Consumer interest in hybrid gas/electric and full-electric vehicles spiked during 2022, concurrent with the sharp rise in gasoline prices and with good reason.
The best hybrids, in which an electric motor and a self-charging battery pack assist a gasoline engine, often get in excess of 50 miles per gallon in combined city/highway driving. A plug-in hybrid adds a larger battery that enables the vehicle to run on battery power alone for an extended period of time before defaulting to hybrid mode, which can be 40 miles or more. However, it must be charged via the power grid to enable this advantage.
An electric car uses no gasoline at all, though they’re limited by their effective operating range on a charge, which can run from 100 to over 500 miles, depending on the model.
Of note, while some plug-in hybrids and electric cars are eligible for a one-time federal tax credit, none of the models presented here qualify for the incentive under current rules.
Here we’re identifying the electrified vehicles for 2022 that deliver the most bang for the buck. These rankings are based on aggregated data that begins with their U.S. News Overall Scores that are culled from multiple expert reviews, safety test results and predicted reliability ratings from J.D. Power. Predicted five-year ownership costs for each model are noted, and they come from the research firm Vincentric.
8) 2022 Toyota Avalon Hybrid
MSRP: $37,350 | 5-Year Cost of Ownership: $51,699 | Overall Score: 8.5/10
Value: The Toyota Avalon Hybrid is the electrified version of the brand’s largest sedan, and unlike some hybrids, it commands only a small price premium over the gas-only model.
Rated at 43 mpg in the city and 44 mpg on the highway (versus 22/32 mpg for the gas-only Avalon), the EPA says that’s sufficient for an average driver to recoup the added purchase price in the first year of ownership via lower fuel costs. On the downside, Vincentric estimates its five-year cost-to-own at $51,699, which is the highest in this group.
Quality: The Avalon Hybrid pairs a 2.5-liter four-cylinder gas engine with two electric motors to send 215 horsepower to the front wheels via a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). It rides smoothly, and treats passengers to a roomy and elegantly finished cabin.
J.D. Power gives the Avalon Hybrid an above-average projected reliability rating of 85 out of 100. It has excellent crash test scores, too.
7) 2022 Toyota Prius Prime
MSRP: $28,220 | 5-Year Ownership Costs: $40,752 | Overall Score: 7.7/10
Value: The Toyota Prius Prime is the plug-in hybrid version of the compact Prius hatchback. It can run for the first 25 miles solely on battery power with a full charge, and it gets 133 MPGe. When the battery is depleted to a certain point it runs like a traditional hybrid and is EPA-rated at 54 mpg combined.
Vincentric pegs the Prius Prime’s five-year ownership costs at $40,752, which is around $340 higher than the non-plug-in version.
The EPA estimates Prius Prime owners will spend $750 annually for fuel, compared to $1,000 for the non-plug-in Prius. But a $3,145 price difference means it would take a dozen years for an owner to recoup the Prime’s added cost in fuel savings driving 15,000 miles per year.
Quality: The Prius Prime’s hybrid system produces 121 horsepower and is paired with a CVT automatic transmission. This hatchback comes nicely equipped and includes a long list of advanced safety systems and infotainment features.
J.D. Power gives the Prius Prime a score of 74 out of 100 for predicted reliability, which is considered Average. The Prime receives a five-star overall crash-test rating from NHTSA and top Good scores from IIHS, except for a second-best Acceptable in the small overlap front passenger test.
6) 2022 Toyota Prius
MSRP: $25,075 | 5-Year Ownership Costs: $40,414 | Overall Score: 7.8/10
Value: Unless your driving habits can make the most of the Prius Prime’s 25-mile full-electric range, the standard Toyota Prius can be the better deal. It’s EPA-rated at 54 mpg in the city and 50 mpg on the highway, with a frugal 58/53 mpg in the Eco trim. The latter is estimated to cost an owner $1,000 in gas to drive for 15,000 miles, which the EPA says is $5,200 less than the average car over a five-year period.
The Prius’ five-year cost-to-own is predicted to be slightly lower than the Prius Prime’s, at $40,414.
Quality: Unlike its plug-in equivalent, the Prius offers all-wheel drive for added traction, though it packs the same 121-horsepower hybrid system. It includes similar features, including several accident avoidance systems.
The Prius earns a 74 out of 100 score for predicted reliability from J.D. Power, which is considered Average. It gets the same crash-test ratings as the Prius Prime from IIHS and NHTSA.
5) 2022 Honda Accord Hybrid
MSRP: $27,320 | 5-Year Ownership Costs: $45,945 | USN Overall Score: 8.7/10
Value: The midsize Accord Hybrid sedan starts at $1,200 more than its conventionally powered equivalent but is EPA-rated at 48 mpg in the city and 47 mpg on the highway. The agency says the Accord Hybrid will cost $500 less than the base Camry to drive for 15,000 annual miles, which means the added up-front cost could be recovered within three years.
The Accord Hybrid’s five-year ownership costs tend to be on the high side next to the competition in this class, projected at $45,945 according to Vincentric.
Quality: The Accord Hybrid is a terrific midsize sedan. The Hybrid combines a 2.0-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine with two electric motors to produce 212 horsepower, which is a hair more power than the base Accord and its 192 horsepower.
It comes standard with all the expected features, including several driver-assistance functions, and it gets excellent safety ratings for occupant protection from both NHTSA and IIHS.
J.D. Power gives it a predicted reliability score of 82 out of 100, which is considered Great.
4) 2022 Honda Insight
MSRP: $25,760 | 5-Year Ownership Costs: $40,618 | Overall Score: 8.3/10
Value: The Honda Insight is a nameplate that’s been used for three separate hybrid-powered cars since the turn of the century, with the current generation being a compact sedan. It’s EPA-rated at 55 mpg in the city and 49 mpg on the highway (it’s 51/45 mpg in the top Touring trim). The EPA says it will cost an owner $1,050 annually to drive 15,000 miles, which is a savings of roughly $5,000 over five years compared to the average new vehicle.
The Insight is also reasonably affordable to own with regard to other ongoing costs like depreciation, maintenance and repairs. The Insight’s five-year cost-to-own, according to Vincentric, is $40,618.
Quality: The five-passenger Insight is about the size of the Honda Civic sedan. It’s powered by a 1.5-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine and a dual-motor electric drive to send 151 horsepower to the front wheels via an automatic transmission.
The Insight gets perfect marks in crash tests conducted by both NHTSA and IIHS, and it comes standard with an extensive array of the latest accident-avoidance systems.
It gets a score of 78 out of 100 for projected reliability from J.D. Power, which is considered Average.
3) 2022 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid | Finalist
MSRP: $27,200 | 5-Year Ownership Costs: $42,345 | Overall Score: 8.7/10
Value: A finalist for the Best Hybrid and Electric Cars for the Money award, the midsize Hyundai Sonata Hybrid sedan is distinctively cast with sleek lines and sweeping curves. It’s EPA-rated to return 50 mpg in the city and 54 mpg on the highway in its Blue trim; other versions get 45/51 mpg.
The EPA says the Sonata Blue will cost an owner $1,050 annually to fill the gas tank, which is $750 less the best gas-only Sonata model. An owner should recover the price differential of $2,700 between the two versions within four years at 15,000 miles driven annually.
The Sonata Hybrid also fares well in terms of total ownership costs, at a Vincentric-estimated $42,345 over a five-year period.
Quality: J.D. Power gives the Sonata Hybrid a predicted reliability score of 83 out of 100, which is considered Great. Hyundai includes an extra-long warranty, with powertrain coverage at 10 years/100,000 miles.
The Hybrid pairs a 2.0-liter four cylinder engine with an electric motor to channel 192 horsepower to the front wheels via a six-speed automatic transmission.
In terms of safety, the Sonata Hybrid receives a five-star overall crash-test rating from NHTSA (though with four stars in the frontal crash evaluation) and top Good scores in tests conducted by the IIHS.
2) 2022 Toyota Camry Hybrid | Finalist
MSRP: $27,380 | 5-Year Ownership Costs: $41,738 | Overall Score: 8.7/10
Value: Our second finalist for the Best Hybrid and Electric Cars for the Money award, the Toyota Camry Hybrid, takes all the base car’s goodness and adds top-notch fuel economy. The base LE trim is EPA-rated at 51 mpg in the city and 53 mpg on the highway; other trims get 44/47 mpg.
The EPA says the Camry Hybrid will save an owner $700 per year in fuel costs compared to the gas-only Camry; with a $1,635 price differential, it would take a Camry Hybrid owner just over two years to recoup the added cost through fuel savings.
Vincentric estimates the Camry Hybrid’s five-year cost-to-own would be $41,738.
Quality: Like the standard Camry, the Camry Hybrid is as pleasant a car as they come. A 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine is augmented by an electric motor to produce 208 horsepower; it’s paired with a CVT automatic transmission. However, while the standard Camry offers optional all-wheel drive, the Camry Hybrid is strictly a front-wheel-drive car.
J.D. Power gives the Camry Hybrid a score of 84 out of 100 for predicted reliability, which is considered Great. This hybrid sedan gets top marks in each of the crash tests conducted by IIHS and NHTSA.
1) 2022 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid | Winner
MSRP: $23,750 | 5-Year Ownership Costs: $40,064 | Overall Score: 8.6/10
Value: The compact Hyundai Elantra Hybrid is U.S. News’ Best Hybrid Car For The Money in 2022. The Hybrid Blue trim is the most frugal, rated at 53 mpg in the city and 56 mpg on the highway; other versions get 49/52 mpg.
The EPA notes the Sonata Hybrid Blue will cost an average of $600 less per year in fuel costs than the base gas-only model. Given a $3,900 price spread between the two models, it would take an owner more than six years to recover the added expense in fuel savings. However, Vincentric says the Elantra Hybrid is the cheapest model to own for five years among those featured here, at an estimated $40,064.
Quality: The Elantra Hybrid rides and handles well and affords a spacious and comfortable cabin. It feels quicker than its 139-horsepower rating might suggest, with its electrified 1.6-liter gas engine being paired with a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and front-wheel drive.
The Elantra Hybrid receives a five-star overall crash-test rating from NHTSA, though it gets four stars in the frontal evaluation. The Elantra Hybrid earned top marks in all crash tests from IIHS.
The 2022 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid has a predicted reliability score of 80 out of 100.
