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real-mpg-most-economical-family-cars

Family cars tend to lead tough lives, carrying people and luggage on long and short journeys alike. That means it’s particularly important to pay attention to your real-world fuel economy.

That’s where our Real MPG tests come in. Rather than relying on often-optimistic official fuel economy figures, our testing shows what’s achievable if you drive gently – but without resorting to complicated ‘hypermiling’ fuel saving techniques. Here are the top 10...

Slideshow story: please click the right-hand arrow above to continue, or simply scroll down if you’re reading on your mobile

Real MPG: Most economical family cars

Hatchback

Audi is a brand that sets the standard for interior quality, and this, combined with its vast and ever-growing model line-up, has helped it become one of the ‘big three’ German prestige car makers, along with BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

The A3 hatchback, A4 executive saloon and Q7 SUV are all common - yet upmarket - sights on UK roads.

At least some of Audi's success over the past 30 years can be attributed to the growth in sales of vehicles with four-wheel drive; the company arguably led the way in bringing 4x4 technology into the mainstream, with its Quattro coupé in the early 1980s.

Today, most Audis are available with at least the option of four-wheel drive, while the list of SUVs from the brand includes the Q2, Q3, Q5 and Q7.

AUDI

Real MPG Average&nbsp;47.3mpg |&nbsp;Town&nbsp;36.0mpg |&nbsp;Motorway&nbsp;44.4mpg |&nbsp;Rural&nbsp;61.6mpg

The fourth result for the Volkswagen Group’s TDI diesel engine comes when it’s installed in the previous generation of Audi A3, and could have crept up the list with a better round-town economy figure.

Still, economy elsewhere is very good, and represents the cherry on the top of a very strong engine range. Allied to entertaining handling and excellent refinement, the A3 makes for a very competent motorway car.

Read our&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/a3/hatchback/used-review/n17405">used Audi A3 review</a>

10: Audi A3 2.0 TDI (2013-2020)

<h3>Pros</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Strong engines</li>
	<li>Beautifully finished interior</li>
	<li>Great to drive</li>
</ul>

<h3>Cons</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Not as spacious as the VW Golf in the back</li>
	<li>Firm low-speed ride</li>
	<li>Lower trims sparsely equipped</li>
</ul>

One of the greatest success stories in the car world of recent decades is Skoda’s rise to become a hugely credible mainstream maker of good-value, good-sense cars.

Central to that success has been its place within the VW Group, alongside the Volkswagen brand itself, plus the likes of Seat and Audi. That has given it access to exactly the same underpinnings for its cars as the other brands, and it has complemented this by adding its own developments, from the way the cars drive and ride through to the features they have and the pricing.

The result is a range that extends from a city car to a large executive saloon, with family and large seven-seat SUVs too. There’s a wide variety of petrol and diesel engines, all of which are competitive for the class.

As a result, Skoda has a range of cars that is almost entirely class-leading or among the class leaders, and it has enjoyed long-time success at the What Car? Awards as a result.

SKODA

SUPERB

Real MPG Average&nbsp;48.2mpg |&nbsp;Town&nbsp;37.8mpg |&nbsp;Motorway&nbsp;45.4mpg |&nbsp;Rural&nbsp;61.1mpg

The Skoda Superb was certainly a car to live up to its name. It was the biggest car in its class – rivalling fully-fledged executive saloons in that regard – fantastically comfortable, quiet and represents incredible value for money.

It’s another instance where diesel power wins out, because petrol engines were thirsty and plug-in hybrids were fairly rare. In raw economy terms, the 148bhp 2.0-litre TDI (the second of three diesels) was stellar, returning an average of 48.2mpg in the real world.

Read our&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/superb/hatchback/used-review/n969">used Skoda Superb review</a>

9: Skoda Superb 2.0 TDI 150 (2015-2023)

<h3>Pros</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Vast interior and boot</li>
	<li>Good value for money used</li>
	<li>High-quality materials</li>
</ul>

<h3>Cons</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Some rivals are more fun to drive</li>
	<li>Diesel engines are occasionally gruff</li>
	<li>2.0-litre petrols are quick, but rather thirsty</li>
</ul>

Buyers seeking value for money should have Kia towards the top of their shopping list.

Although once a niche brand in the UK, today Kia outsells many more established brands, helped by its market-leading seven-year warranty and a strong reputation for reliability; in fact, Kia regularly finishes towards the top of our reliability surveys.

There are plenty of models to choose from, too, ranging from the small Picanto city car to the Ceed family hatchback and the Sorento large SUV. The Picanto was the first Kia to win its class at the What Car? Car of the Year awards.

Real MPG Average&nbsp;48.9mpg |&nbsp;Town&nbsp;39.5mpg |&nbsp;Motorway&nbsp;45.2mpg |&nbsp;Rural&nbsp;62.0mpg

The Kia Rio is a compelling buy for a number of reasons, not least because every model comes with plenty of equipment, it’s quiet on the move, spacious and easy to drive around town. And with the clever ‘iMT’ clutch that allows the car to automatically coast when you’re not on the accelerator, fuel economy is strong, too.

In our tests, the iMT-equipped, 1.0-litre Rio achieved 48.9mpg overall, with great showings in our motorway and rural tests.

Read our&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/kia/rio/hatchback/used-review/n17562">used Kia Rio review</a>

8: Kia Rio 1.0 T-GDi 48V iMT (2017-2022)

<h3>Pros</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Well equipped</li>
	<li>Spacious rear seat and boot</li>
	<li>Refined petrol engines</li>
</ul>

<h3>Cons</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Fidgety ride in town</li>
	<li>So-so handling</li>
	<li>Average security rating</li>
</ul>

Modern Fiats fall into two categories: the retro models and those with more functional designs.

Cars in the first camp appeal to the heart and include the 124 Spider sports car and the 500 series: a hatchback, a convertible, an SUV and two MPVs.

By contrast, the remaining models rely on their practicality and attractive pricing, with the Panda city car, Tipo hatchback and Fullback pick-up truck all prime examples.

Fiat can trace its roots back to the 19th century but is now part of the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles group, along with Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Jeep and Maserati.

FIAT

TIPO

Real MPG Average&nbsp;49.1mpg |&nbsp;Town&nbsp;42.2mpg |&nbsp;Motorway&nbsp;44.2mpg |&nbsp;Rural&nbsp;62.1mpg

For years, Fiat has focused its attention on the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/small-cars/n16997">small car</a>&nbsp;market, but the slow-selling Fiat Tipo remains available as a new car – albeit in a slightly more rugged ‘Cross’ guise. The frugal 1.6 Multijet 120 diesel engine we tested is a thing of the past, too, but it remains an impressively economical family car.

If you can overlook the Tipo’s shortcomings in the way it drives and a cheap-feeling interior, then you’ll enjoy decent interior space and good fuel economy. In our real-world testing, the Tipo achieved just over 49mpg on average.

Read our&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/fiat/tipo/hatchback/used-review/n937">used Fiat Tipo review</a>

7: Fiat Tipo 1.6 Multijet 120 (2016-present)

<h3>Pros</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Spacious interior and big boot</li>
	<li>Low price if you avoid the hybrid engine</li>
	<li>Good standard safety tech</li>
</ul>

<h3>Cons</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Disappointing ride</li>
	<li>Interior feels cheap</li>
	<li>Poor residual values</li>
</ul>

Infiniti is to Nissan what Lexus is to Toyota: the premium arm of a mainstream car maker.

Infiniti’s current model range includes the Q30 hatchback, Q50 executive saloon and Q60 coupé, all of which go head to head with cars from the likes of Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz. There’s also the QX30, a small SUV.

The brand has so far struggled to make a big impact on British buyers due to high prices, but most of the time that’s partially offset by a long list of standard equipment.

Future plans include a new range of electric vehicles and a smart petrol engine that is said to offer diesel-like fuel economy.

INFINITI

Real MPG Average&nbsp;49.2mpg |&nbsp;Town&nbsp;40.4mpg |&nbsp;Motorway&nbsp;45.1mpg |&nbsp;Rural&nbsp;62.7mpg

You’d be forgiven for not immediately recognising the Infiniti Q30, because it was a slow-selling hatchback that only lasted three years. And apart from good equipment levels and a comfortable low-speed ride, it was a hard car to recommend.

The 1.5 diesel’s economy was certainly a high point, if you can live with the noise it generated. In our real-world testing, it gave an average figure of 49.2mpg and an eye-catching 62.7mpg on our rural-road test.

Read our&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/infiniti/q30/hatchback/used-review/n19161">used Infiniti Q30 review</a>

6: Infiniti Q30 1.5d (2016-2019)

<h3>Pros</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Good low-speed ride</li>
	<li>Well equipped</li>
</ul>

<h3>Cons</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Not good to drive</li>
	<li>Cramped</li>
</ul>

The VW Group famously spends more money on research and development than any rival – and as a result, perhaps it should be no surprise that our testers rate its cars so consistently highly.

The fact that many of those cars use the same underpinnings also helps, because it means that if they get it right once, they have the foundations to keep on getting it right.

However, the Volkswagen brand faces plenty of tough competition, often from within, because the rapidly rising Seat and Skoda brands that are also part of the group have access to the same technology.

VOLKSWAGEN

GOLF

Real MPG Average&nbsp;49.7mpg |&nbsp;Town&nbsp;40.0mpg |&nbsp;Motorway&nbsp;45.3mpg |&nbsp;Rural&nbsp;64.6mpg

A small engine in a fairly large car sounds sensible on paper, but often they need to work too hard to haul the vehicle’s mass (the 44mpg&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ford/focus/hatchback/review/n37">Ford Focus</a>&nbsp;1.0 Ecoboost is a case in point). So it’s great to see the Golf 1.0 TSI appearing in our list of most economical family cars.

Its round-town average of 40.0mpg is good for a petrol-powered car, although its overall figure is dragged down by its motorway economy – proving that this is a family car that’s best suited to urban life.

Read our&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/volkswagen/golf/hatchback/used-review/n776">used Volkswagen Golf review</a>

5: Volkswagen Golf 1.0 TSI (2013-2020)

<h3>Pros</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Smooth ride</li>
	<li>Enjoyable to drive</li>
	<li>Upmarket interior</li>
</ul>

<h3>Cons</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Not as cheap as some of its rivals</li>
	<li>Could be more spacious</li>
	<li>Reliability only average</li>
</ul>

Hyundai has transformed itself from a maker of oddball hatchbacks that sold in small numbers in the UK, to a major rival to the likes of Ford, Vauxhall and Volkswagen.

The Korean firm’s Ioniq Hybrid is particularly impressive, having beaten the trend-setting Toyota Prius when we tested the cars back to back.

Meanwhile, at the extremes of the Hyundai range you find the tiny i10 city car – a four-time What Car? award winner – and the stylish yet family-friendly Santa Fe SUV.

As a bonus, all of these cars come with the reassurance of a five-year, unlimited-mileage warranty, whereas most of Hyundai’s rivals offer only three years and 60,000 miles of cover.

HYUNDAI

IONIQ

Real MPG Average&nbsp;51.8mpg |&nbsp;Town&nbsp;109.0mpg |&nbsp;Motorway&nbsp;40.8mpg |&nbsp;Rural&nbsp;53.7mpg

The only&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/what-is-a-hybrid-car-and-should-you-buy-one/n1290">plug-in hybrid</a>&nbsp;on our list posted the single-most impressive economy figure – an incredible 109.0mpg around town. It’s an area where hybrids of all kinds generally perform well, but three-figure fuel economy is extremely good.

That’s partly explained by the way in which the engine and motor tag-team their operation to use less fuel and the car’s regenerative braking, which puts power back into the batteries when slowing down. It also explains a poorer motorway economy figure, because at higher, constant speeds, the impact of both those systems is less pronounced.

Read our&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/hyundai/ioniq/saloon/used-review/n891">used Hyundai Ioniq review</a>

4: Hyundai Ioniq Plug-in 1.6 (2017-2022)

<h3>Pros</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Good-quality interior</li>
	<li>Low running costs</li>
	<li>Hybrid is good to drive</li>
</ul>

<h3>Cons</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Poor rear head room</li>
	<li>Unsettled ride around town</li>
	<li>EV model expensive</li>
</ul>

Today, the resurgent Seat brand is selling better cars than at any time in its history.

In large part, that’s because it is one of the brands owned by the VW Group. Underneath, all of the cars it sells are strongly related to similar models sold by Volkswagen itself, or the likes of Skoda and even Audi. If you are buying a Leon, for example, the hardware will be similar to that of the Golf, Octavia and A3.

But while Seat makes the most of this tie-up to offer everything from city, small and family cars, including estates, through to a full range of SUVs, it also adds in its own slice of character, both with its distinctive styling approach and because its engineers generally tune the cars to deliver sportier handling.

While all of its cars are decent, it is the SUVs that stand out. The Arona and Ateca are among the class leaders and have enjoyed triumphs at the What Car? Awards.

SEAT

LEON

Real MPG Average&nbsp;56.0mpg |&nbsp;Town&nbsp;46.3mpg |&nbsp;Motorway&nbsp;50.9mpg |&nbsp;Rural&nbsp;71.7mpg

The Seat Leon featured twice in our top 10 most economical family car rundown, but we’ve combined them both here. The 1.6-litre diesel achieved a&nbsp;superb average of 56.0mpg in Ecomotive trim, a model which benefits from slightly sleeker bodywork and a revised gearbox.

The 1.0-litre petrol version, which recorded an average figure of 51.8mpg, deserves a special mention because it’s the most economical petrol-powered family car on our list. It’s particularly well suited to those who do lots of short journeys around town – situations where diesels can struggle due to the likelihood of their&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/owning/diesel-particulate-filters-everything-you-need-to-know/n1181">particulate filters</a>&nbsp;becoming clogged.

Read our&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/seat/leon/hatchback/used-review/n805">used Seat Leon review</a>

3: Seat Leon 1.6 TDI 110 Ecomotive (2013-2020)

<h3>Pros</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Good to drive</li>
	<li>Well equipped</li>
	<li>Cheap to buy and run</li>
</ul>

<h3>Cons</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Firm ride</li>
	<li>Not as refined as some rivals</li>
	<li>Bland interior</li>
</ul>

Vauxhall has an incredibly diverse range of cars on sale, a few of which stand out above the class average. Add in the fact that it still offers some of the largest Target Price discounts in the market (something it is trying, without huge success, to cut back on), and there are very good reasons to consider buying one of its better models.

However, you need to choose carefully, because it is also a brand in transition. It has a newish parent company – the same one that owns Citroën, DS and Peugeot. And while Vauxhall’s newer models tend to be competitive, some of the others feel dated; a quick check of our star ratings will reveal which is which.

Still, given the recent success of sister brands Citroën and especially Peugeot, each new launch should make its range more appealing to buyers.

VAUXHALL

ASTRA

Real MPG Average&nbsp;56.3mpg |&nbsp;Town&nbsp;46.4mpg |&nbsp;Motorway&nbsp;50.7mpg |&nbsp;Rural&nbsp;73.7mpg

If you’re looking for rock-bottom running costs, then this particular Vauxhall Astra could fit the bill. Not only is the fuel economy mightily impressive, but heavy depreciation means it represents huge value for money as a used purchase – especially if you choose the frugal 1.6-litre diesel.&nbsp;

The 109bhp version tested here is the entry-level diesel, but it offers exceptional economy – at the hands of our Real MPG testers, it achieved a remarkable 56.3mpg overall. The 73.7mpg it achieved in our rural economy tests is the best of any family car, making it the top choice if you regularly find yourself on winding country roads.

Read our&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/vauxhall/astra/hatchback/used-review/n17406">used Vauxhall Astra review</a>

2: Vauxhall Astra 1.6 CDTi 110 Ecoflex (2015-2021)

<h3>Pros</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Spacious interior</li>
	<li>Relatively cheap to buy</li>
	<li>Well equipped</li>
</ul>

<h3>Cons</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Vague steering</li>
	<li>Diesels can be noisy</li>
	<li>Low-speed ride can be fidgety</li>
</ul>

OCTAVIA

Real MPG Average&nbsp;57.9mpg |&nbsp;Town&nbsp;50.5mpg |&nbsp;Motorway&nbsp;52.1mpg |&nbsp;Rural&nbsp;72.6mpg

The first car on our list, and the most economical&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/family-cars/n16996">family car</a>, is the Skoda Octavia. It’s also one of the largest and most practical here, too, which makes its efficiency all the more impressive. It also goes to prove that diesel power still has plenty to offer drivers who cover big distances on a regular basis.&nbsp;

The 2.0-litre, 114bhp TDI diesel engine might lack the outright shove of the more gutsy 148bhp version, but our road testers found it’s still plenty powerful – especially given those remarkable Real MPG economy figures.

Read our&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/skoda/octavia/hatchback/review/n39">Skoda Octavia review</a>

1: Skoda Octavia 2.0 TDI 115PS

<h3>Pros</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Plush interior</li>
	<li>Huge boot</li>
	<li>Low BIK rates for plug-in 1.4 TSI iV 204</li>
</ul>

<h3>Cons</h3>

<ul>
	<li>Heating controls are in the touchscreen</li>
	<li>Rivals sharper to drive</li>
	<li>Touchscreen can be tricky to use on the move</li>
</ul>

<hr />
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<h2 dir="ltr">Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/real-mpg-how-we-test-cars/n3204">How we test a car's Real MPG</a>&nbsp;&gt;&gt;</h2>

Looking for an efficient family car to keep fuel bills low? Our Real MPG tests shows the economy you can really expect

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