Will I go hybrid instead of diesel?

Hi there,

Since options for new diesel cars are decreasing daily, can conventional hybrids such as the Toyota Corolla and the upcoming Honda Civic be as efficient for long motorway commutes? I would do over 50,000km annually and 75 per cent of that would be motorway.

Ideally my next car would be fully electric, but between the lack of availability, ever increasing purchase cost, electricity unit prices and finance nearly on parity with fossil fuel costs and the fact almost every large battery EV seems to be an SUV, I would need to look at all options.

David Delaney (Kells)

Sep 2022 Filed under: choosing new car

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Expert answer

Hi David,

It's a tricky time for choosing a new car in your situation for sure, especially given your high mileage. I feel that a diesel would still be a little more economical for you than the latest hybrids unless you keep your speeds down. If you spend most of that at 120km/h then a good diesel is hard to beat from an economy point of view. Saying that, the Corolla and new Civic are both very efficient cars and, if you adapt your driving style to their powertrains, then it is possible to return some trully outstanding fuel economy figures. And it must be said, with one eye on future values, a hybrid might be a more shrewd choice.

In your situation as described, I'd shy away from purely-electric cars for now as well. I'd be worried about relying on the public charging network to support such high mileage.

Shane O' Donoghue - Complete Car Advisor
@Shane_O_D