It depends on how you use the car. A plug-in hybrid is essentially the same as a conventional ('self-charging') hybrid – albeit with a bigger battery that needs charging. If you actually charge the PHEV's battery (a lot of drivers don't bother) and most of your journeys are fairly short, it'll be much more efficient than a standard hybrid. If you don't want the hassle of charging a car, or regularly cover long journeys (beyond the electric range of a PHEV), a hybrid will be more efficient. Toyota has a lot of experience in hybrid vehicles – we rate the Corolla highly, as well as the new Yaris Cross small SUV. Alternatively, you could look at the Kia Niro.