“We’re looking to replace our family’s Toyota Fortuner with a plug-in hybrid or a range-extended electric vehicle. The budget is P2 million or under.”
That was a reader’s message from earlier this week, as reports of the soaring fuel prices started coming in. The Fortuner in discussion is a bit long in the tooth, and while it’s said to still be working perfectly fine, switching from a diesel to a hybrid sounds like the most responsible and economical thing to do.
I was also told only two people will be using the vehicle (five at most), and that it’ll be mostly driven around the city on weekdays with the occasional out-of-town road trips. This was also the reason a PHEV or REEV was the ideal choice, as that would allow the would-be owners to not use fuel entirely if it isn’t necessary.
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Our reader is also a traditional tito who prefers the tried-and-tested Japanese brands; like many men of his age, he grew up with Toyotas in the family. Yes, the stigma around Chinese cars has faded over the years, but it’s hard to convince people like him otherwise. While that’s understandable because that’s his preference, this condition complicates things.
See, for under P2 million, you have plenty of hybrid options. Toyota, Nissan, Hyundai, and Honda all have what you’re looking for. We could go on. But if you’re keen on getting a PHEV or REEV for that budget and you don’t want to buy from the likes of BYD, Jetour, and Changan, it’s slim pickings. Actually, there are zero options.
What I can do here, though, is to enumerate both vehicles that are made in China but match every other parameter and non-Chinese cars that fit the budget but are neither PHEVs nor REEVs. Now, it wasn’t explicitly stated whether the preference was crossovers and SUVs, so I’ll be mixing up a sedan into this list.
1) BYD Sealion 6 DM-i
Staring off this list is arguably one of the most popular hybrids in the market right now. BYD has made a living out of the Sealion 6, and it doesn’t really come as a surprise. For P1.548 million, you have a plug-in hybrid with up to 1,100km of range on a full tank of gas and a full charge, or an EV-only range of more than 100km. That’s more than what our reader needs.
2) Jetour T1 Lightning i-DM
We’re going to a slightly bigger and burlier SUV here with the T1 Lightning i-DM. This is also a plug-in hybrid with a maximum combined range of well over 1,000km and an electric range north of 100km. It’s also slightly pricier than the first car on this list at P1.898 million, but is also packed with heaps of extra features and tech. Another consideration could be the T1’s boxier sibling, the T2 Lightning i-DM, albeit that’s a lot more premium at P2.488 million.
3) Changan Nevo A05
The Changan Nevo A05 is a plug-in hybrid sedan that goes up against BYD’s budget-friendly Seal 5. This equally budget-friendly Changan has a maximum range of 1,250km and a claimed EV range of up to 130km. While it packs a lot less room than the other crossovers listed here, it also has a much smaller price tag at P1.195 million. Again, just throwing this here in case a car is a viable option. Do you really need all that ground clearance and space for city drives?
4) Toyota Corolla Cross
What’s the default hybrid crossover suggestion from the country’s go-to brand? It’s this. It bears the reader’s preferred badge. It doesn’t give you the option of driving for a week using the battery alone, but it’s still a fuel-efficient Toyota no matter what you say. You really can’t go wrong with this.
Prices of the Corolla Cross range from P1.514 million to P1.948 million.
5) Hyundai Kona
Personally, I think the Kona might be one of the most underrated models in our market. It’s still neither a PHEV nor an REEV, but pound-for-pound, it’s arguably one of the best in its segment. It comes with two variants on offer, with the higher trim priced at P1.688 million and the lower one at P1.528 million.
At the end of the day, this will boil down to preference in styling, features, and potentially, driving dynamics. All of these should be better than a gas-guzzling or diesel-drinking non-hybrid vehicle in terms of fuel economy. To our reader, do let us know what you end up getting. As for the others, what do you think of this list? Which car would you rather see here?
