Used hybrid or petrol: the maths almost nobody does
A used hybrid costs more upfront. How many yearly kilometres it takes for the difference to pay for itself, and what to check on each.
The right question isn’t “which is better?” but “how many kilometres do you drive, and where?”. A hybrid shines in city traffic, constantly braking and recovering energy; on sustained motorway runs its advantage shrinks to almost nothing.
The simple maths
Take the price difference between the two cars, the real consumption of each on YOUR kind of route, and your yearly kilometres. At 8,000 urban km a year, saving 2 l/100km is about 160 litres annually: work out how many years to absorb the premium. At 25,000 km the same maths flips quickly.
What to check on a used hybrid
The hybrid battery is THE question: ask for a battery health diagnostic, not an impression. Check services were done on schedule and ask about the battery-specific warranty, usually longer than the car’s.
What to check on a used petrol
The timing belt or chain (and when it’s due), oil consumption and the maintenance history. With no high-voltage systems, inspection is cheaper and every workshop knows them.
The label factor
Spain's environmental badge (ECO for most hybrids, C for recent petrols) affects low-emission zones and some regulated parking. In a big city that letter has a value in euros and convenience worth adding to the maths.