Hi Kadar,

A hybrid car is like any other used car — the critical part is not how it functions, but how well it has been looked after and whether or not it has been properly serviced. The good news is that, until quite recently, the majority of hybrid cars on the road have been built by Lexus and Toyota, so you’re off to a good start already when it comes to reliability and quality. That said, it’s just down to good old fashioned care and attention when buying — does the car have a full service history, and is it in good condition? Batteries can lose their capacity for charge as they age, but you probably shouldn’t have to worry about that on anything less than ten years old, and check to see if the car has been used previously as a taxi — hybrids are popular with taxi companies, and will have been used heavily if so.