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The cheapest family-friendly PHEV SUV deals right now
Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) are hugely popular right now.
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4 min read
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Drive
4 min readDrive
Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) are hugely popular right now.
Published
4 min read
Text size
Published
Text size
With higher fuel prices looking likely to stay around for a little while longer, PHEV sales continue to grow in record numbers this year, with SUVs leading the charge thanks to a wave of newcomers from China.
While total PHEV registrations rose by 77 per cent to 28,858 units from January to April compared to the same period last year, PHEV SUV volume alone jumped 120 per cent, accounting for nearly 21,700 of those.
Clearly, they’ve struck a chord with families seeking anxiety-free electrified, economical transport at an affordable price.
Here are the cheapest deals in Australia right now.
From $34,990 drive-away (WA)
Australia’s cheapest PHEV SUV when released last year, the Tiggo 7 is usually $39,990 drive-away, but that’s been slashed by $5000 until June 30, to undercut the BYD Sealion 5.
A 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine is paired to an electric motor and 18.4kWh battery pack, providing up to 120km of EV-only and 1200km of combined range.
From $33,990 before on-road costs/$37,565 drive-away (WA)
The Sealion 5 is a five-seater mid-sized PHEV SUV, using a 1.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, electric motor and 12.9kWh battery pack, to drive the front wheels.
It offers about 90km of EV-only range and nearly 1000km of combined range, while the better-equipped Premium from $37,990 ups the battery to an 18.3kWh unit, bumping those figures up to around 100km and 1030km respectively.
From $40,990 drive-away (WA)
Chery’s adventure-orientated sub-brand Jaecoo’s boxy five-seater mid-sized SUV is currently $3000 cheaper than usual until June 30, but will revert to its $43,990 drive-away price after that.
In the front-drive Track, the SHS (Super Hybrid System) brings together a 1.5-litre turbo engine, electric motor and 18.4kWh battery pack, for up to 90km of EV-only driving and up to 1200km in combination mode.
From $37,490 before ORC/$41,175 drive-away (WA)
Geely is a newcomer to Australia, but it’s already making a splash with the all-electric EX5 medium-sized five-seater SUV. The Starray EM-i is the PHEV alternative, pairing a 1.5-litre petrol engine (again) with an electric motor and 18.4kWh battery pack.
Range is 83km in EV-only mode and 943km combined, while the newly-released Inspire Extended Range upgrade swaps in a larger 29.8kWh battery, for usefully greater EV-only distance (136km) and combined range (996km). The latter also adds $4000 to the bottom line.
From $43,990 drive-away (WA)
Essentially a stretched version of the Tiggo 7, the Tiggo 8 Urban is the least-expensive seven-seater PHEV SUV in Australia right now and is even cheaper until June 30, thanks to a $2000 discount offer. After that, the price rises back up to $45,990 drive-away.
The Tiggo 8 urban also employs the same 1.5-litre turbo/electric motor/18.4kWh battery set-up, but – being heavier than the Tiggo 7 – its EV-only distance falls slightly to 90km, though it is capable of approximately 1200km combined.
From $42,990 before ORC/$47,558 drive-away (WA)
Mitsubishi pioneered the PHEV concept with the Outlander all the way back in 2012, but it was BYD that truly brought the technology to the masses in 2024 with the Sealion 6.
It’s getting old now, but the five-seater mid-sized SUV still offers competitive EV-only range (about 90km) and combined range (nearly 1090km) from a 1.5-litre engine/electric motor/18.3kWh arrangement.
From $43,888 before ORC/$49,466 drive-away (WA)
Part of the French/Italian/American Stellantis conglomerate, Leapmotor is a Chinese brand that has struggled to gain traction in Australia, though the numbers for its C10 mid-sized SUV aren’t bad at all.
A 1.5-litre petrol range-extender engine charges a big 28.4kWh battery pack that powers an electric motor, allowing for nearly 170km of EV-only range and 1150km combined.
