In 2019, I switched from a manual Toyota Yaris to a Toyota Prius. The gas mileage in the Yaris was so good that it was near the Prius. I also missed the ease of parking and maneuvering in the small size hatchback.

Now I’m faced with either replacing the engine in my Prius ($4k) or getting a different vehicle, and considering my options. I don’t know what is quality on the market today. I don’t have the money to afford both a car and a plug, so I can’t go full electric. I drive enough miles to be worth the upfront investment to save in fuel. I want a car that is smaller than my current Prius because the extra size and weight simply means extra weight that I don’t need. I drive alone most of the time and don’t have kids.

I only ever buy used and ugly. One thing I loved about my Yaris was the good deal. The top coat of paint bubbled on every Yaris that year in Arizona due to heat. The Prius was in better shape but had off-brand hubcaps and some cosmetic oddities that I didn’t mind, such as off-color floor mats.

Any advice on small but durable hybrids would be appreciated, and especially if you know of make/model/year that have some “ugly” feature that makes them undesirable to other buyers.