Pro: Plug-in hybrids can be more fun to drive than gas carsIt doesn't take long behind the wheel of an EV to realize why driving them can spoil you for (most) gas vehicles. After all, that instantaneous torque delivery can make even a cheap electric vehicle feel like it has the eagerness of a sports car. While PHEVs typically don't have the same potency in their electric motors, that doesn't mean you can't feel the difference from a gas-only model.The key is when electric motors make their contribution. Usually, that's as soon as you hit the accelerator, the electric side of the hybrid drivetrain weighing in straight away, and helping cover for the gas engine as it gets up to speed. As a result, PHEVs can feel perky and surprisingly spritely, despite often being big SUVs.Lift off the accelerator pedal, meanwhile, and most plug-in hybrids offer selectable regenerative braking: effectively turning the electric motor into a generator, that tops up the battery while the PHEV slows. Where one-pedal modes that can bring a vehicle to a full stop are fairly common in fully electric vehicles, though, that doesn't usually carry over to PHEVs. Still, being able to modulate speed without always switching to the brake is a boon around town.
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