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) is a great alternative.
PHEVs deliver great 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.
In this article we look at the most popular PHEV cars in New Zealand:
Top selling PHEVs in New Zealand
It’s interesting to note that last year PHEV sales, like EV sales, dropped off a cliff.
Last year’s EV sales were down 70% on 2023’s numbers: 6341 new EVs were registered in 2024, compared to 21,032 during 2023. Overall, just 5% of new vehicles last year were EVs, compared to 13% in 2023.
And PHEV sales have followed the same trend. Of the 34,635 hybrid cars registered in NZ last year, just 10% were plug-in hybrids, this compares to 23% across the same period in 2023.
However, sales of petrol hybrid cars, which don’t plug in to charge (see below), have remained strong, posting a monthly average of approx. 2601 new cars last year (for a total of 31,212), compared to a monthly average of 2445 over 2023.
Is this a reflection of the fact that plug-ins are now subject to road user charges? Probably!
The sales figures below are based on data from the Motor Industry Association:
| Top Selling PHEVs 2023 | Top Selling PHEVs December 2024 |
Top Selling PHEVs 2024 |
| 1 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross (2777) | 1 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross (539) | 1 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross (1195) |
| 2 Mitsubishi Outlander (1934) | 2 BYD Sealion 6 (34) | 2 Mitsubishi Outlander (361) |
| 3 Kia Sorento (718) | 3 Mitsubishi Outlander | Kia Nero (12) | 3 BYD Sealion (223) |
| 4 Ford Escape (595) | 4 Cupra Formentor (8) | 4 Porsche Cayenne (96) |
| 5 MG HS (506) | 5 BMW X5 | Cupra Leon | Ford Escape | Lexus NX (6) | 5 Hyundai Tucson (85) |
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Below is an overview of the three top-selling PHEVs of 2024 in New Zealand. Prices do not include on-road costs or specials, and should be used as a guide only.
Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross – from $52,990
The Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross was 2024’s most popular PHEV by a considerable margin. Its only real rival was its big cousin, the Outlander. The Eclipse Cross comes with all the usual bells and whistles you’d expect from a modern SUV, including driving assist features such as forward collision mitigation and pedestrian approach warnings. Plus it comes in 4WD for those who want to truly utilise its SUV credentials. The Eclipse Cross PHEV offers up to 55km of EV range, and a 25-minute fast charge.
Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV– from $62,990
The Mitsubishi Outlander was No.3 on 2024’s list of top selling cars. So it’s no surprise that the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV is one of the most-popular plug-in hybrid cars, too. The Mitsubishi Outlander is perfect for those who want just a little more than the Eclipse Cross offers, whether a little more space, a little more grunt, or a little more range (84km EV range as opposed to 55km). Like the Eclipse Cross, the Outlander PHEV comes with all the modern luxuries and safety features, 4WD, 25-minute fast charge and that reliable Mitsubishi name.
BYD Sealion – from $57,990
BYD’s plug-in hybrid SUV debuted in NZ last year, and made quite an impression, placing third on the year’s PHEV best-seller list. The BYD Sealion comes in two variants. The front-wheel drive model’s motor delivers 160kW of power and an all-electric range of up to 92km. The all-wheel drive model is more powerful (238kW of power) but has a more limited all-electric range: 81km. Both models promise great fuel efficiency – 1.1l per 100km for the FWD, and 1.4l per 100km for the AWD – and are luxuriously equipped.
→Related Article: Top Selling Electric Cars in New Zealand
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Hybrid options: petrol hybrid vs plug-in hybrid
Petrol hybrid (FHEV/HEV)
Petrol 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 a petrol engine does the heavy work. Because of a petrol hybrid’s reliance on its conventional engine, fuel savings are limited. However, petrol 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 gas-free driving experience, along with the assurance of a petrol engine for longer road trips. However, they are subject to road user charges.
Mild-hybrid (MHEV)
Not as common as plug-in or petrol 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.
→Related Article: Electric Cars vs Petrol Cars: Running Costs and Savings
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About the author of this page
Bruce Pitchers is Canstar NZ’s Content Manager. An experienced finance reporter, he has three decades’ experience as a journalist and has worked for major media companies in Australia, the UK and NZ, including ACP, Are Media, Bauer Media Group, Fairfax, Pacific Magazines, News Corp and TVNZ. As a freelancer, he has worked for The Australian Financial Review, the NZ Financial Markets Authority and major banks and investment companies on both sides of the Tasman.
In his role at Canstar, he has been a regular commentator in the NZ media, including on the Driven, Stuff and One Roof websites, the NZ Herald, Radio NZ, and Newstalk ZB.
Away from Canstar, Bruce creates puzzles for magazines and newspapers, including Woman’s Day and New Idea. He is also the co-author of the murder-mystery puzzle book 5 Minute Murder.
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