10 Best Hybrids With Self-Driving Features for 2021

2020 Lexus ES 300h ・ Photo by Lexus

Electric vehicles get all the attention these days. Lots of folks have decided to cut out gasoline entirely, while hybrids — which include both gasoline engines and electric motors — merely reduce their gas usage. Still, many excellent hybrids remain available, and they’re often available with the same high-tech self-driving features as electric cars. 

These features include adaptive cruise control, which maintains a minimum distance from a vehicle in front of you as it slows down and speeds back up; automatic emergency braking, which autonomously hits the brakes to avoid or mitigate the severity of a crash; blind-spot monitoring, which uses radar to detect vehicles next to you; lane-departure warnings, which alert you if you drift over the line; and lane-keeping assistance, which autonomously makes steering corrections to keep you in place. The 10 best hybrids with self-driving features include a mix of high-end luxury models and more affordable fuel-sippers, and they include conventional hybrids along with plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) that can recharge using electricity from the grid for additional gas-free driving. Here are our picks. 

1. 2021 Hyundai Ioniq

Priced from $23,400 as a conventional hybrid and $26,700 as a plug-in hybrid, the 2021 Hyundai Ioniq is one of America’s most affordable gas-electric vehicles. It’s a pleasant, functional five-door compact hatchback with great gas mileage — EPA estimates well past 50 mpg on all versions, and up to 29 miles of all-electric range on the PHEV. 

It’s also loaded with self-driving features. Even the base Ioniq includes automatic emergency braking and lane-keeping assistance, while adaptive cruise control and blind-spot monitoring are widely available for less than $30,000 as well. Buying the PHEV also makes you eligible for a $4,543 federal tax credit. It’s not an overwhelmingly modern vehicle, despite a recently upgraded infotainment system; instead, it feels like a thoroughly normal, competent economy car that also happens to get incredible gas mileage and help the driver with accelerating, braking, and steering. 

Photo by Hyundai

2. 2021 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid / RAV4 Prime

The gas-electric version of the Toyota RAV4 is the best-selling hybrid in America, and it includes a wide range of self-driving features: adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, and lane-keeping assistance. And blind-spot monitoring adds just $590 to the RAV4 Hybrid’s relatively affordable base price of $28,500. 

The RAV4 Hybrid is a rugged-looking compact crossover with comfortable seats and a useful cargo hold, complementing its outstanding EPA fuel economy ratings of 41 mpg in the city and 38 mpg on the highway. And forget about the idea of hybrids being noisy and slow; on the RAV4, the partial electrification makes it quicker and quieter than the gas-only model. A new PHEV model, called the RAV4 Prime, is quicker still and travels an estimated 38 miles per electric charge. It starts at $38,100 before a $7,500 federal tax credit.

Photo by Toyota

3. 2021 BMW 530e

More and more modern hybrids are based on luxury vehicles. One of our favorites is the BMW 530e, a PHEV version of the mid-size 5 Series sedan. It travels an EPA-estimated 21 miles per electric charge before getting 26 mpg. 

If you typically drive less than 29 miles per day — the current U.S. average — you can spend most of the time in fully electric mode, but you can also fill up the gas tank if you take a cross-country road trip. And either way, you’ll enjoy cushy seats, a smooth ride, agile handling, and plenty of power. You’ll get self-driving features, too; all the basics on our list come standard, while you can also upgrade your 530e with automatic emergency steering and a suite of low-speed semi-autonomous driver aids that let you take your hands off the steering wheel at speeds up to 37 mph. 

Photo by BMW

4. 2021 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid

The 2021 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid is a PHEV with an EPA-estimated range of 32 miles per charge, and it’s rated to average 30 mpg once that range is used up. That’s not the most economical hybrid in the world, but at least for shorter drives, it’s by far the most economical minivan. 

We also appreciate the Pacifica Hybrid’s luxury-grade interior, its newly upgraded infotainment system — and its recently expanded list of standard self-driving features, including adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assistance, automatic emergency braking, and blind-spot monitoring. A self-parking feature is available as an option, too. Prices may seem steep at $39,995 and up, but when you factor in the $7,500 federal tax credit and its long list of standard features, the Pacifica Hybrid becomes a downright bargain — even before you consider your fuel savings. 

Photo by Chrysler

5. 2021 Honda Clarity

The 2021 Honda Clarity is another family-friendly PHEV with lots of standard self-driving features, the same roster as the Pacifica Hybrid. But instead of a big van, the Clarity is a futuristic-looking mid-size sedan with a handsomely finished interior and a whopping 47-mile all-electric driving range. The Clarity is about efficiency, not sporty performance, and tech lovers won’t love its dated infotainment system. But for value and efficiency, the Clarity makes a strong play. 

Prices start at $33,400 before a $7,500 federal tax credit, and many drivers will rarely if ever need to use any gasoline. And while you commute to work using only electricity, your Clarity will assist you with the steering, brakes, and accelerator. 

Photo by Honda

6. 2021 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid

For a higher-tech gas-electric sedan, consider the 2021 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid. It’s not a PHEV, so you won’t plug it in for all-electric range, but this mid-size family car achieves still-thrifty EPA estimates of up 47 mpg in mixed driving on most trim levels and up to 52 mpg on the base model.  

Standard driver-assistance technology includes adaptive cruise control, forward automatic emergency braking, radar-based blind-spot monitoring, and lane-keeping assistance; reverse automatic braking and a blind-spot camera are also available. The hybrid doesn’t have the Smart Park Assist remote-control feature found in some gas-only Sonatas, but it’s comfortable, quiet, spacious, and economical — and unlike some of today’s affordable hybrids, it looks high-tech and fancy. 

Photo by Hyundai

7. 2021 Lexus ES 300h

If you’re ready to step up from a fancy-feeling mainstream sedan to a true luxury hybrid, the 2021 Lexus ES 300h is an excellent choice. This mid-size luxury sedan is built for relaxed comfort, and it’s the perfect place for a fuel-sipping hybrid engine and self-driving features. Adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assistance, and forward automatic emergency braking are standard features, though blind-spot monitoring and rear automatic braking cost extra. 

Despite that drawback, the ES 300h is a fantastic deal for a roomy luxury sedan. It starts at $41,910, which is more than $10,000 less than similarly sized European luxury sedans. It’s more about fuel efficiency than sporty performance, and there’s no plug-in option, but that’s still just right for some buyers. The EPA estimates you’ll get 44 mpg in mixed driving, and we managed an incredible 51 mpg. You’ll find even fancier interiors, more solid-feeling driving dynamics, less cumbersome infotainment controls, and speedier acceleration in some other mid-size luxury sedans, but this is still a top pick. 

Photo by Lexus

8. 2021 Toyota Prius / Prius Prime

The next of our 10 best hybrids with self-driving features helped invent its segment: the 2021 Toyota Prius. In addition to its famous blend of 50-plus mpg, futuristic styling, and a usefully roomy interior for a compact hatchback, the Prius comes standard with valuable self-driving features: adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, and lane-keeping assistance. And all but the base model include blind-spot monitoring. 

The Prius isn’t a quick or quiet car, living up to the stereotype of hybrids being noisy and slow if you gun the engine. But you don’t buy the Prius to go fast. You buy it for a proven ability to sip gasoline even amid traffic congestion, year after year. We’re also fans of the Prius Prime plug-in hybrid, which can travel an EPA-estimated 25 miles per charge but has slightly less interior space. The standard Prius starts at $24,525, and the Prius Prime is priced from $28,220 before a $4,502 federal tax credit. 

Photo by Toyota

9. 2021 Volvo XC90 Recharge

The 2021 Volvo XC90 Recharge is the new name for the brand’s flagship plug-in hybrid, a mid-size luxury suv priced from $69,750 before a $5,419 federal tax credit. Like on other Volvo models, the Recharge PHEV powertrain combines a turbocharged and supercharged four-cylinder engine with two electric motors for a total output of 400 horsepower and 472 lb-ft of torque. That means you can use the hybrid technology to sip fuel — traveling an EPA-estimated 18 miles per charge on electricity and getting an estimated 27 mpg afterward — or go fast. 

The XC90 also boasts a spacious and beautifully finished cabin with three rows of seats, a top safety record, and plenty of self-driving features. Adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assistance, blind-spot monitoring, and automatic emergency braking are all standard, and automatic self-parking is available. 

Photo by Volvo

10. 2021 Honda Accord Hybrid

The 2021 Honda Accord Hybrid has the same spacious cabin, sporty yet refined driving manners, and excellent safety ratings as the gas-only Accord mid-size sedan, but better gas mileage: up to 48 mpg in mixed driving on some certain trim levels and 43 mpg on others. 

While the Accord Hybrid has a place in our hearts for being unusually rewarding to drive for an affordable hybrid, it also has plenty of self-driving technology for the times you’re interested in letting the car help out. Automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assistance, and adaptive cruise control are standard on the base $26,570 model, and blind-spot monitoring joins the lineup on all other trim levels. Like many hybrids, it’s not a gas mileage winner on the highway — but in stop-and-go conditions, the Accord Hybrid will sip fuel while also easing your stress with self-driving features. 

Photo by Honda