Best Cars for Fuel Economy

The Ioniq is Hyundai’s first stab at an eco-friendly family car, and it’s an impressive proposition. It’s available as a hybrid and PHEV (plug-in hybrid) as well as the fully electric option. The plug-in hybrid can deliver around 70 mpg if driven smoothly, beating any standard diesel or petrol car. The hybrid version is less efficient but the manufacturer still claims upwards of 60 mpg. An aluminium bonnet and boot, along with lightweight suspension components, help deliver maximum efficiency.

Perhaps the most recognisable eco-friendly car, the Prius offers fuel economy to rival the Ioniq. The manufacturer claims 68.4 mpg for its cars on 15-inch wheels and 59.6 mpg when scaling up to 17-inch wheels. It depends how you drive it, of course – this is a great car for pootling around in big cities, where the Prius comes into its own. If you’re taking it out on the motorway a lot, you can expect those figures to drop to around 50 mpg. The Prius is a favourite of Uber drivers, and its combination of performance and low running costs makes it easy to see why.

Looking at the Kia Niro, you might not guess it’s particularly efficient. The chunky shape doesn’t look the most aerodynamic, but in fact it delivers similar real-wold economy to the Ioniq and the Prius. It’s an eco-car disguised as a family SUV, with all the practical benefits that offers in terms of space and running costs. The plug-in hybrid version will travel up to 30 miles on the battery alone, making it one of the best cars for fuel economy for drivers who regularly make short journeys.

One of the most fuel-efficient family cars on the market, the Corolla offers up to 62.7 mpg, depending on which model you go for. As a hybrid, it’s especially efficient around town, so this could be a good option if that’s where you do most of your driving. This isn’t one of those hybrids you need to remember to charge every night to get the most out of either – simply use it like a regular petrol car and let the car capture energy from the engine and the brakes drive the generator. The Corolla offers much of what the Prius does, but in a more conventional-looking package.

Of course, it’s not only electrically powered cars bidding for the attentions of the economy-conscious buyer. Launched in 2012, the Peugeot 208 claimed some seriously impressive economy figures for its petrol and diesel engines, such as 65.6 mpg for the 1.0 engines. You’ll likely struggle to achieve these in the real world, however, with a shade under 50 mpg probably more realistic. Those high lab test figures do offer another tangible benefit though – diesel 208s registered before April 2017 qualify for free road tax, with most others costing less than £30 a year to tax.

Citroen has a good reputation for fuel economy from its small diesel and petrol engines. The C3 supermini comes with a range of options, with the PureTech 82 petrol engine offering up to 48.7 mpg, and the cleanest option being the 1.6 BlueHDi, with a claimed 62.7mpg. This latter engine comes at quite a price premium though, so you need to consider whether that improved economy is worth the initial outlay.

The Suzuki Celerio is designed as a practical city car, with affordable running costs part of the package. The 1.0-litre models offer up to 67.5 mpg. The more efficient Dualjet version claimed up to 78 mpg, but this was withdrawn from sale following changes to the road tax regime that made it a less attractive purchase. It’s a practical car for buyers on a budget, and it delivers fuel economy to match any other city car out there.

2020 saw the hybrid version of the Fiat 500 make its debut. As you might expect, this model offers the best fuel economy you can get from a 500, using up to 20% less fuel than the previous 1.2-litre, 69 bhp petrol engine. Most Fiat 500s on the second hand market will have petrol engines, however. The two-cylinder TwinAir claims up to 51.4 mpg, though if you’re driving on faster roads it will be easy to slip below 40 mpg. Fiat’s entry-level 1.0-litre petrol engine can’t run on electric power alone, nor be plugged in. What this means is there’s a tiny battery and electric motor to help out the motor in certain situations, thereby improving fuel economy.

There aren’t many cars out there that are cheaper to run than the Citroen C1. It’s small, light and powered by a tiny petrol engine, which all add up to impressive fuel economy. It’s worth noting, however, that the cited figures of 61-67 mpg were measured under the less stringent, pre-2017 system. Around 55 mpg may be a more realistic expectation. Previous generations also offered a diesel option, but this was dropped in 2009.

Available as an electric or a petrol car, the Up is a tempting option for drivers concerned about fuel economy. In the petrol version, the efficient 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine cuts emissions by switching off whenever you come to a stop. This helps it achieve an impressive official figure of 51.4 mpg. The gearing in the higher-powered six-speed Up GTI means it does even better, delivering an official 53.3 mpg.

With both emissions and fuel costs ever more of a concern, cars are being made to deliver better and better efficiency. There’s now a ton of choice when it comes to economical models, but start with the ones on this list and you can’t go wrong. Want to find out more? Visit our fuel economy hub for detailed information on how to keep your running costs down and which models will deliver the best fuel economy for your needs.