Hybrid and electric are the buzzwords of new car sales today – but there’s life in the internal combustion engine yet.
With pricey electrification out of the reach of a lot of buyers, manufacturers still manage to achieve frankly incredible fuel economy figures from even the humblest vehicles.
We’ve excluded hybrid cars from this list as it’s very difficult to accurately chart their fuel economy – it depends so much on the type of driving you do.
Read on for the top 10 most economical combustion-engined cars on sale today. Just remember, these fuel economy figures are by no means a guarantee of the numbers you can hope to achieve – they’re gathered under laboratory conditions, not in the real world.
Peugeot 208 1.6 BlueHDi Active 75 S&S
Fuel economy: 94mpg
Price: £16,940
Peugeot’s 208 isn’t the pick of the supermini class – that honour goes to the Ford Fiesta, which trumps the French car on driving dynamics. But the Peugeot hits back with incredible fuel economy of up to 94mpg from its 1.6-litre diesel engine.
The relatively large capacity and low power output means the engine is relatively unstressed, so CO2 emissions are similarly low – just 79g/km. The rest of the car’s assets aren’t too bad either – it’s neat-looking, well priced, and decently equipped.
Renault Clio 1.5 dCi Play 90 ECO
Fuel economy: 91mpg
Price: £16,225
Another French car takes second place, as the Renault Clio – equipped with the brand’s perennial 1.5-litre dCi diesel – achieves an impressive 91mpg on the combined cycle.
The Clio is the supermodel of the supermini class, with curvy lines and a well-laid out interior. It’s not as good to drive as rivals, though, and the interior isn’t the roomiest.
Ford Fiesta 1.5 TDCi Style 85PS
Fuel economy: 91mpg
Price: £15,245
If you value driving dynamics, this is the car for you – even when equipped with the lowly 83bhp diesel engine, the Fiesta is a great handler. That engine is both smooth and quiet for a diesel, and achieves 91mpg, matching the Clio.
It’s usefully cheaper, though, coming in at £1,000 less than the Clio and more than £1,500 less than the Peugeot. Combine that with good looks and a much-improved interior over the outgoing model, and the Fiesta deserves its spot as one of the best-selling cars in the UK.
Peugeot 308 1.6 BlueHDi Active 120 S&S
Fuel economy: 91mpg
Price: £20,700
That Peugeot can achieve such a huge fuel economy figure from a comparatively large car is testament to the brand’s commitment to efficiency. The 308 is a size class above the superminis already mentioned, but still achieves 91mpg on the combined cycle – and emits just 82g/km.
It’s good-looking, has a big boot and drives well, although the quirky interior won’t be to everyone’s taste. If you want even more room, you could plump for the SW estate model, too. It’s marginally less efficient, but still achieves 88mpg.
Nissan Micra 1.5 dCi Visia
Fuel economy: 88mpg
Price: £14,715
This generation of Nissan Micra heralded a renaissance for the nameplate, ditching the staid and sensible styling of the last model for a much sharper and more striking design. It also added a diesel engine to the line-up for the first time – a 1.5 dCi unit shared with the Renault Clio.
Like the one in the Clio, it’s very efficient, rated at 88mpg and 85g/km of CO2. With a newly premium interior and Nissan’s legendary reliability, the Micra could be the diesel of choice for buyers who want dependability and style in one package.
DS 3 1.6 BlueHDi 100hp S&S
Fuel economy: 86mpg
Price: £18,145
The stylish DS 3 is really a Citroen underneath, which means it shares plenty of its oily bits with Peugeot. That’s why the DS 3 manages an impressive 86mpg, using the same 1.6-litre BlueHDi engine as the Peugeot 208.
Add to that a very stylish three-door body and the DS 3 can be seen as a rival to diesel versions of the Mini or Fiat 500 – but is considerably more economical than either.
Ford Focus 1.5 TDCi Style Econetic
Fuel economy: 85mpg
Price: £17,745
Like the Fiesta, but bigger. The Focus retains Ford’s trademark of excellent handling, but in this form mates that with a 1.5-litre diesel engine, which achieves 85mpg on the combined cycle and emits 88g/km of CO2.
If you need more than the Focus hatchback’s rather stingy boot, you can have an estate model – with identical fuel economy figures – for just £1,100 more.
Vauxhall Astra 1.6 CDTi Tech Line S/S ecoTEC
Fuel economy: 85mpg
Price: £19,955
The latest Vauxhall Astra isn’t much more inspiring than the old model, but it is decent to look at, very well equipped – with OnStar Concierge services as standard – and very economical, thanks to an upgraded version of the ‘Whisper’ diesel engine.
Replacing Vauxhall’s ancient 1.7-litre CDTi engine, the ‘Whisper’ diesel is quiet, refined and powerful enough, and in this form will achieve 85mpg. Fleet bosses up and down the country will be thrilled by its 88g/km CO2 emissions, too.
Mercedes A-Class A180 d SE
Fuel economy: 84mpg
Price: £22,235
You might be turned off by the idea of a Mercedes – even a tiny one – with a Renault-sourced 1.5-litre diesel engine under the bonnet. But don’t be, as you’re still getting Mercedes prestige and build quality – but with fuel economy of 84mpg, you won’t be paying Mercedes prices at the pumps.
Mercedes’ partnership with the Renault-Nissan Alliance gives it use of this engine (the same Alliance which allows Infiniti to use the A-Class platform under its Q30 hatchback) and though it’s not the first partnership you’d think of, it works remarkably well.
Fiat 500 1.3 MultiJet 95HP
Fuel economy: 84mpg
Price: £15,865
The baby of Fiat’s range, the 500 is at its best when fitted with the perky and powerful TwinAir petrol engines – but those are thirsty, often averaging around 30mpg. The 1.3-litre MultiJet diesel, by contrast, manages a claimed 84mpg, and emits just 89g/km.
There are few more fashionable ways to save fuel either, as the Fiat 500 remains an icon even 10 years on from its relaunch. It’s been facelifted to keep it up-to-date with the latest tech, and though it’s not the best to drive, it’s cute, fun, and cost-effective to own.
Honorary mention… Suzuki Celerio 1.0 SZ3 Dualjet
Fuel economy: 80mpg
Price: £9,649
The Celerio isn’t quite up to the fuel economy standards of the rest of this list, but it has its own accolade – it’s the most efficient petrol-powered car in the UK. It’s also the cheapest car on this list by quite a margin.
It’s not attractive, flashy, or particularly good to drive, but the Celerio is about as cheap as motoring gets – and if you do short journeys, it’s definitely a better choice than a diesel.