Japan has, from the very beginning, established itself as the leading force in hybrid automotive technology. Specifically, Honda and Toyota have always been at the forefront of hybrid systems, and both brands have produced hybrid vehicles that set the standards for the rest of the market.
As a result, we have built a list of the five instances in which Japanese automakers led the field. These five select hybrid models are among the most notable and bestselling vehicles in modern history. We will cover what made these specific models so successful, along with their current resale value and reliability standards. Curious to know which models made the list? Let’s break it down.
Models are listed in chronological order, from oldest to newest.
2000 Honda Insight
Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price: $2,134
The Honda Insight (2000-2006) was the first hybrid model available in the U.S. When it debuted, the Honda Insight was revolutionary for its time, and its identifiable aerodynamic aesthetic made it clear that this hybrid three-door liftback was unlike any other vehicle available. The Honda Insight was the most fuel-efficient available on the market for well over a decade, achieving 61 MPG highway and a combined rating of 53 MPG. This compact Honda’s secret to success was its clear aerodynamic design, efficient engine, and a shockingly low weight of under 1,900 pounds for the manual transmission model.
Manual transmission model? Yes, you heard that right. This hybrid two-seater even came standard with a manual transmission, and even A/C was still optional. Honda is one of the few automakers to ever offer a manual-equipped hybrid vehicle stateside, and the Insight, along with the Honda CR-Z, is one of the most popular examples. Eventually, a CVT would also become available. Back in the early 2000s, frugality really meant something, as even a CD changer was considered a luxury amenity. Nowadays, the Honda Insight’s appeal is still present, as its simple and robust powertrain is known for its reliability, and its prices are low considering its efficiency. This decades-old hybrid is still more than capable of achieving 60+ MPG and low upkeep costs impress even today among the most economical car shoppers.
2006 Lexus RX 400h
Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price: $5,649
The second-generation Lexus RX (2004-2009) offered one of the most important hybrid models ever produced. The RX 400h variant that debuted in 2006 was the first luxury hybrid on the market, and it created a new blueprint for luxury SUVs moving forward. The first RX Hybrid’s secret sauce was its 3.3-liter V-6 aided by two electric motors, all placed in a comfortable and spacious package. The V-6 was smooth and powerful on its own, but the hybrid system made it even more powerful. This was the first SUV offering similar efficiency standards as a non-hybrid compact sedan. Even more impressive is that a 2006 Lexus RX 400h still offers more power than a 2026 Lexus RX 300h, even if its modern counterpart gets about 10 MPG better.
The beauty of the hybrid system was that when combined with the V-6 engine, it added to the overall refinement and luxury experience of the Lexus RX. Some of the key benefits included increased torque across the rev range, start-and-stop technology, all-electric operation at slower speeds, and regenerative braking. Perhaps no other Lexus model has had a bigger impact on the brand’s current direction than the Lexus RX 400h, as its immediate success prompted Lexus to further optimize and expand their hybrid line-up. Yet even now, the RX 400h remains one of the most reliable Lexus models ever made, with examples regularly racking up 200,000+ miles on the odometer. The V-6 certainly has more associated costs than a pure economy car, but its durability is never in question. Even the robustness of the hybrid battery pack is just as impressive, as these Lexus SUVs have been known to reach the 250,000–300,000-mile range, all on the original battery unit.
2010 Toyota Prius
Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price: $7,276
While the Toyota Prius may be the most well-known hybrid model ever produced, it wasn’t until its third generation (2010-2015) that it truly became a well-rounded economy vehicle with few inherent flaws. The 2010 Toyota Prius kept the Prius’ iconic cheese-grater shape, but added a new level of aerodynamic refinement and styling upgrades that made this five-door liftback more attractive than ever. The third-generation Prius finally felt like you could drive a Prius and not look like your in-car stereo was exclusively set to NPR playing at a low to mid-volume level.
The 2010 Prius felt better than ever because it was no longer hamstrung by its predecessor’s anemic engine. Instead, it felt just as capable as any other standard economy car of its era. A small increase in displacement and output compared to the previous generation of 24 horsepower had a huge impact on the Prius’ overall capability, as the economy car didn’t feel like it was struggling to keep up with the pace of traffic. Even today, the 2010 Toyota Prius offers undeniable fuel economy and some of the lowest upkeep costs of any hybrid vehicle. The third-generation Prius also feels surprisingly modern when equipped with the desirable Advanced Technology Package, which offers trick features like heads-up display and dynamic radar cruise control. A Lexus might be nice, but a top-trim Prius will impress you just the same with its safety features and amenities for a much more reasonable price.
2016 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid
Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price: $15,901
The fourth-generation Toyota RAV4 was the one that changed everything for the leading SUV in the U.S., as the first-ever RAV4 Hybrid was introduced during the 2016 model year facelift. Not only was the 2016 Toyota RAV4 more capable than ever, thanks to the addition of the hybrid powertrain, it also looked better than ever. The 2016 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid was a smash success from the beginning, and its instant acclaim set the stage for the future focus of the hybrid model among the RAV4 trims. For all intents and purposes, the fourth-generation RAV4 was already a big step up from its predecessors in terms of overall quality and ride comfort. However, the 2016 RAV4 Hybrid took its refinement and practicality to a whole new level.
34 MPG in the city is still impressive for a hybrid SUV, even today. While the hybrid powertrain provides little to no responsiveness when you really push the pedal, you won’t care about that too much when you see how much you save compared to most other SUVs. Well-equipped trim levels that offer Toyota’s driver-assist systems work great and add even more value to this fuel-sipping SUV. The 2016 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid is known to have minimal upkeep costs and a dead-reliable powertrain that can easily rack up 200,000 miles or more. As far as trouble-free hybrid SUVs are concerned, few models in existence can go toe-to-toe with the 2016 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid. Interior noise levels are still a bit high compared to newer platforms, but if you can deal with that and the lack of immediacy of the powertrain, the RAV4 Hybrid is as practical as a compact SUV can get.
2018 Honda Accord Hybrid
Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price: $17,817
The tenth generation of the Honda Accord debuted as a 2018 model year and quickly established itself as one of the best Accord generations we have gotten (so far). The 2018 Honda Accord distinguished itself by looking sharper and more stylish than its predecessor despite dropping the two-door coupe variant in favor of exclusively offering the four-door sedan. While the Accord Hybrid offered by far the least performance of the available trims found on the tenth-generation Accord, its 212 horsepower was still good enough for the most output in its class. Yet, what really set the 2018 Honda Accord Hybrid apart from the rest of its segment was how well it drove.
Even when cruising at freeway speeds, interior road noise is a minimal issue, demonstrating the strong construction of this generation. The Accord Hybrid was also significantly lighter and more agile than its primary competitor, the Toyota Camry Hybrid, while only losing a couple of MPG in the process. Sure, the Toyota Camry Hybrid offers more raw efficiency, but the driving experience produced by the Accord Hybrid is unmatched. It may not be a full-fledged sports sedan, but we are pleasantly surprised by how maneuverable the tenth-generation Accord is. No matter which trim you choose, every tenth-generation Accord comes standard with Honda’s safety suite, which includes desirable features like adaptive cruise control and low-speed follow functionality. Small details like the four levels of adjustable regenerative braking made available from the right-hand steering wheel paddle make more of a difference than you’d expect in the right situation. As far as reliability is concerned, the 2018 Honda Accord Hybrid is known for its robust durability standards, and its simple, naturally aspirated engine requires only the standard maintenance items expected of any economy car.