Outlander which runs on Diesel but the former is less expensive to run. The plug-in variety can traverse upto 30 miles on electricity alone and returns 148pg. This vehicle can rid you of the worries of road tax and London Congestion Charge owing to it’s carbon dioxide emission of just 44g/km. Another interesting feature of the Mitsubishi Outlander is that it is placed in the tax band of the lowest benefit in kind company (BiK). This vehicle exudes the rugged look of that of SUV and boasts of considerable space in the interiors. The Outlander is priced at £38,300 upwards.
-
Volkswagen Golf GTE Hatchback
The Volkswagen Golf GTE Hatchback is power packed with a 1.4 litre turbocharged petrol engine and can run up to 31 miles with electric power only. The fuel economy figure is 166 mpg which is an impressive figure. With a menial carbon dioxide emission of 35g/km, you are exempted from both the road tax and the London Congestion Charge. This vehicle also falls under the lowest 7% company car tax band. The Volkswagen Golf GTE Hatchback renders a smooth driving experience and it is less likely that you will find a difference with the fuel run Volkswagen Golf when you sit behind the wheels. However, the heavy car batteries are a slight hindrance. Being considered as one of the most eco-friendly cars of 2016, this vehicle is priced at £34,005 onwards.
-
Lexus CT Hatchback
The Lexus CT is a luxurious vehicle although it’s engineering can be closely compared with that of the Toyota Prius. This car was relaunched a few years back with a softer suspension, more appealing exteriors and at a cheaper price. The Lexus CT emits 82 g/km of carbon dioxide and returns 74.3 mpg. As one of the most eco-friendly cars, this car has been rated highly by consumers owing to it’s high quality interiors and exteriors and comfortable seating experience. The Lexus CT Hatchback is priced from £21,245 onwards.
-
Mercedes E-Class Saloon
The plug-in hybrid Mercedes E-Class Saloon is a set of impressive eco-friendly cars. Although priced at a whooping £34,440 onwards, this vehicle is said to return around 134 mpg and has exceptionally low running costs. The carbon dioxide emissions range from 49 to 57 g/km depending on whether you select the 18 inch alloy wheels variation or the 19 inch one. The all electricity driving range is up to 20 miles. The Mercedes EClass finds popularity with enterprises as company cars.
In the UK, the sale of hybrid cars in every rising as car manufacturers continues to strive to introduce the most ecologically efficient vehicles in the market. The goal is to manufacture eco-friendly cars which are efficient but attractive and whose emission sis so low that they do not attract road taxes or the London Congestion charge, making them a popular choice among those who live and travel in London.
