Here Are Eight Hybrid/Electric Cars Under $25,000 You Probably Forgot About

With its small size and only 84 miles of electric range, the Fiat may not be the most practical car for most buyers. However, folks that just need something for around town and that want a fun and affordable option may enjoy the 500e’s personality.

The Volkswagen Golf is known for offering a great combination of both practicality along with an enjoyable driving experience. The eGolf takes everything folks like about the gas hatchback and offers up to 83 miles of electric range. Not the best choice for a long-distance commuter but a solid option around town and can even hold four people comfortably.

The BMW 3 Series has been the “benchmark” for compact sport-sedans for a long time. While some may argue that the more recent crop of 3 sedans aren’t quite the “driver’s car” they once were, the BMW is still a great choice for a driver who wants something that is both upscale and a bit more engaging. The 330e plug-in only offered 14 miles of EV range but will also give drivers upwards of 34 MPG highway.

If you want something big and comfortable without having to worry about charging, the Malibu hybrid offers upwards of 49 MPG in the city and 43 MPG on the highway. The Malibu is very reliable and has plenty of space for the family if you don’t need an SUV. A great choice for someone with long drives without easy access to charging.

Ford made both a hybrid and a plug-in version of their popular Fusion sedan. The Energi PHEV offered up to 20 miles of pure EV range, while the hybrid offers 43 MPG city and 40 MPG on the highway. Inventory is really plentiful for these Fusions. According to Autotrader, there are almost 2000 units for sale that are 2016+ hybrid or PHEV under $25,000.

For a moment, Nissan decided that a hybrid version of their popular crossovers was a good idea, but unlike Honda and Toyota, it abandoned the idea. Both the Rogue and larger Pathfinder can be found with a hybrid, giving them slightly more respectable MPGs than the gas counterparts. These cars are fairly rare and most of the examples have higher miles.

Mitsubishi is rarely on any buyer’s radar, but folks looking for a mid-size three-row SUV with a plug-in power plant who don’t want to spend Volvo money may want to consider the Outlander. With only 22 miles of electric range and a 25/26 city/highway MPG rating, this is really an ideal car for local school runs. The upside is that nice examples with lower miles can be found close to the $20,000 mark.

In this difficult market, the best way to score a “deal” is to aim for a less popular car and remember you don’t have to keep it forever. This is something that can “hold you over” until we see a shift in prices. These wildcards might provide some good options for buyers that want to keep more money in their pocket both for the car purchase and their fuel costs.

Tom McParland is a contributing writer for Jalopnik and runs AutomatchConsulting.com. He takes the hassle out of buying or leasing a car. Got a car buying question? Send it to Tom@AutomatchConsulting.com