Study: Five-Year-Old Hybrids With the Highest Satisfaction Rate

Published on August 8, 2022 in Pre-owned vehicles by The Car Guide

Modern hybrid vehicles have been available for over 20 years and there is plenty of choice on the per-owned market. Of course, their main appeal is fuel economy, but some models also allow you to save money by being reliable and inexpensive to maintain.

The American magazine Consumer Reports has recently done a study using its own data and owner surveys to determine what five-year-old hybrid vehicles (model year 2017) yield the highest satisfaction rate.

Besides fuel consumption, other criteria like handling, reliability and safety were considered, and all hybrid vehicle types and formats were eligible.

And what are the results? Here’s a list that’s clearly dominated, as you'll soon realise, by a single manufacturer.

2017 Toyota Prius

Average consumption (Natural Resources Canada): 4.5 L/100 km

Consumer Reports comments: Spacious, convenient liftgate, reasonable price, very low consumption, relatively silent cabin, several active safety systems.

2017 Toyota Prius Prime

Average consumption (Natural Resources Canada): 1.8 L or 4.3 L/100 km

Consumer Reports comments: All the advantages of the Prius with an electric autonomy of about 40 km in optimal conditions, complete recharge in 5 hours using a 120V outlet.

2017 Toyota Prius V

Average consumption (Natural Resources Canada): 5.8 L/100 km

Consumer Reports comments: All the advantages of the Prius in a more spacious and versatile format, convenient back seat, trunk space over 900 litres.

2017 Ford C-MAX

Average consumption (Natural Resources Canada): 5.9 L/100 km

Consumer Reports comments: Frugal, silent, smooth ride, good handling, convenient liftgate, easy access, lack of active safety systems.

2017 Toyota Camry hybrid

Average consumption (Natural Resources Canada): 5.9 L/100 km

Consumer Reports comments: Spacious, silent, comfortable, reliable, safe, no wonder why the Camry is still popular despite the decline of sedans. 

2017 Honda Accord hybrid

Average consumption (Natural Resources Canada): 5 L/100 km

Consumer Reports comments: Convenient, pleasant to use daily, comfortable, reliable, low consumption, slightly sporty, no compromise on safety.

2017 Toyota RAV4 hybrid

Average consumption (Natural Resources Canada): 7.3 L/100 km

Consumer Reports comments: Spacious, convenient, reliable, low consumption, smooth ride, several active safety systems.

2017 Toyota Highlander hybrid

Average consumption (Natural Resources Canada): 8.3 L/100 km

Consumer Reports comments: Convenient three-row SUV, not too big, agile handling, good reliability, spacious interior, simple controls, several active safety systems.