Is £13k enough to get me a decent PHEV?

I’m hoping to trade my 2010 Honda Civic for a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) fairly soon, and I have a budget of £13,000. My daily commute is a round trip of 12 miles on the A1 and fast dual carriageways. I’d like something more exciting than the Civic, but it needs to be practical, because I’ll also be using it to do the school run and weekend activities with my two children. Are there any second-hand PHEVS that are within my price range? Andrew Minsky

WHAT CAR? SAYS…

Although there’s a wide choice of plug-in hybrids for new car buyers, there are fewer second-hand options.

You can get high-mileage examples of the Mitsubishi Outlander and Toyota Prius PHEVS for less than £10,000, but we don’t rate either of those very highly. The Outlander has a noisy, unrefined engine and an unsettled ride, and the Prius is let down by its short electric range.

However, you can get early examples of the Volkswagen Passat GTE and Golf GTE for your budget, both of which are refined and good to drive.

The Passat GTE has an official range of 36 miles, but you can expect to get 25 miles in real-world driving, which should be enough for your commute.

The Golf GTE will go even farther without using its petrol engine; its official range is 40 miles and you can realistically expect to get around 35 miles between charges. It’s also quick, quiet, comfortable and nearly as enjoyable to drive as the standard Golf, so it’s our top choice for your needs.