13 Hybrid Cars To Stay Away From Buying
The automotive world is experiencing significant changes, with hybrids and electric vehicles looking like the future.
While the jury is still out on electric vehicles, hybrids are making a great case for themselves, but not every one of them is a winner. As our list will prove, some pretty bad hybrid cars are on the market.
We have compiled this list of the worst hybrid cars on the market. When choosing which cars appear here, we considered cost, comfort, and dependability, plus the overall efficiency of the hybrid powertrains. We’ve included a mix of recent releases and some models you might find on the second-hand market.
2020 Ford Escape Hybrid
Ford has recently been upping its EV and hybrid game with vehicles such as the Mustang Mach-E crossover. When the 2020 Ford Escape Hybrid was first launched, it was competitively priced at less than $30,000 and had plenty of power from the 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and its two electric motors, combining to generate 221-hp.
According to Consumer Reports, the 2020 Escape Hybrid scored poorly on reliability, with the site reporting 12 NHTSA recalls. Many of the issues seem to stem from the in-car electronics, while the site also states that the parking brake could become stuck in hot and humid conditions.
2011-2015 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid
Volkswagen is one of the biggest automotive manufacturers in the world, but even they can sometimes make mistakes. The 2011-2015 Volkswagen Touareg Hybrid was an excellent hybrid vehicle attempt, but the crossover had some problems.
According to Nasdaq and VWProblems, the Touareg Hybrid of this period went through several recalls, primarily because of a lack of drainage under the battery that could cause a short circuit and even lead to a fire. The problem arose from water entering the rear hatch even when it was shut, thanks to the sunroof drains and rear lid seals assembled poorly by the factory.
Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid
On the face of it, the Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid looks like an excellent choice. A solid flat-four engine under the hood produces 148 hp; you have all-wheel drive and a CVT automatic transmission. The biggest issue, however, is the Crosstrek Hybrid’s fuel economy, which stands at 35 combined MPG.
That is not the worst in the world, but hybrids are out there with more mileage. Motor Trend reported that the current Toyota Crown hybrid has a combined MPG of 42, and the 2024 Honda Accord Hybrid has 44, but the new Toyota Prius stands out with 57 combined MPG.
2018 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid
The Chrysler Pacifica is an exciting vehicle. Chrysler proclaims it to be the first and so far only hybrid minivan/MPV on the market, and thanks to its hybrid technology, it’s become a popular choice for consumers. While the current model is doing well, the 2018 Pacifica Hybrid did have some problems.
Consumer Reports details the recalls and problems facing the 2018 model. Engine failures with the V6 powertrain have been reported, and the site also states that intermittent issues have occurred with the battery Chrysler used in the MPV. Fortunately, Chrysler has rectified those issues with the latest Pacific Hybrid.
2018 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid
Chevrolet has been stepping up its hybrid and EV game over the last few years to the point that it now offers a hybrid version of the C8 Corvette. But it hasn’t always been this good, with Nasdaq reporting that the 2018 Malibu Hybrid has had some of the worst issues. (source)
While the 2018 Malibu Hybrid’s comfort and fuel economy were buoyant, the website says the model has suffered at least six recalls, one of which was for leaking transmission fluid. This is potentially hazardous, as is the fact that the car sometimes loses power suddenly. Dodgy fuel sensors have also caused problems for owners.
Range Rover Evoque PHEV
It might come as a shock to some to find a Range Rover has made it onto this list. However, Range Rover products have had questionable reliability in the past, and it looks like Range Rover Evoque PHEV has continued that trend.
According to What Car, the Evoque has become a magnet for electric issues, which owners and garages find more complex and time-consuming to fix. The site further states that even though around 92 percent of Evoque PHEVs with issues were fixed for three, around three-quarters of the SUVs involved were stuck in the garage for over a week. This is a direct consequence of how time-consuming it is to fix issues with the Evoque PHEV.
2014 Mitsubishi Outlander Hybrid
Mitsubishi was once one of the greatest names in the automotive world, but it has become a slight shadow of its former self. A perfect example is the 2014 Outlander Hybrid, with Consumer Reports stating that electric issues have blighted the SUV’s ownership experience, and it gets worse than that.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that the model has been recalled due to issues with the seat belts and the parking brake. These are two things you do not want to have problems with in any car, especially regarding the safety of the driver and their passengers.
2017 Volvo XC60 Plug-In Hybrid
While it might not be the most exciting, there is much to like about the 2017 Volvo XC60 hybrid. It’s been on the market since 2017, and it’s a comfortable and stylish crossover that certainly has appeal. However, the 2017 model also suffered from safety-related problems, which are almost unheard of regarding Volvo.
The issues relate to the crossover’s airbags, seatbelts, and electrical systems. Due to these problems, the XC60 had to undergo various recalls, with the NHTSA recalling the car four times. Airbags were known not to inflate, which could seriously increase the risk of injury to the occupants in an accident. GPS locations sometimes do not transmit, too, making emergency rescue tricky in case of an accident.
2016 Toyota Prius
The new 2024 Toyota Prius has made the long-standing Toyota hybrid cool again thanks to its latest design, competitive pricing, and incredible efficiency. Yet the Prius, for many years, was the subject of many jokes, and not helping it was the issue that the 2016 model faced.
It was a bad year for the Prius, with reliability problems and electric system issues widely reported. The NHTSA sadly issued five recalls for the 2016 Prius. Two of these recalls were for faults with the airbags. Another was for the parking brake, while the hybrid propulsion and electrical systems also suffered from recalls.
2018 BMW 5 Series Hybrid
It’s not often that BMW gets things wrong — unless it comes to the design of its recent vehicles. In 2018, following the launch of that year’s 5 Series Hybrid, several issues cropped up that were not what you would expect from a manufacturer with such attention to detail.
Describing the problems as a deluge isn’t too unkind. The 2018 5 Series has a genuinely awful reliability score, and what makes it more alarming is that many of its problems stem from the braking system. As the driver applied the brakes, the car would suddenly vibrate quite severely, which is certainly not something you want to happen as you try to slow down. It’s no wonder the 2018 5 Series suffered from four recalls.
2017 BMW X5 Hybrid
One BMW on this list is certainly a surprise. But two making it here almost feels impossible. Perhaps even worse than the 2018 5 Series Hybrid is the 2017 BMW X5 Hybrid, which should deliver luxury, performance, and comfort.
The 2017 X5 Hybrid also suffered from braking problems similar to the 2018 5 Series. This relates to vibrations when the driver tries to slow down, which are also known to pulsate badly. The antilock braking system is known to fail, which would cause many alarms inside the SUV. Therefore, it is no surprise that the NHTSA has recalled the 2017 X5 Hybrid five times.
2013 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid
One of a hybrid’s supposedly most significant selling points is that it is more economical than a regular gasoline car. That is undoubtedly what Chevrolet would have hoped for when it launched the 2013 Tahoe Hybrid, continuing the evolution of a model that debuted in 2007.
Under the hood is a 6.0-liter V8, and with an electric motor, the 2013 Tahoe Hybrid’s combined power output was 332-hp. However, a big V8 isn’t necessarily the best for fuel mileage, and owners saw little advantage over the internal-combustion-only version of the SUV. The best they could hope for was 21 MPG combined with 23 MPG on the highway.
2016-2018 Ford Focus Hybrid
The period from 2016 to 2018 was not good for the Ford Focus hybrid, with different issues hurting the models over the years. In 2016, Consumer Reports reported that the Focus Hybrid suffered from malfunctioning displays inside the car. More serious was the fact the head gasket liked to launch itself and fail.
The 2017 Focus hybrid was recalled five times by the NHTSA for issues such as excessive stalling, transmission fluid leaks, and poor strength in the back seats. Yet things did not improve in 2018, with Consumer Reports also stating that fuel system problems were a significant concern, increasing the car’s unreliability.
