Real MPG: most economical small SUVs

Real MPG Average 60.1mpg | Town 103.3mpg | Motorway 45.5mpg | Rural 70.5mpg

If you want to cut your fuel bills, and don't want go down the route of getting an electric car or a plug-in hybrid, then a hybrid car is the way to go. And the Toyota Yaris Cross is the best of the bunch, recording an impressive average of more than 60mpg in our real-world tests making it our most economical small SUV.

Like most other hybrid cars, the Yaris Cross shines in town, where its combination of peppy 1.5-litre petrol engine and electric motor allows it to get the jump on urban traffic. Yet impressively, once you're out of the urban jungle, the Yaris Cross continues to impress, recording 45mpg on the motorway and upwards of 70mpg on country roads.

It's worth noting that whether you choose the front or four-wheel drive Yaris makes little difference, with the latter recording a test average of 51.2mpg, which is still well above average for the class.

We like that the Yaris Cross doesn't skimp on the business of being an SUV, either, offering the kind of raised-up driving position which SUV buyers will love, along with decent space for your family and their luggage. And while the quality of materials used inside the Yaris Cross won't match up to premium rivals including the Nissan Juke or Mini Countryman, everything does at least feel well put together.

Read our full Toyota Yaris Cross review

Real MPG Average 59.9mpg | Town 51.3mpg | Motorway 53.3mpg | Rural 74.8mpg

Four different versions of the Suzuki Ignis featured in our table of the most economical small SUVs, all averaging more than 50mpg. But it’s the latest versions with fuel-saving mild hybrid technology which top our list with a mightily impressive figure of 59.9mpg – in fact, it even beat the Toyota Yaris Cross which tops our list on rural roads.

There are compromises to be made, however. The Ignis' brakes might feel more consistent than they do in other mild hybrids, but the car's stopping performance isn't very good – it took 8.3m further than a Kia Picanto to stop from 70mph in our tests, for example. Plus, the steering is inconsistently weighted and there's more body roll through corners than you'd find in the rival Volkswagen Up.

Inside, we like that visibility out the front of the Ignis is good due to its short bonnet, but the same can't be said of looking out the back, because those heavily styled rear pillars get in the way. A rear-view camera is standard to help combat this, but you have to view it on a slow, low-resolution touchscreen.

Read our full Suzuki Ignis review

Real MPG Average 50.5mpg | Town 41.6mpg | Motorway 45.8mpg | Rural 62.5mpg

The Volkswagen Taigo is often overlooked in favour of the excellent Volkswagen T-Cross, but with its coupe looks, it offers a dose of style to rival the Ford Puma. But while the Ford could only muster an average of 45.1mpg in our tests, the Taigo easily returned more than 50mpg.

We recommend the 113bhp version of the Taigo's 1.0-litre petrol engine if you reguarly drive on the motorway, but if you don't need its extra turn of speed or just value efficiency over energy, the 94bhp version tested here is the one we'd go for. And we're not saying this version is slow, either – indeed, it does an admirable job of keeping pace with faster traffic.

It's easy to get comfortable inside the Taigo, with lots of adjustment in the seating position and steering wheel. And while you won't have to look far to find hard, scratchy plastics, there are some pleasantly soft materials used in the places you touch frequently. If interior quality is more important to you than efficiency, then we'd point you in the direction of the Audi Q2 or Mini Countryman instead.

Read our full Volkswagen Taigo review

Real MPG Average 47.7mpg | Town 40.2mpg | Motorway 43.6mpg | Rural 59.8mpg

The Suzuki Vitara 1.6 petrol is the first car on our list that’s no longer available to buy new, but there are still plenty to choose from on the used market. Low prices allied to an average economy figure of 47.7mpg means the Vitara is a savvy small SUV for those on a tight budget. It shines in other areas, too: it's in our top ten most reliable small SUVs, drives well and is spacious. 

Used Vitaras are fairly plentiful on the used market, and just £7000 is enough to put one on your driveway. That'll be for an older car with higher-than-average mileage, though, so be prepared to budget around £10,000 for a newer example which has covered fewer miles.

Yet, if you’re keen on buying new, then consider the Suzuki Vitara 1.4 Boosterjet Hybrid, which achieved an impressive 46.7mpg average figure in our tests.

Read our full used Suzuki Vitara review

Real MPG Average 47.4mpg | Town 63.7mpg | Motorway 39.7mpg | Rural 52.0mpg

This hybrid version of the Hyundai Kona is powered by a 1.6-litre petrol engine and an electric motor, producing a total of 139bhp when they work together. That makes for punchy performance and the ability to drive around town for short distances using electric power alone – explaining the stellar figure of 63.7mpg around town. It’s also good on rural roads, as the 52mpg result attests, but a disappointing 39.7mpg on motorways prevents it from moving up our list.

It's worth noting that the Kona has been facelifted since our test, but the hybrid remains the most frugal option in the line-up barring the all-electric Kona Electric. Like the pre-facelift model, the Kona isn't especially inspiring to drive – for that, look at the Volkswagen T-Roc – but it's not uncomfortable and is pleasantly hushed even at motorway speeds.

If you regularly ferry around tall passengers, then they'll thank you for choosing the Kona, because it offers more rear leg room than most rivals, including the Ford Puma, and there's no shortage of head room either.

Read our full Hyundai Kona review

Real MPG Average 47.3mpg | Town 39.4mpg | Motorway 42.9mpg | Rural 60.5mpg

Like the Hyundai Kona above, the Peugeot 2008 has been facelifted since our economy tests, but the fundamentals remain in the latest version because the 1.2-litre Puretech 130 engine is still the backbone of the range. During our tests it returned an average of 47.3mpg across our range of road types, with an impressive 60.5mpg during our rural simulation.

That’s all the more impressive because the models with the Puretech 130 engine feel pleasantly peppy, even when you've loaded them to the gunwhales with people and luggage. Speaking of space, you'll get your holiday suitcases into the 2008's boot without any trouble, but it's worth bearing in mind that rivals such as the Skoda Kamiq and Renault Captur offer more room.

The 2008's interior has plenty of visual wow factor, even giving the Audi Q2 a run for its money in this regard. Those looks are mostly backed up by high-quality materials, too.

Read our full Peugeot 2008 review

Real MPG Average 47.0mpg | Town 42.4mpg | Motorway 42.6mpg | Rural 56.9mpg

Now replaced by the Vauxhall Mokka, the original Mokka X wasn't the most practical small SUV when it was on sale, nor was it the best to drive – but it was fairly cheap to buy, especially with a range of discounts offered. However, its diesel engine – the first on this list – made partial amends for that by costing relatively little to run if you were covering enough miles to justify its purchase.

There are a good number of examples on the used market if you're tempted, with prices starting from around £8000. That'll get you a car with fairly high mileage, however, so we'd budget around £9000 for a low-mileage car in good condition and with a full service history.

Read our used Vauxhall Mokka X review

Real MPG Average 46.7mpg | Town 35.6mpg | Motorway 43.9mpg | Rural 60.7mpg

This 94bhp 1.0-litre petrol engine is the baby of the Arona range, and while it feels a little sluggish at low revs, it's perfectly fine once you get moving – plus, as our Real MPG results prove, it's pleasantly efficient.

The Arona handles well, and offers a more agile and entertaining drive than either its Citroën C3 Aircross or Renault Captur rivals. It does a good job of soaking up the lumps and bumps of battered British roads, too – especially if you stick with the smallest 17in alloy wheels.

While not up to the standards of the Audi Q2 inside, the Arona features soft-touch materials in the places you're likely to touch regularly, and everything feels built to last.

Read our full Seat Arona review

Real MPG Average 46.6mpg | Town 38.6mpg | Motorway 41.2mpg | Rural 62.7mpg

Under the skin, the Volkswagen T-Cross is pretty much identical to the Seat Arona, above, and with the same engine it’s hardly surprising the economy figures are so close. The rural economy offered by the 1.0 TSI T-Cross is better than the Arona, but in our other tests, it was a step behind. 

Despite being closely related to the Arona, the T-Cross is more spacious for rear passengers than its Seat sibling, with noticable increases in both head and leg room. Its unobtrusive central floor tunnel makes it easier for three passengers to sit side by side on the rear bench, too.

A sliding rear bench allows you to prioritise either rear passenger comfort or boot space – slide it all the way forwards, and you'll have 455 litres below the parcel shelf. Slide it backwards, and space drops to 385 litres – still enough for five carry-on suitcases.

Read our full Volkswagen T-Cross review

Real MPG Average 46.4mpg | Town 41.2mpg | Motorway 41.2mpg | Rural 58.3mpg

The main draw of the Citroën C3 are reasonable costs to buy and, in the case of the 1.2-litre Puretech 110 engine, thoroughly pleasing running costs. 

We like that despite costing thousands of pounds less than some rivals, the C3 still places families front and centre by offering versatile seating, with 60/40 split-folding rear seats standard across the range, and a sliding rear bench available on top-end models.

The C3 is a good bet if you want a small SUV with a big boot, too, because we managed to fit six carry-on suitcases below its parcel shelf – one more than the Seat Arona could manage – and most models come with a handy two-level system which makes it easier to slide in longer items.

Just be aware that while the C3 is reasonably priced as a new car, it depreciates quickly – meaning it can make a sensible used buy

Read our full Citroën C3 Aircross review