Best Value Hybrids

11 August, 2026

Written by

The Hybrid category is unsurprisingly all about fuel consumption – and being the thriftiest among a thrifty bunch gave the Toyota Yaris Ascent Sport Hybrid a clear winning margin.

Cheaper registration costs, a sub-$3500 bowser bill over five years and an excellent 55.1 per cent predicted residual value saw it fi nish ahead of the MG3 Hybrid+

Excite and Chery Tiggo 4 Urban Hybrid, despite a far higher drive-away price.

Servicing was another Toyota trump card, with very affordable five-year capped-price costs ensuring its other models – the Toyota Corolla 2.0 Ascent Sport

Hybrid and Toyota Yaris Cross GX – finished mid-pack ahead of other, cheaper-to-buy hybrid rivals.

Naturally the top 10 was populated primarily with light and small vehicles. Larger vehicles that qualified on fuel economy were hamstrung with fatter rego costs.

While the BYD Sealion 5 Essential had a PHEV’s typically impressive claimed fuel consumption figure (1.1L/100km), high rego and tyre replacement costs off set its fuel economy gains.

The GWM Haval H6 Lux, a mid-sized SUV, finished last by a substantial margin, due mainly to a catastrophic $25,790 depreciation hit on its $40,990 drive-away price.

Winners and finalists

Best Value Cars 2026

Toyota Yaris Ascent Sport Hybrid

Category: Hybrid

Drive-away price: $33,069
Depreciation: $16,869
Fuel/electricity: $3,467
Insurance: $7,778
Rego + CTP (Years 2–5): $3,836
Servicing: $1,325
Tyres: $700
Total: $33,975*

Drive-away price: $33,069
Depreciation: $16,869
Fuel/electricity: $3,467
Insurance: $7,778
Rego + CTP (Years 2–5): $3,836
Servicing: $1,325
Tyres: $700
Total: $33,975*

Best Value Cars 2026

Toyota Yaris Ascent Sport Hybrid

Category: Hybrid

Drive-away price: $33,069
Depreciation: $16,869
Fuel/electricity: $3,467
Insurance: $7,778
Rego + CTP (Years 2–5): $3,836
Servicing: $1,325
Tyres: $700
Total: $33,975*

Drive-away price: $33,069
Depreciation: $16,869
Fuel/electricity: $3,467
Insurance: $7,778
Rego + CTP (Years 2–5): $3,836
Servicing: $1,325
Tyres: $700
Total: $33,975*

Highly Commended

Best Value Cars 2026

MG3 Hybrid+ Excite

Category: Hybrid

Drive-away price: $29,415
Depreciation: $14,815
Fuel/electricity: $4,928
Insurance: $8,315
Rego + CTP (Years 2–5): $4,104
Servicing: $2,064
Tyres: $636
Total: $34,862*

Drive-away price: $29,415
Depreciation: $14,815
Fuel/electricity: $4,928
Insurance: $8,315
Rego + CTP (Years 2–5): $4,104
Servicing: $2,064
Tyres: $636
Total: $34,862*

Highly Commended

Best Value Cars 2026

MG3 Hybrid+ Excite

Category: Hybrid

Drive-away price: $29,415
Depreciation: $14,815
Fuel/electricity: $4,928
Insurance: $8,315
Rego + CTP (Years 2–5): $4,104
Servicing: $2,064
Tyres: $636
Total: $34,862*

Drive-away price: $29,415
Depreciation: $14,815
Fuel/electricity: $4,928
Insurance: $8,315
Rego + CTP (Years 2–5): $4,104
Servicing: $2,064
Tyres: $636
Total: $34,862*

Highly Commended

Best Value Cars 2026

Chery Tiggo 4 Urban Hybrid

Category: Hybrid

Drive-away price: $29,900
Depreciation: $15,700
Fuel/electricity: $5,673
Insurance: $7,842
Rego + CTP (Years 2–5): $4,104
Servicing: $1,495
Tyres: $884
Total: $35,698*

Drive-away price: $29,900
Depreciation: $15,700
Fuel/electricity: $5,673
Insurance: $7,842
Rego + CTP (Years 2–5): $4,104
Servicing: $1,495
Tyres: $884
Total: $35,698*

Highly Commended

Best Value Cars 2026

Chery Tiggo 4 Urban Hybrid

Category: Hybrid

Drive-away price: $29,900
Depreciation: $15,700
Fuel/electricity: $5,673
Insurance: $7,842
Rego + CTP (Years 2–5): $4,104
Servicing: $1,495
Tyres: $884
Total: $35,698*

Drive-away price: $29,900
Depreciation: $15,700
Fuel/electricity: $5,673
Insurance: $7,842
Rego + CTP (Years 2–5): $4,104
Servicing: $1,495
Tyres: $884
Total: $35,698*

*Costs over five years

Full results

Select a criterion to filter the chart:

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Rank	Vehicle	New price	On-road costs	Drive-away price	Depreciation	Fuel/electricity	Comprehensive insurance	Registration (Years 2–5)	CTP (Years 2–5)	Servicing	Tyre replacement set (same as OEM tyre fitted)	Total five-year ownership cost
1	Toyota Yaris Ascent Sport Hybrid	$29,190	$3,879	$33,069	$16,869	$3,467	$7,778	$1,580	$2,256	$1,325	$700	$33,975
2	MG3 Excite+ (hybrid)	$26,990	$2,425	$29,415	$14,815	$4,928	$8,315	$1,848	$2,256	$2,064	$636	$34,862
3	Chery Tiggo 4 Urban Hybrid	$29,900	$0	$29,900	$15,700	$5,673	$7,842	$1,848	$2,256	$1,495	$884	$35,698
4	Suzuki Swift hybrid manual hatch 5D	$25,490	$3,566	$29,056	$15,956	$4,355	$9,470	$1,408	$2,256	$1,955	$704	$36,104
5	Toyota Corolla 2.0 Ascent Sport Hybrid	$32,100	$3,900	$36,000	$17,800	$4,202	$8,435	$1,848	$2,256	$1,325	$700	$36,567
6	Toyota Yaris Cross GX	$31,790	$3,977	$35,767	$19,267	$3,992	$7,954	$1,848	$2,256	$1,250	$864	$37,431
7	Suzuki Fronx Hybrid	$28,990	$3,810	$32,800	$17,500	$5,148	$8,437	$1,624	$2,256	$2,005	$672	$37,642
8	MG ZS 1.5 Excite+ Hybrid	$30,990	$0	$30,990	$17,490	$5,387	$8,903	$1,848	$2,256	$1,980	$732	$38,595
9	Hyundai i30 Hybrid sedan	$34,000	$3,917	$37,917	$19,017	$4,097	$9,174	$1,848	$2,256	$2,415	$524	$39,331
10	BYD Sealion 5 Essential (PHEV)	$33,990	$3,321	$37,311	$20,111	$4,728	$8,323	$2,644	$2,256	$2,345	$1,440	$41,847
11	GWM Haval H6 Lux (hybrid)	$39,490	$1,500	$40,990	$25,790	$5,463	$8,275	$2,644	$2,256	$2,020	$1,320	$47,768

How we crunch the numbers

Purchase price
The NSW drive-away price, not the manufacturer suggested retail price, reflects the actual cost for consumers. Redbook’s ‘drive-away’ calculator is used for consistency and promotional drive-away deals are included where relevant. Prices are correct as of June 30, 2026.

Depreciation
Data is sourced from AutoEdge and based on the vehicle’s estimated trade-in value after five years/60,000km.

Fuel costs
For combustion vehicles, the five year figure is calculated using the official combined fuel economy, NSW average fuel price (minimum RON for each car) and average annual driving distance. ABS data was used for annual distance figures, while pricing is based on NSW average fuel costs over the first six months of 2026.

Electricity costs
For electric vehicles, a blended model is used – 70 per cent home charging, 20 per cent public charging and 10 per cent solar. This creates a realistic national average of 32.5c/kW. The formula is calculated using combined energy consumption (kWh/100km) and weighted electricity cost over 55,500km.

Insurance
The comprehensive insurance premium from NRMA Insurance is based on a 30-year-old male living in Chatswood and using the car for personal use, with a clean driving history and $1000 excess.

Servicing and maintenance
Our servicing costs are the total spend for the first five services. These figures don’t include consumables like fi ters, which can change the price depending on your individual vehicle. LDV is the only brand without capped price servicing, with those figures based on dealer estimates.

Registration and CTP
The figures are based on NSW ownership over years 2-5, as these costs are already included in on-roads for the first year.

Total cost
The ownership cost is effectively everything you spend over five years, minus what the car is still worth if you were to sell it.

Tyres
One replacement set is included over five years. Tyroola provided pricing as of June 30, 2026, with replacement tyres being the same spec and brand as fitted from the factory.