Real MPG: most economical petrol cars

WLTP MPG 55.7mpg | Real MPG Average 59.9mpg | Town 51.3mpg | Motorway 53.3mpg | Rural 74.8mpg

With only a modest 82bhp, the Suzuki Ignis isn’t a powerful car – but it certainly doesn’t feel that way, thanks to the way its mild-hybrid system provides a useful boost. It’s impressively economical on faster roads, having returned an impressive 53.3mpg in the motorway portion of our tests, but it was a stellar 74.8mpg on rural roads that really stands out.

The Ignis is among the smallest SUVs on sale, so it’s not very roomy – look to the Skoda Kamiq for more space – and the low-rent interior is nothing to write home about, but we like the fact that you can opt for a four-wheel-drive Allgrip version, which only slightly drops the average Real MPG score down to 53.3mpg.

Read our full Suzuki Ignis review

NEDC MPG 65.7mpg | Real MPG Average 57.8mpg | Town 47.0mpg | Motorway 53.3mpg | Rural 73.5mpg

The Suzuki Celerio is the most efficient car we’ve tested that isn’t helped by mild-hybrid power. It’s more agile than you might think, rides well, and in the motorway section of our test, returned 53.3mpg. It feels right at home around town, too, thanks to its compact, city car dimensions and the ability to return an excellent 47mpg.

It’s roomier than many rivals, with decent boot space that beats the similarly-sized Skoda Citigo. Some of the interior materials feel pretty low-rent, though. Before it was taken off sale in 2019, the Celerio was one of the cheapest new cars you could buy. Nowadays, a used version will cost you from around £2500, which is nothing to be sniffed at.

Read our full used Suzuki Celerio review

WLTP MPG 50.7mpg | Real MPG Average 56.0mpg | Town 44.3mpg | Motorway 51.9mpg | Rural 72.2mpg

Several 1.0-litre engines appeared in the Volkswagen Up throughout its life, but the most efficient is the entry-level 59bhp version. While it can feel pretty sluggish on the motorway, it’s peppy around town, and an impressive real-world average of 56.0mpg will reap savings at the petrol pumps.

The Up has a lot to offer – it’s both comfortable and fun to drive, with an upmarket interior that makes it feel much bigger than it really is. It was taken off sale in 2023, but these days it makes for a great used buy with prices for entry-level models starting from £2500. However, we’d recommend spending a bit more on a better equipped higher-spec version.

Read our full used Volkswagen Up review

NEDC MPG 62.7mpg | Real MPG Average 55.2mpg | Town 46.6mpg | Motorway 49.9mpg | Rural 70.4mpg

Suzuki extends its impressive efficiency streak with the Baleno, a small car that may not be our favourite to drive, but offers excellent fuel economy. In fact, all models of the Baleno benefit from a light weight of less than a tonne, boosting its performance and economy.

The Baleno is a standout in its class when it comes to practicality, with a big boot that can carry more luggage than rivals, and lots of standard kit. However, despite being generally comfortable, it’s not fun to drive – the Ford Fiesta is miles ahead here. As well as the 1.0-litre petrol engine in our tests, the Baleno also has a 1.2-litre mild hybrid option, which is similar to the engine in the Ignis.

Read our full used Suzuki Baleno review

NEDC MPG 62.8mpg | Real MPG Average 55.2mpg | Town 45.9mpg | Motorway 50.0mpg | Rural 70.6mpg

The Skoda Citigo is mechanically identical to the VW Up, so shares much of its engine line-up. As with the Up, the 59bhp engine is the one to choose if you’re looking for great economy. Helpfully, the Citigo is a little cheaper to buy than the Up, which boosts its money-saving credentials further.

For a city car, the Citigo is surprisingly spacious inside, and like the Up, feels much bigger than it really is. With a well-controlled, supple ride, it doesn’t feel out of its depth on the motorway, and it’s especially frugal in rural areas, achieving an impressive 70.4mpg in our tests. Used entry-level S models start from around £3000, but you don’t get much equipment as standard, so we’d recommend splashing out on a better equipped SE version.

Read our full used Skoda Citigo review

NEDC MPG 60.1mpg | Real MPG Average 54.0mpg | Town 45.1mpg | Motorway 48.8mpg | Rural 69.4mpg

It’s no secret that we’re big fans of the Seat Ibiza – it was our Small Car of the Year in 2018. Our favourite version is this 94bhp 1.0-litre petrol, because not only is it exceedingly frugal, it’s also turbocharged, so it pulls well from low revs, and gets up to motorway speeds surprisingly quickly.

The Ibiza is slightly less comfortable than the rival Peugeot 208 and Skoda Fabia, but its handling is among the best in its class, making it enjoyable to drive in town and on twisty country roads alike. It also undercuts many of its small car rivals in price, so it shouldn’t break the bank to buy or run.

Read our full Seat Ibiza review

NEDC MPG 62.8mpg | Real MPG Average 53.3mpg | Town 46.6mpg | Motorway 47.3mpg | Rural 67.3mpg

This second-generation Kia Picanto is good fun to drive in the city, where its light steering and small size make it perfect for manoeuvring around urban roads. The 1.0-litre engine may only offer 68bhp, but it’s exceedingly economical, although it does feel a little out of its depth on open roads.

Inside, it’s spacious for passengers but falls short on boot space – you can’t really fit more than a small amount of shopping in there. Mechanically, the Picanto is practically identical to the Hyundai i10, and we find the latter to be a cheaper second-hand buy. On top of that, we find that the livelier 1.2-litre engine is worth the efficiency penalty if you drive a lot on faster roads.

Read our full used Kia Picanto review

NEDC MPG 64.2mpg | Real MPG Average 53.1mpg | Town 42.9mpg | Motorway 48.6mpg | Rural 68.9mpg

As the only family car on this list, the Seat Leon may seem like a bit of an anomaly, but despite its larger size, it’s amazingly cheap to run and it offers a great deal of other assets that make it a five-star car in our books.

Not only is the Leon great fun to drive, it also offers plenty of space for a family, and comes loaded with standard kit even in entry-level S trim. You’re spoilt for choice with an excellent range of engines, but the starter 1.0-litre we tested here offers lively enough performance. Some rivals, like the VW Golf (on which the Leon is based), are more refined, but the Leon has a distinct price advantage.

Read our full used Seat Leon review

NEDC MPG 55.4mpg | Real MPG Average 52.8mpg | Town 44.3mpg | Motorway 47.3mpg | Rural 68.5mpg

This first-generation Dacia Sandero won over many buyers with its no-frills, low-cost, utilitarian philosophy. Although it pales in comparison to the current Dacia Sandero, prices for this used version start below £2000. And with a real-world average fuel economy of more than 50mpg, you can’t really go wrong.

The Sandero is the perfect car for those who simply want to get from A to B without the distraction and cost of the latest gadgets. This does mean that the interior feels outdated, and those older materials don’t drown out much road noise. Despite this, it offers plenty of space inside and is quite comfortable, although not as fun to drive as a Ford Fiesta.

Read our full used Dacia Sandero review

WLTP MPG 58.9mpg | Real MPG Average 52.2mpg | Town 42.6mpg | Motorway 48.0mpg | Rural 66.7mpg

The Toyota Aygo X is another small car whose compact and lightweight stature makes it exceedingly economical. There’s only one engine option, a 1.0-litre with 71bhp, which you have to work hard to whisk up to speed on open road. But like its rivals, it feels right at home in both urban and suburban environments.

While the Aygo X’s performance feels rather pedestrian compared with many rivals, it’s more efficient than a Mazda 2 or Volkswagen Polo, and Toyota’s stellar reliability record means you shouldn’t have too many repairs to pay out for down the line. It also handles neatly and offers a more enjoyable drive than a Dacia Sandero or Fiat Panda.

Read our full Toyota Aygo X review

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