Best hybrid cars 2025 – the benefits of EV and petrol power
Hybrids are the perfect compromise for manufacturers and buyers at the moment, keeping petrol power for versatility and customer appeal but adding an electric element to massively reduce emissions
The new car landscape is incredibly volatile at the moment and the power of the consumer has been made abundantly clear. As EV uptake has stalled, conversely, the popularity of hybrids has exploded. Manufacturers that were once stubborn in their commitment to all-electric, have been forced to backtrack or diversify their offerings, bolstering their lineups with PHEV stepping stones. Conversely, manufacturers that had yet to bet it all on batteries are jumping to hybridisation, to heavily reduce their emissions without alienating customers with a preference for petrol power. Hybrids are everywhere with almost no exceptions, from supercars and SUVs to supersaloons. From the Porsche 911 to the BMW M5 and Bentley Continental GT, performance car staples from across the spectrum are, to varying degrees, picking up some form of electrification for 2025.
Of course, the so-called holy trinity of hybrid hypercars – the McLaren P1, Ferrari LaFerrari and Porsche 918 Spyder – effectively introduced hybridisation to the world of performance cars over a decade ago. Even in those ultra-exclusive and ultra-focused hypercars, the potential benefits of part-electrification were obvious. Never mind torque fill, the ability to drive on electric power and leave your house in the morning without an anti-social cold start was always going to be a game changer. Not that the buyers of those cars were your average nine-to-five commuters, but the potential utility was clear to see. And so over a decade on, there’s a full-bodied lineup of hybrid premium and performance cars on the market, to the point that you could fill an entire issue of evo with them. Here are some of the very best.
Best hybrid cars 2025
- BMW M5
- Bentley Continental GT Speed
- Ferrari 296 GTB
- McLaren Artura
- Porsche 911 GTS T-Hybrid
- Porsche Panamera Turbo E-Hybrid
- Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray
- Lamborghini Urus SE
- Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance
BMW M5
The big hybrid of the moment, so to speak, is the BMW M5. It weighs a substantial 500kg more than its pure-V8 predecessor, and you have to wonder whether that’s a worthy trade-off for an extra 100bhp or so and around 50 miles of electric driving. However, in our first drives of both the saloon and the new M5 Touring, and a subsequent twin-test with the Porsche Panamera Turbo E-Hybrid, we found that BMW has engineered the G90 to drive with remarkable precision and agility for its size. It really doesn’t feel as heavy as it is.
It's big and bulky, the interior is a bit garish and the seating position is quite high but to drive the M5 is a revelation. The steering’s quick and precise, and the front-end grip is phenomenal. It’s nimble too, feeling like a smaller lighter car, and that, in part, is thanks to the rear-wheel steering which endows it with a real feeling of agility. It’s quick too, but perhaps not quite as fast as 717bhp would suggest as its power-to-weight ratio is actually slightly down on the previous generation M5. Ultimately though it’s still a brilliant performance car, despite its weight, and it just pipped the Panamera to a twin-test win.
> BMW M5 (G90) v Porsche Panamera Turbo E‑Hybrid – 700bhp hybrid super saloons go head-to-head
Bentley Continental GT Speed
You have to wonder why the BMW M5 gets such a hard time for weighing what it does, when the new hybridised Bentley Continental GT Speed is just as heavy. Perhaps it’s because Bentleys have always been more concerned about luxury than pure athleticism, making the leap to a heavier PHEV less controversial. But again, while the Bentley’s c2.5 ton kerb weight might jump off the screen at you, it would be totally unfair to dismiss it on that basis.
Because like the M5, the GT Speed is a mighty impressive achievement, in the way it manages its weight and in terms of its pace – not surprising when it has 771bhp and 738lb ft of torque. In fact, thanks to its new electronically-controlled two-chamber air suspension, torque vectoring capability and limited-slip differential, the heaviest Continental GT yet is also one of the most dynamic. It’s still a proper Bentley too, with the presence, refinement, quality and appointment you’d expect, only now with the ability to drive electrically, in actual silence, for up to 50 miles.
> Bentley Continental GT Speed review
Ferrari 296 GTB
Never one to rest on its laurels, Ferrari wasted no time getting its second series-production hybrid on the road in the form of the 296 GTB. It is slightly less complicated than the V8-powered SF90, coming without the two front-mounted electric motors, and uses this purer connection between the powertrain and control to great effect.
The V6 itself is worth a mention, too, as not only is it the most powerful V6 in production right now (without the hybrid additions, that is), but there’s also a real sense of drama and theatricality that belies its meagre cylinder count. But even more impressive, and it might just be colloquial, is that this V6 feels like it was designed from its inception to work with its allotted hybrid module, rather than a simple drop-in power unit borrowed from elsewhere in the range.
McLaren Artura
The Artura is McLaren’s first series-production hybrid. It mimics the Ferrari’s basic hybrid system, pairing a new wide-angle V6 engine to an electric motor that powers the rear wheels via a dual-clutch transmission. Over the years the Artura has been updated to refine the package and boost its initial 671bhp power figure to 690bhp. It’s still below that of the 296 GTB, which produces as much as 819bhp in its most potent driver mode, but that variation is drawn almost entirely from the engine, rather than the electric motor.
Apart from being hybrids, there are key differences between the two, starting with the McLaren’s brakes. The Ferrari, like most hybrids, uses regenerative braking to help refill the battery pack and recycle some of the otherwise wasted energy. McLaren on the other hand has kept the braking purely by means of pad and disc, making the brake pedal feel even more impressive than the Ferrari’s. In fact, this emphasis on ‘feel’ rather than outright performance is seen in various parts of the Artura, as not only are the brakes non-regenerative, they’re also still fully cable operated rather than by-wire as almost all new cars are. The same can be said of its hydraulic steering, with the whole package being one of the most organic-feeling hybrid cars we’ve yet driven. It’s also the most impressive hybrid of its type for electric range, offering 19 miles of silent running capability. It’s such an involving machine that it almost took top honours in its Spider form in eCoty 2024, eventually coming home in second place.
Porsche 911 GTS T-Hybrid
The Porsche 911 GTS T-Hybrid probably has the least claim to a place on this list, given it has no electric-only driving capability. The electrified element is instead fully integrated into the powertrain as a performance enhancer that happens to help reduce emissions. Incorporating a small electric motor into its eight-speed PDK transmission, the 992.2 GTS has a relatively measly 1.9kWh battery – just over one fiftieth the size of the largest Taycan battery. The battery also feeds an electric motor that’s connected to the 3.6-litre engine’s single turbo, allowing it to be pre-spooled for quicker response. Both motors work together to effectively eliminate turbo lag and together with the internal combustion engine, generate 534bhp and 450lb ft of torque.
It’s not the outright power that’s impressive, though, it’s how deeply well-resolved this car feels. In spite of it being the most experimental 992 yet, it also feels the most complete. An unconventional hybrid it may be, but it’s symbolic of how electric power can be integrated with the combustion engines we know and love, enhancing performance with few – if any – downsides.
> Porsche 911 GTS T-Hybrid review
Porsche Panamera Turbo E-Hybrid
Porsche’s hybrid Panamera has evolved into a force of nature in its latest Turbo S E-Hybrid form. With M5-beating levels of power and ultra-sophisticated active suspension tech, it’s one of the most advanced supersaloons on sale today. But it's probably not worth the extra £23,300 over the 671bhp Turbo E-Hybrid.
For the latest Turbo E-Hybrid (and Turbo S), Porsche has tweaked elements such as the blending of the powertrain’s petrol and electric motors, and better integrated the PDK transmission. It’s also made big improvements to brake pedal feel and the switch between regenerative and friction braking. This comfortable, cossetting, luxurious and well-equipped supersaloon will hit 62mph in 3.2sec before reaching 196mph (which it does so with remarkable ease on the autobahn). When not flat out, it’ll go an impressive 52 miles on a charge thanks to its 25.9kWh battery.
The new car can also be had with Porsche’s Active Ride suspension system, which employs active dampers controlled by electro-hydraulic pumps to keep the body as level as possible. It can effectively stamp out body roll. It’s mightily impressive, but is it better than the new BMW M5?
Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray
Beating Porsche to the punch, Chevrolet has also integrated electrified powertrain tech into its Corvette sports car. The E-Ray is the result, with a 1.9kWh battery feeding a motor on the front axle and allowing for a low single-figure electric driving range. Pointless? Not entirely, if you’re bimbling in traffic or wanting to make a whisper-quiet getaway in the morning. But at the same time, that electric motor also adds to the LT2 small block’s 495bhp, for a 655bhp total output, allowing it to reach 62mph in under three seconds.
It also isn’t too heavy, weighing just over 100kg more than the Z06. In theory, it’s the ultimate all-rounder Corvette. In practice, well, we’d need to spend a little more time with it but the concept and initial impressions are very promising indeed.
> Chevrolet Corvette E-Ray review
Lamborghini Urus SE
Revuelto, Temerario, Urus SE – yes, the full Lamborghini lineup is electrified. We found the original Urus to be a bit rough around the edges, and not in the endearing, charming, ‘Lamborghini’ way. The Urus SE, which on top of being easier on the eye, brings hybridisation for 789bhp, electric-only driving capability and a handy helping of sophistication.
Thanks to its 25.9kWh battery and 37 miles of claimed electric range, it boasts impressive versatility that even Ferrari Purosangue buyers will be envious of when sitting with that V12 chuntering away in traffic. Is it the most charming or engaging of its ilk? That’s where the Purosangue and the Aston Martin DBX707 claw back some ground but there’s no doubting the real world appeal of the Lambo. Is that a sentence that’s ever been written before?
Mercedes-AMG GT 63 E-Performance
The Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance puts out some huge numbers, almost as extensive as its name. How about 0-62mph in a scant 2.8sec – that’s faster than the AMG One hypercar. Or a top speed of 199mph? Perhaps less impressive is a kerb weight of 2120kg, and this is a two-door coupe remember. We can’t really single out the AMG though as the vast majority of machines in this list are equally porky, thanks to their hybrid powertrains. If you’re going to have a battery pack large enough to add significant performance it’s going to add to the car’s waistline.
The AMG’s V8 already produces significant numbers – around 600bhp – but add a 200bhp electric motor and there’s a combined output of 805bhp and 1047lb ft of torque. Less impressive is an electric range of just eight miles. It’s a handsome and purposeful machine though with more than a hint of another Stuttgart-based manufacturer’s sports car around its rear haunches. It sits on 21-inch alloys hiding some monster carbon-ceramic brakes and while it is heavy and wide it is a surprisingly willing car, but one with more GT credentials than sports car.
> Mercedes-AMG GT 63 S E Performance
