For those who don't want to break their reliance on fossil fuels completely by purchasing a fully electric vehicle, known as an EV or BEV (battery electric vehicle), a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) or petrol hybrid (HEV) is a great alternative.
Hybrids deliver excellent fuel economy and lower emissions, while still being able to take advantage of the speedy refuelling options and range advantages associated with conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles.
Top selling hybrid vehicles in New Zealand
Over the past three years, new EV sales have dropped considerably:
- 2023: 21,032 EVs
- 2024: 6341 EVs
- 2025: 6871 EVs
And plug-in hybrids, which are now subject to road user charges, are also out of favour. Just 4658 plug-in hybrids were registered in NZ last year, while non plug-in hybrid sales matched those of petrol vehicles.
Sales by Engine Type 2025 | Sales by Engine Type 2026 |
|---|---|
40% Petrol | 41% Petrol |
40% Non plug-in hybrid | 36% Non plug-in hybrid |
8% Diesel | 8% Diesel |
7% EV | 8% EV |
5% Plug-in hybrid | 7% Plug-in hybrid |
Source: NZTA – 2026 sales to 28/02/26
Top selling plug-in hybrids
Below are the top 10 best-selling PHEVs in NZ, plus their approx fuel efficiency measured by litres per 100km. Note that fuel efficiency does change slightly between sub-model types:
Rank | Top Selling PHEVs 2025 | Top Selling PHEVs 2025 | l/100km |
|---|---|---|
1 | BYD Sealion 6 (715) | BYD Sealion 5 (126) | 1.3l |
2 | Mitsubishi Outlander (602) | BYD Sealion 6 (125) | 1.1l |
3 | GWM Haval H6 (379) | Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross (116) | 1.9l |
4 | MG HS (368) | GWM Haval H6 (101) | 1.1l |
5 | Jaecoo J7 (331) | Jaecoo J7 (85) | 1l |
6 | Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross (250) | Mitsubishi Outlander (60) | 1.2l |
7 | Chery Tiggo 8 (165) | Geely Starray EM-i (59) | 2.4l |
8 | Lexus NX (139) | Chery Tiggo 8 (52) | 1.3l |
9 | Geely Starray EM-i (113) | Chery Tiggo 7 (37) | 1.4l |
10 | Lexus RX (96) | BYD Sealion 8 1l | Omoda 9 1.4l (36) |
Source: NZTA – 2026 sales to 28/02/26
Top selling hybrids
As most new Toyota models are either petrol or diesel hybrids, and Toyota is the country's No.1 car brand, boasting around a quarter (23%) of all new vehicle registrations last year, it's no surprise that the Japanese car marque dominates the hybrid charts.
Rank | Top Selling Hybrids 2025 | Top Selling |
|---|---|---|
1 | Toyota RAV4 (11,295) | Toyota RAV4 (1008) | 4.8l |
2 | Toyota Yaris Cross (2018) | Toyota Corolla Cross (484) | 4.1l |
3 | Toyota Corolla (1676) | Toyota Yaris Cross (415) | 3.6l |
4 | Toyota Corolla Cross (1476) | Kia Sportage (315) | 5.3l |
5 | GWM Haval H6 (1326) | GWM Haval H6 (225) | 5.2l |
6 | Hyundai Tucson (1273) | Toyota Corolla (222) | 3.8l |
7 | Toyota Highlander (1161) | Suzuki Swift (205) | 4.7l |
8 | Suzuki Fronx (1118) | Toyota Yaris (184) | 3l |
9 | Toyota Yaris (1050) | Honda Jazz (147) | 4.8l |
10 | Suzuki Swift (978) | Toyota Landcruiser Prado (147) | 8.7l |
Source: NZTA – 2026 sales to 28/02/26
Hybrid options: hybrid vs plug-in hybrid
Hybrid (HEV)
Petrol/diesel hybrids, like the first mass-produced hybrid car, the Toyota Prius, feature a battery that is charged during driving, not from an external power source. The car's electric motor is reserved for stop-start urban driving, while the combustion engine does the heavy work. Because of a hybrid's reliance on its conventional engine, fuel savings are limited. However, hybrid owners do not pay road user charges.
Plug-in hybrid (PHEV)
A plug-in hybrid has a large battery and a powerful electric motor that, together, allow you to drive at speed for long distances, from around 40km to 90km, depending on the model. Like fully electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids need to be plugged in and charged.
When used for day-to-day city driving and short commutes, plug-in hybrids offer a fuel-free driving experience, along with the assurance of a conventional engine for longer road trips. However, they are subject to road user charges.
Mild-hybrid (MHEV)
Not as common as plug-in or petrol/diesel hybrids, mild hybrid electric vehicles use a battery-powered electric motor alongside a conventional petrol engine to improve efficiency. Mild hybrids use regenerative braking to charge their batteries while driving. They don't charge from an external power source and are not capable of electric-only driving.
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