If you wanted a hybrid three years ago, you were probably stuck in a dealer’s parking lot arguing over fees. Dealers couldn’t keep Toyota RAV4 Hybrids around, used Honda CR-V Hybrids went for more than new, and anything with an electric motor was treated like they were shooting gold dust out of their pipes. Fast forward to 2025, and the market has finally come down to earth. Not quite to the extreme, mind you – hybrids are still the blue chips of the used car world – but they have struck a balance between fever dream and reality.
If you bought a 2022 hybrid, you probably paid a fortune. If you buy one now, you’ll find solid value, stable reliability and – most importantly – some perspective. The market for used hybrids has matured.
To provide the most accurate and up-to-date information, this article uses data sourced from various manufacturers and authoritative sources.
Hybrids are still holding strong
According to recent data from iSeeCars and Kelley Blue Book, the average 2022 hybrid retains an average of about 70 to 75 percent of its original value after three years, a figure that makes most conventional gasoline vehicles resemble melting ice cream cones. By comparison, the overall market average is closer to 63 percent, while electric vehicles hover around 55 percent. Hybrids appear to be the best choice: efficient, reliable and relatively affordable in maintenance.
Take the 2022 Toyota RAV4 hybridfor example. A new one cost about $32,000 at launch; Today you pay around €23,000 – €25,000 for a clean example with low miles. That’s an unusually gentle depreciation curve in a world where SUVs often lose a third of their value before the warranty expires. The 2022 Honda CR-V Hybrid follows a similar pattern, with an average price of $22,500 – $24,000 depending on trim. Meanwhile, the Toyota Prius – a hybrid that has proven itself to be practically a brand unto itself – continues to defy depreciation completely. The 2022 model still commands between $20,000 and $21,000, less than 25 percent less than the original sticker.
Why 2022 was a perfect storm
To understand why 2022 hybrids are so popular on the used market, we have to rewind to the pandemic bubble. Supply chains went haywire, semiconductor shortages choked production, and demand for efficient vehicles increased as gasoline prices rose. Dealers marked up hybrids by thousands, sometimes tens of thousands, above MSRP.
That artificially inflated starting point made depreciation inevitable once supply normalized. But while EVs collapsed as new technology arrived, hybrids remained resilient because their formula didn’t change drastically. The 2025 RAV4 Hybrid is only incrementally better than the 2022 model, so used buyers won’t feel shortchanged. Wouldn’t you just know? Stability over the years is actually an advantage.
The luxury hybrid paradox
Luxury hybrids, however, tell a different story. They are beautiful, comfortable and technologically advanced, but they also diminish their value like acorns from an oak tree. For example, the 2022 Lexus RX 450h originally cost around $51,000. Three years later, the average on the second-hand market is €36,000 – €38,000 – a loss of roughly 30 percent, which is actually better than most European competitors.
The BMW 530e and Mercedes-Benz E 350e were not so lucky. Both luxury plug-in hybrids have fallen closer to 50 percent in residual values, largely due to rapid advances in electric range and onboard technology. A 2022 530e that once cost $56,000 now trades for $27,000-$29,000. The Mercedes-Benz GLE 350e, which originally cost $65,000, today hovers around $35,000-$37,000.
That may sound grim until you remember the downside. For used buyers, these luxury hybrids are now relative bargains: comfortable, high-performing and half the price they once were, with just enough battery power to make city errands emission-free.
Hyundai, Kia and the catch-up effect
Korean automakers made great strides in hybrid technology around 2022, but are victims of their own momentum. Newer models like the 2025 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid and Kia Sportage Hybrid offer better range, more efficient powertrains and slicker interfaces, leaving their 2022 counterparts behind the depreciation curve.
As a result, the 2022 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid, which cost about $30,000 new, now averages $18,500 to $20,000 on the used market. The Kia Sorento Hybrid shows similar numbers, hovering around $22,000, about 60 percent of the original MSRP. These cars are no worse; they’re just older in a category that’s evolving quickly. Still, compared to gasoline-only SUVs from the same year, they hold their own. A gas-only 2022 Tucson or Sorento can easily dip into the mid-teens. The hybrid premium remains intact.
Plug-in hybrids: the wildcards
Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) find themselves in an odd place between the practical hybrid and the futuristic EV. In 2025, their resale values will be all over the map. Models with good electric range – such as the Toyota RAV4 Prime – have aged well, while models with limited range or high complexity struggle to keep pace.
A 2022 RAV4 Prime, which originally cost around $40,000, still fetches a solid $33,000 – $35,000 today. Compare that to a 2022 Ford Escape PHEV, which started around $36,000 and now averages $23,000 – $25,000, or the Upgrade 2022 Volvo XC60which can drop below $30,000 – a sharp drop for a luxury SUV that was once worth $55,000.
The main difference? Reach and reputation. Consumers now expect plug-in hybrids to travel meaningful, electric-only miles – at least 35 miles – and Toyota remains the only brand to consistently meet or exceed that bar.
Hybrids vs. Electric Vehicles: A Market Correction in Real Time
In 2022, electric cars were hot. In 2025 they are still popular, but their used values have cooled off faster than a lithium-ion pack in January. While the average hybrid loses about 25 to 30 percent of its value in three years, the average electric car loses almost 45 percent. This will likely change, but it is a reality as the EV market moves through its nascent phase.
Part of that is technology turnover. A 2022 electric car may feel outdated next to today’s 400-mile models with 800-volt architecture and ultra-fast charging. A 2022 hybrid, meanwhile, still feels current, because its strengths – efficiency, reliability, simplicity – haven’t changed much. If anything, the hybrid’s balanced formula has aged better. It’s the reliable middle ground between gas and all-electric, and used buyers know it.
So, what’s the game in 2025?
If you’re shopping for a used hybrid, aim for models that hit the three-year mark: new enough for modern technology, old enough to skip the new-car price tag. Toyotas remain the king of residual value, Hondas follow closely behind, and Lexus remains the gold standard for hybrid luxury.
If you’re looking for performance, plug-in hybrids like the RAV4 Prime or BMW 530e offer a taste of EV torque with the safety net of gasoline. Just know that range expectations and battery guarantees are more important than ever; a plug-in with reduced range is just an expensive regular hybrid. On the other hand, if you’re selling a 2022 hybrid, now’s a good time. Prices remain at a good level, demand is stable and depreciation is slower than it has been in years. If you wait too long, the incoming wave of cheaper, higher-range hybrids could start to eat away at your wealth.
TopSpeed’s opinion: hybrid models for 2022 are a happy medium between past and present
The 2022 hybrids have struck a rare balance: old enough to be affordable, new enough to feel modern, and reliable enough to inspire confidence. They are the rational choice in an increasingly irrational market. Three years later, they have proven what hybrid loyalists have been saying for twenty years: gas and electricity don’t have to fight.
They can coexist, hold value, and be more meaningful than almost anything else on the road. In a world still looking for the next big battery breakthrough, the humble 2022 hybrid is proof that sometimes playing smart is easy.
Sources: iSeeCarsKBB
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