Moved from Technical forum. Likely to get more replies here.

It's not Japanese or German (but neither is Skoda), but maybe look at the Kia Optima. Otherwise, a Skoda Superb is the obvious choice.

Skodas are effectively German, using the same platform as a VW Golf - and ex-Skoda factories build plenty of VW, Audi and Porsche models due to VW Group's production spread.

Think about the way you use the car, and why a plug in hybrid seems the solution.

A plug in hybrid serves journeys within a radius of (probably) 15-25 miles. You gain over petrol as home charging is probably about half the cost of petrol. On longer journeys most miles will be courtesy of a pit stop at the local petrol pump.

Negative - plug in weight and complexity. It probably has a normal ICE engine + gearbox + electric motor + battery + complex software to manage the load between the two. Lots to go wrong IMHO.

Objectively the savings are fairly small. A car doing (say) 9000 miles pa split equally between long and short distance means any savings will only arise on 4500 miles.

• Assuming 10 miles per litre (45mpg) and £1.40 per litre will cost 14p per mile.
• Assuming 4 miles per KWH and a cost of 28p per unit gives 7p per mile
• Over 4500 miles the saving of 7p per mile is £315pa - £26 per month.

Hardly significant in the context of running a car and its depreciation.

I used a crude kwh rate deliberately as the cost of electricity varies so widely depending upon where, when etc.

Motorway fast charger would be ~75p

Price cap currently 24.5p

Cheap overnight rates ~7-14p depending on provider and the day rate which may increase

Home installed PV cells - possibly 0p

Bluntly - you can get whatever answer you want so its a bit of a judgement depending on individual circumstances.