The five cheapest hybrids you can buy new in NZ

Tuesday, 5 June 2018

With a new EV still being a relatively pricey proposition, hybrids are the affordable way to go for more eco-friendly motoring.

So let's say you want to buy a new car and are worried about the environment. You can't afford an EV, but still want to make some kind of effort to be more frugal with your fuel consumption. You hate diesel and you don't want to send more than $40,000.

Firstly; you are extremely specific and, secondly; you are in luck, because today we look at the five cheapest new hybrid vehicles you can buy in New Zealand, all of which sell for less than $40k.

TOYOTA PRIUS C

How much? $27,990.

The single cheapest new hybrid vehicle in the New Zealand market is the diminutive Prius C and there is a very good reason for that - Toyota has more or less recycled the old Prius powertrain.

Making good use of the old stuff that you have already is a good fallback for the car industry, and it works very well here, with the Prius C being a cheerful little fuel miser. It also looks a lot more like a normal hatchback than the increasingly weird full-size Prius.

It looks like a normal Toyota Corolla, but it is a hybrid. How did they do that? Old Prius bits.

* Toyota NZ's retail revamp

* Don't diss the hybrid, says Toyota

The Kia Niro is the only hybrid under $40k that isn't a Toyota. And it's the most modern one of the lot.

* Kia plugs normal cars with Niro**

TOYOTOA COROLLA HYBRID

How much? $31,990.

Toyota pulled the same trick as the Prius C for the hybrid version of the Corolla - old Prius stuff doing the powering.

The Corolla hybrid does have more sophisticated running gear though, plus it also looks just like a normal Corolla. Whether you consider that a good, bad or indifferent thing is entirely up to you.

It may look a bit odd, but the Prius is a fantastically comfortable and remarkably frugal car.

It is even one of the cheaper Corollas you can buy and it comes with Toyota's new Safety Sense driver assist package that includes autonomous emergency braking, lane departure alert and automatic high beam.

KIA NIRO

How much? $34,990.

The Niro launches in New Zealand with a Prius-beating, Corolla-bothering price that belies the sheer newness of its powertrain.

Yeah, the Toyota Prius V is a hybrid people mover. Sorry about that.

The most advanced hybrid powertrain in this list, the Niro also sets itself apart with one truly great advance - actual gears.

The Niro is the only vehicle in this list that is A) not a Toyota and, B) has a proper gearbox; a six-speed dual clutch transmission, as opposed to the more usual continuously variable insult.

Of course, that is a special introduction price and the Niro will soon silently creep back up to its RRP of $39,990, or more than a Prius.

TOYOTA PRIUS

How much? $38,990.

The old man of the hybrid world, the Prius continues to hang in there, getting ever more frugal with each incarnation. Okay, and more funny looking with each incarnation as well.

The current incarnation is a remarkably economical car that boasts Lexus levels of comfort and technology, is impressively safe and also happens to look like a Womble.

If you can get past the looks, it is one of the most satisfying Prius models to drive as well. Which we do realise is not a particularly high bar, but still.

TOYOTA PRIUS V

How much? $39,990.

Really? Another Toyota? Doesn't anyone else sell hybrids in New Zealand?

Other than Kia, not at under $40k, no.

Anyway, the Prius V is a hybrid people mover. Which is a phrase that just makes us want to leave right now.

But, we can't, so here you go; a last-generation Prius with the most advanced batteries (lithium-ion) this side of the more expensive Prius Prime plug-in, the Prius V cheapest brand new way to move seven people by hybrid power.

Other than forcing two people into the boot of a Corolla hybrid, that is.