10 Fun-to-Drive Hybrid Cars

2017 2018 Audi A3 Sportback ETron white side ・ Photo by Audi

Economy does not have to equal boredom, or even sacrifice. Some engineers have recognized that adding electric power can not only reduce fuel consumption but also improve performance — resulting in some fun-to-drive hybrid cars. When squeezing the best fuel economy numbers out of a hybrid, engineers try to reduce the use of the gasoline engine, relying on the electric motor or motors to drive the wheels most of the time. But in performance applications, the electric motor acts almost like a booster to the gas engine, adding its ample torque to the equation. The best-handling hybrid cars also use battery placement to aid in weight balance. So don't despair that hybrid cars continue to proliferate. It doesn’t mean that enjoyable motoring is dead. Here are 10 fun-to-drive hybrid cars.

2018 Audi A3 Sportback e-tron

The 2018 Audi A3 Sportback e-tron has got some pizzazz. Not only is it dripping with European style, but it's also a plug-in hybrid, which means that on days when you want the most efficiency, you can drive for 16 miles without ever using your gasoline engine at all and then recharge your batteries by plugging in to a power source. If you opt for a 240-volt charging station, Audi claims that your batteries will be back up to “full” in two hours and fifteen minutes.

When you’re ready to let it rip, the 1.4-liter gasoline engine and electric motor combine to produce 240 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque, scooting the A3 from 0-60 in 7.6 seconds. A stiff suspension, six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and well-tuned electromechanical steering conspire to make the quick hatchback a fun-to-drive hybrid car.

Photo by Audi

2018 BMW 330e iPerformance

BMW's uniquely styled i3 and i8 plug-in hybrids have garnered a lot of attention, but the 2018 BMW 330e iPerformance is a stealthier approach to getting some fun-to-drive out of the fuel-saving equation.

The 3 Series is a popular compact sedan with a well-deserved reputation for performance and handling. Rather than tinker with that formula, BMW invested its resources in delivering a perfect 50/50 front-to-rear balance in the 330e plug-in hybrid, thus preserving and even enhancing the sedan’s nimble footing on the road. A 2.0-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine and electric motor deliver a combined 240 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque, good enough to get the fun-to-drive 330e from a standstill to 60 mph in 5.9 seconds.

Photo by BMW

2018 Cadillac CT6 Plug-In

Fun-to-drive comes in many flavors. With the 2018 Cadillac CT6 PLUG-IN, the flavor is luxury. While full-size luxury sedans have always taken pride in their quiet cabins, CT6 takes it to another level. During electric-only operation (up to 31 miles), the only noise CT6 makes is tires on the road — inside and out. You can truly sidle through traffic in silence, an eerie but serene experience.

When you need to get up and go quickly, the 2.0-liter gasoline engine kicks with the electric motors, cranking out a combined 335 hp to send the CT6 from 0-60 in 5.2 seconds. Talk about a fun-to-drive “sleeper” hybrid.

Photo by General Motors

2018 Chevrolet Volt

People love their Chevrolet Volts. The sporty plug-in hybrid car has been adopted as the “anti-Prius” by many owners who want fuel efficiency, electric-only range and cutting-edge technology without sacrificing appearance and pride of ownership. Looking good and feeling good go together in the 2018 Volt.

While it is not fast at 8.4 seconds from 0-60 mph, Volt delivers its fun-to-drive quotient with good handling and great range. Chevy brags that it expects Volt owners to drive more than 1,100 miles between gas stops thanks to a potential 53 miles of electric-only operation. That may be why so many Volt owners smile as you pass them in their attractive plug-in hybrids.

Photo by General Motors

2017 Ferrari LaFerrari

Ferrari recognized the performance potential of hybrid gasoline-electric operation, and put the concept to the test in the 2017 Ferrari LaFerrari. Using Formula 1 racing-derived technology, the LaFerrari coupe uses an already-potent 788-hp 6.3-liter V12 gasoline engine in combination with a 161-hp electric motor to produce a system total of 949 hp.

The electric motor’s peak torque is available at low speeds, freeing up the gas engine to be tuned for high horsepower — which evens out the LaFerrari’s performance potential throughout its range. If the idea of going from 0-62 mph (0-100 kph) in under 3 seconds and continuing on to 124 mph before the stopwatch ticks 7 sounds like fun, then the LaFerrari is the fun-to-drive hybrid car for you.

Photo by Ferrari

2018 Ford Fusion Hybrid SE

Ford continues to hone the Fusion platform year after year, improving suspension and steering character to make the car more fun-to-drive. The 2018 Fusion Hybrid SE benefits from this effort, and is the best-handling Fusion thanks to the balance provided by the placement of its lithium-ion batteries.

Acceleration is not Fusion Hybrid’s long suit. Ford doesn’t publicize Fusion’s 0-60 times, estimated at 9 seconds plus. But the pleasantly firm suspension and well-tuned electric power steering make for a fun-to-drive experience. The Fusion’s attractive exterior, with its baby Aston Martin grille and sharp lines, enhances the fun by attracting admiring glances and approving nods from valet parkers.

Photo by Ford

2018 Karma Revero

In software circles, the term “vaporware” refers to a product that has been long-promised yet never delivered. That seemed to be the case with the 2018 Karma Revero, the hybrid car rescued from the ashes of the Fisker Karma.

But production examples of the Revero have actually been delivered, and the strikingly designed sedan is giving brave early adopters a fun-to-drive experience with its twin electric motors, 403 hp and 981 lb-ft of torque. Luxury GT features and some clever innovations, like a solar panel roof, promise to turn this piece of vaporware into a genuine fun-to-drive hybrid hit.

Photo by Karma Automotive

2018 Mercedes-Benz C 350e Plug-In Hybrid Sedan

Mercedes-Benz has experience with a wide range of propulsion systems, including gasoline, diesel and hydrogen fuel cell, while the 2018 C 350e is its most affordable gasoline-electric plug-in hybrid. A turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder gas engine and an electric motor combine to produce 275 hp and 443 lb-ft of torque, good enough to go from 0-60 in 5.8 seconds — you’d have to buy an AMG version to get a faster C-Class.

Like many other hybrid cars, the C 350e has a well-engineered balance thanks to battery placement, resulting in excellent handling and a great deal of fun-to-drive character.

Photo by Mercedes-Benz

2018 Porsche Panamera 4 E-Hybrid

Porsche’s sedan may be burdened with a controversial exterior design — truly “love-it-or-hate-it” — but few can dispute the fact that it is fun to drive. The 2018 Panamera 4 E-Hybrid can produce 462 hp and 516 lb-ft of torque with its 2.9-liter six-cylinder gasoline engine and electric motor combined. With that output, the Panamera can fly from 0-60 in 4.4 seconds and achieve a top speed of 172 mph —Autobahn-worthy figures, to be sure.

The Panamera 4 also gets all-wheel drive, helping the big sedan to navigate the curves with ease and grace. Purists may be offended at the Panamera’s four doors, but that just allows owners to share the fun-to-drive experience with more friends at once.

Photo by Porsche

2017 Toyota Prius Prime

The Prius pretty much established the hybrid gasoline-electric market in the United States, and it continues to be a dominant force. But enthusiasts have often complained that it sacrificed driving fun on the altar of efficiency.

The 2017 Toyota Prius Prime, the Prius' plug-in version, is still no sports car. But it has benefitted from a significant chassis and suspension makeover that has made things a lot better. It can now corner without wallowing, and its suspension makes those low rolling-resistance tires easier to live with. Combine that with space-age exterior and interior design and a host of flashy gauges and cool features, and the Prius Prime actually makes our list of fun-to-drive hybrid cars.

Photo by Toyota