Best Hybrids for 2021: Toyota and Honda Make Up the Top 4
Hannah DeWitt
· 4 min read
As electric vehicles (EVs) become more widespread, it can be tough to navigate the changing EV infrastructure.
Hybrids
can be a good way to start transitioning over to electric while still having the gas option that you’re used to. But which one should you buy? With the help of
GoodCarBadCar
, we’ve compiled a list of the best hybrids of 2021 to help you decide.
Toyota Camry
The 2021 Camry is at the top of the list when it comes to midsize hybrids.
Consumer Reports
(CR) gave it a score of 90 out of 100, making it the highest-scoring car on this list.The Camry has stellar ride quality, with smooth driving and braking. Its other high point is its fuel economy, getting up to 52 mpg combined. Its electric motor is coupled with a 2.5-liter engine, producing 208 horsepower and 163 lb-ft of torque.
The Camry also has an intuitive infotainment system and a long list of safety features. This includes lane departure warning, lane-keep assist, dynamic radar cruise control, and collision avoidance with pedestrian detection.
On the downside, the Camry doesn’t offer all-wheel drive, and the overall driving experience is a bit boring, as reported by GoodCarBadCar. However, its high CR rating suggests that these issues don’t keep the Camry from being an excellent car.
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Honda Insight
MORE: These Two Hondas Just Earned Top Safety Scores
The Insight is another solid hybrid choice. Consumer Reports gave it a score of 79, but it ranks number one on CR’s list of compact cars. As with most of the cars on this list, the Insight has great
gas mileage
, getting a combined 48 mpg. It’s a standard hybrid, and its principal combustion engine is a 1.5-liter four-cylinder Atkinson that makes 107 horsepower and 99 lb-ft of torque. The electric motor produces 129 horsepower and 197 lb-ft of torque.
The Insight has a smooth driving feel as well as impressive safety features thanks to the Honda Sensing suite. The system includes features like road and lane departure mitigation, adaptive cruise control, low-speed follow, and automatic high beams.
However, the Insight doesn’t offer a plug-in model.
Toyota Prius
The Prius has been a staple in the hybrid world for years, and the 2021 model has earned a score of 80 from CR. The Prius has an electric motor combined with a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine which puts out 121 horsepower and 105 lb-ft of torque.
The Prius has a lot to offer, including an AWD option, a hatchback, a spacious cabin, and a wide array of standard safety features with the Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 system.
Standard features include Apple CarPlay, a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system, adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, lane-keep assist and departure warning, and auto emergency braking and high beams.
This hybrid also gets excellent gas mileage, coming in at a combined 52 mpg. However, the Prius has low ground clearance, weak acceleration, and poor rear visibility, which can be hazardous in busy areas.
With two of their best-selling electric hybrids on the list, Toyota might be wise to invest in more electric vehicles.
Honda CR-V
MORE: Toyota and Honda Feel Left Out of America's EV Tax Credit Plan
The Honda CR-V is the last car on the list, but not the least. Consumer Reports gave the CR-V an impressive score of 82.
The CR-V features a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine working with a smaller electric motor, which produces 180 horsepower and 232 lb-ft of torque combined. The engine and motor work well together, and the handling gives the CR-V an agile feel.
Honda allotted a good amount of safety features to the 2021 CR-V, including adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, collision mitigation braking, and road departure mitigation.
The CR-V’s ride quality is a bit below the other cars on this list, though, with a rigid feel and little noise dampening in the cabin. The car’s acceleration is slightly sluggish, and its infotainment system is a bit confusing as well.
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