Here Are The Best Hybrid Cars For Less Than $35,000 According To Consumer Reports

These cars get great gas mileage and won't cost you an arm and a leg to buy.

PublishedOctober 11, 2023

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Trucks and big SUVs are all the rage these days, but a lot of people still just want a sensible, fuel-efficient car that’s reliable and doesn’t cost them an arm and a leg. And at a time when the average transaction price on new cars is pushing $50,000, it may feel like there’s nothing more affordable out there.

But as our friends over at Consumer Reports can confirm, that’s not necessarily the case. You can still get some great cars for less than $35,000 that perform well in testing, have great reputations among owners and also get excellent gas mileage thanks to their hybrid powertrains. If you’re looking for a new car that’s good on gas and doesn’t come with a $1,000-per-month payment, these are the cars you should consider first.

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Hyundai Elantra Hybrid

The Hyundai Elantra Hybrid starts just under $25,000 and is rated by the EPA at 53 mpg city and 56 mpg highway, so no matter how you drive it, you’re going to get great gas mileage. But unless you want to jump up to the much sportier Elantra N, Consumer Reports says it’s the Elantra to get because it’s quieter and rides better than the non-hybrid version.

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Hyundai Sonata Hybrid

The Hyundai Sonata Hybrid starts at a little over $28,000 and is EPA-rated at 50 mpg city and 54 mpg highway. That’s not a bad deal considering the Sonata is larger and more spacious than the Elantra Hybrid while still offering similar fuel economy.

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Kia Niro

The Kia Niro starts a little under $27,000 and is EPA-rated at 53 mpg city and 54 mpg highway. You can also get it as a plug-in hybrid with 34 miles of electric range or as a true EV with a 253-mile range. Design-wise, it blurs the line between a crossover and a tall hatchback, but if you’re looking for a practical daily driver, it’s a solid option.

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Toyota Prius

The Toyota Prius starts under $28,000 and is EPA-rated at 57 mpg city and 56 mpg highway, but if you add all-wheel drive, those figures drop to 53 and 54 respectively. Also, have we mentioned that it’s now significantly quicker and better looking than the previous Prius? Somehow, Toyota actually built a cool Prius.

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Toyota Corolla Hybrid

The Toyota Corolla Hybrid starts at less than $22,000 and is EPA-rated at 53 mpg city and 46 mpg highway. Adding all-wheel drive drops those figures to 51 and 44 respectively. Consumer Reports also found that it was comfortable, quiet and handles well. It’s no GR Corolla on the back roads, but then again, it’s also a whole lot less expensive.

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Honda Accord Hybrid

When Honda redesigned the new Accord, it got rid of the Accord Hybrid as a separate model. Instead, only the two least expensive trims are gas-only, and everything higher up comes with a hybrid powertrain. The Accord Sport Hybrid starts a little over $32,000 and is EPA-rated at 51 mpg city and 44 mpg highway.

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Toyota Camry Hybrid

The Toyota Camry Hybrid starts at a little over $26,000 and is EPA-rated at 51 mpg city and 53 mpg highway. Both it and the Accord Hybrid earned the same overall score of 90 from Consumer Reports, so if you’re trying to decide between the two, you really can’t go wrong with test-driving both and picking the one you like best.

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