Roadshow's favorite hybrids and plug-ins under $40,000 for 2018

The Audi A3 E-Tron is great because it packs a lot of luxury car touches into an efficient, attractive package with a reasonable price tag. This one just squeaks under our $40,000 limit with enough money left over for floor mats and not much else.

With a combined 204 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque on tap, the A3 E-Tron is more than willing to get out of its own way while returning a highly respectable 83 MPGe combined.

The Audi A3 E-Tron is available with Audi's awesome Digital Cockpit and its excellent infotainment. The flat-bottom steering wheel is a nice, sporty touch, too.

The Chevrolet Volt seemed like the everyman's electric vehicle when it came out way back in 2012. It was relatively affordable, had decent electric-only range and a real gasoline engine that helped eliminate range anxiety.

The Volt has only improved over the years; it's a genuinely nice car to drive thanks in part to its nicely appointed cabin, 53 mile electric-only range and 400+ mile total range.

The Volt's interior is a decent place to be, especially given its near-$30,000 price point. It's not the most spacious thing with four doors but for most folks it should prove quite comfortable.

It's the world's first plug-in hybrid minivan and thankfully, it's a good one. The Pacifica is handsome, well-appointed, pleasant to drive and relatively affordable for most families. 

Like most modern minivans, the Pacifica Hybrid is available with basically all modern conveniences like rear seat screens and a built-in vacuum. However, the placement of the batteries under the floor means the Pacifica's lovely Stow N Go seating is not available.

The Pacifica Hybrid puts just about every other people-carrier to shame in the economy department thanks to its combined 84 MPGe and 33-mile range on electricity alone. 

The 2018 Honda Accord Hybrid is arguably the best Accord ever. It's ruthlessly efficient, extremely comfortable and very easy on the eyes. It's biggest downfall, in the eyes of the market, might be that it's a sedan. Oh well.

The Accord Hybrid has a fuel economy rating of 47 mpg combined which is impressive given its size. Build quality as well as fit and finish is great, in typical Honda fashion. And thanks to standard Honda Sensing, the Accord Hybrid is both safe and smart.

The in-cabin tech is decent for the Accord, if not stellar. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, which is good, because HondaConnect is kind of lackluster. The Accord Hybrid gives you a lot for your money.

The Hyunai Ioniq is the only vehicle on the market that you can get as a hybrid, a PHEV or a fully battery electric vehicle. Our favorite of the three is the PHEV as it offers the best blend of value and efficiency.

The Ioniq PHEV offers a crazy good 119 MPGe from its plug-in hybrid drivetrain, and allows you to drive for 29 miles on electric power alone. Aesthetically, it's good looking in all of its trim levels and its list of standard features is long.

The Ioniq gets Hyundai's typical suite of interior goodies including standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, wireless charging and more. It also has that absolutely mind-boggling Hyundai warranty. Talk about bang for the buck.

The 2018 Hyundai Sonata PHEV is like a bigger, more practical version of the Ioniq PHEV. Like most Hyundais, it's packed with tech and has a killer warranty.

One of the nicest things about the Sonata PHEV is just how well it drives. It's an ideal around-town companion with a reasonable ride, great pick-up thanks to its electric torque and it's quiet inside, something which is always appreciated.

The Sonata PHEV is capable of traveling 27 miles on electric power and boasts 99 MPGe. You're going to be skipping a lot of gas stations with this one.

The Niro may be kind of generic looking on the outside, but under its little body lurks the heart of a clever, efficient fuel-sipper.

While the Niro comes standard as a hybrid, it's the plug-in model that we like best. It's estimated to achieve 105 MPGe, which is impressive.

The Niro's interior is full of premium features, including heated seats, a heated steering wheel, a robust navigation/infotainment system and more.

That's a heck of a name, but it stands for Mini's biggest, most practical model, with an efficient and peppy plug-in hybrid powertrain.

Like every Mini, the Countryman PHEV is a capable handler and a willing companion on any back road. Around town, it's easy to park and easy to thread through traffic. It's not super cheap, right near our $40,000 cut-off, but we love it anyway.

The 2018 Mini Cooper S E Countryman All4 will take you 12 miles on electric power and is rated at 65 MPGe. Those are lower numbers than other cars on our list, but what it might lack in competitive efficiency, it makes up for in premium features, cute style and fun-to-drive dynamics.