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
Between 2022 and 2023, pure EV models increased their market share from 10% to 14.5%. However, it's clear the end of the EV subsidies had a big effect. While hybrid sales remained strong last year, new EV numbers plummeted. Just 7% of vehicles sold in 2025 were fully electric.
Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), which are now subject to road user charges, were also out of favour. Just 4658 PHEVs were registered in NZ last year, while non plug-in hybrid sales were strong, matching those of petrol vehicles.
However, over the first five months of 2026, EV and PHEV sales rebounded considerably. And, marking a tipping point, sales of vehicles with non plug-in hybrid engines (of which just over 1% were diesel) surpassed those of cars with traditional combustion engines:
Sales by Engine Type 2025 | Sales by Engine Type 2026 |
|---|---|
40% Petrol | 35% Non plug-in hybrid |
40% Non plug-in hybrid | 33% Petrol |
8% Diesel | 15% EV |
7% EV | 10% Plug-in hybrid |
5% Plug-in hybrid | 7% Diesel |
Source: NZTA – 2026 sales to 31/05/26
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 2026 | l/100km |
|---|---|---|
1 | BYD Sealion 6 (715) | BYD Sealion 5 (365) | 1.3l |
2 | Mitsubishi Outlander (602) | Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross (321) | 1.9l |
3 | GWM Haval H6 (379) | GWM Haval H6 (294) | 1.1l |
4 | MG HS (368) | Jaecoo J7 (286) | 1l |
5 | Jaecoo J7 (331) | BYD Sealion 6 (257) | 1.1l |
6 | Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross (250) | Mitsubishi Outlander (256) | 1.2l |
7 | Chery Tiggo 8 (165) | Toyota RAV4 (233) | 1l |
8 | Lexus NX (139) | Geely Starray EM-i (213) | 2.4l |
9 | Geely Starray EM-i (113) | BYD Sealion 8 (198) | 1l |
10 | Lexus RX (96) | Chery Tiggo 8 (173) | 1.3l |
Source: NZTA – 2026 sales to 31/05/26
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. Note that all the cars listed below are petrol hybrids, except the diesel hybrid Landcruiser:
Rank | Top Selling Hybrids 2025 | Top Selling |
|---|---|---|
1 | Toyota RAV4 (11,295) | Toyota RAV4 (2165) | 4.8l |
2 | Toyota Yaris Cross (2018) | Toyota Corolla Cross (1185) | 4.1l |
3 | Toyota Corolla (1676) | Kia Sportage (1024) | 5.3l |
4 | Toyota Corolla Cross (1476) | Toyota Yaris Cross (767) | 3.6l |
5 | GWM Haval H6 (1326) | GWM Haval H6 (700) | 5.2l |
6 | Hyundai Tucson (1273) | Toyota Corolla (636) | 3.8l |
7 | Toyota Highlander (1161) | Toyota Landcruiser Prado (515) | 8.7l |
8 | Suzuki Fronx (1118) | Toyota Yaris (503) | 3l |
9 | Toyota Yaris (1050) | Suzuki Swift (490) | 4.7l |
10 | Suzuki Swift (978) | MG ZS (418) | 4.7l |
Source: NZTA – 2026 sales to 31/05/26
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.
