Nissan Qashqai

Brace yourself for some jargon but plug-in hybrids (also known as PHEVs) are popular for their tax-busting CO2 numbers, especially for company drivers looking to save on Benefit In Kind. But they’re expensive and you need a driveway and the willingness to plug in to really realise the benefits. Regular hybrid systems like those pioneered by Toyota, and featuring in Qashqai alternatives like the C-HR and RAV4, are meanwhile more convenient because you don’t have to faff about with charging them. But perhaps not always as efficient as the numbers boast.

The Qashqai e-Power tries to split the difference, with electric drive and a petrol engine acting purely as an onboard generator to top up the battery. While this works on the road the e-Power still can’t match a PHEV for tax-friendly emissions scores and the fuel consumption is on a par with regular hybrids, or that diesel you might have bought previously. Merely one VED band down from the regular versions, the e-Power nonetheless claims to bring a sense of electrified power to those who might not have the cash upfront to buy a purely battery-powered model like the Qashqai's Ariya big brother, or the facility to charge one at home.