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 this year PHEV sales, like EV sales, have dropped off a cliff.
This year’s EV sales are down 69% on last year’s numbers: 5504 new EVs have been registered so far this year, compared to 17,676 during the first 11 months of 2023. Overall, just 5% of new vehicles sold this year have been EVs, compared to 13% in the first 11 months of last year.
And PHEV sales have followed the same trend. Of the 31,328 hybrid cars registered in NZ this year, just 9% 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. 2600 new cars this year (for a total of 28,598), 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 October 2024 |
Top Selling PHEVs Year to Date 2024 |
| 1 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross (2777) | 1 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross (159) | 1 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross (656) |
| 2 Mitsubishi Outlander (1934) | 2 Mitsubishi Outlander (32) | 2 Mitsubishi Outlander (349) |
| 3 Kia Sorento (718) | 3 BYD Sealion (25) | 3 BYD Sealion (189) |
| 4 Ford Escape (595) | 4 Skoda Octavia (15) | 4 Porsche Cayenne (96) |
| 5 MG HS (506) | 5 Hyundai Tucson (12) | 5 Mini Countryman | Hyundai Tucson (83) |
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Below is an overview of the top-selling PHEVs of 2023 in New Zealand. Prices do not include on-road costs and should be used as a guide only.
Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross – from $52,990
The Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross was 2023’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.2 on 2023’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.
Kia Sorento PHEV – from $82,990
Kia’s seven-seat Sorento is a big beast and comes in a range of models, covering petrol, diesel, petrol hybrids and two PHEVs: the AWD EX and the AWD Premium. Both models feature a 1.6L T-GDi Turbo petrol engine, but thanks to their PHEV credentials deliver a fuel economy of 1.5L per 100km. In EV mode, the cars have a maximum range of 55km, and both come with all the luxury and safety features you’d expect given their high price tags.
Ford Escape PHEV – from $66,490
The new Escape ST-Line X Plug-in Hybrid FWD has an EV range of around 56km and delivers a combined fuel economy of 1.6L/100km. The car boasts an impressive range of luxury and safety features, plus sports styling.
MG HS PHEV – from $42,990
The MG ZS PHEV is one of the cheapest plug-in hybrids on the market, and one of the most popular. It comes in two iterations: Excite and Essence. While both are the same under the hood, the Essence packs a few extra safety features and premium touches, including 360° degree cameras, a sunroof, heated wing mirrors and leather seats. Regardless of which model you choose, safety is at the forefront. MG Pilot provides a suite of safety driving aids, such as forward collision warning, blind spot monitoring and lane change assist. The MG HS Plus EV also delivers a very impressive 63km range on battery alone.
→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, because of their dependence on gas, petrol hybrids won’t be affected by the introduction of Road User Charges for EV and PHEV users, on April 01.
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 80km, 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, from April 01 this year, they will be subject to Road User Charges. For more on those extra costs for PHEV drivers, click here.
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: How much will Road User Charges cost EV and PHEV drivers?
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About the author of this page
Bruce Pitchers is the Content Manager at Canstar New Zealand. An experienced finance reporter, Bruce has three decades’ experience as a journalist and has worked for major media companies in Australia, the UK and New Zealand, including ACP, Are Media, Bauer Media Group, Fairfax, Pacific Magazines, News Corp and TVNZ.
Bruce started his career as an entertainment journalist before turning his pen to sport and fitness content, working for some of Australia’s leading sports magazines. Bruce then moved his focus to the world of finance and worked as a freelance writer and editor 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’s Cooking the Books podcast, Radio NZ, and Newstalk ZB.
Away from his desk at Canstar, Bruce spends many hours creating and editing puzzles for magazine and newspaper titles in the USA and Australasia, including Woman’s Day and New Idea. To that end, he is the co-author of the murder-mystery puzzle book 5 Minute Murder.
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