Toyota Auris Hybrid

Toyota kick-started the hybrid market with its Prius, and is continuing the push with a smaller model: the Auris. Happily, the production process in Derbyshire leaves intact all the qualities that helped make the Japanese-built Prius the best-selling hybrid in the world.

Using the same drivetrain as its bigger brother, the Auris Hybrid achieves a similarly impressive economy to record 74mpg on the combined cycle for its most fuel-sipping version. Translated into a CO2 figure, that means an output of just 89g/km, which means no annual road tax, no London congestion charge and a company car tax bracket of just 10 per cent. Those would be fantastic figures for a city car, but the Auris is a size rival for the VW Golf and Ford Focus.

The reason for the terrific economy is, of course, the assistance given to the 1.8-litre petrol engine by the nickel metal hydride batteries hidden behind the rear seats. These are charged by the car itself, either when the driver comes off the gas or hits the brakes.

They can also be topped up by the engine itself, but in urban driving there’s little need. The car will even run on pure battery power, achieving a maximum of 1.2 miles of silent running at speeds under 30mph.