What Are The Most Fuel Efficient Used Cars?
With the increase in prices at the pump on both petrol and diesel over the last few years it has become more financially beneficial than ever to invest in a fuel-efficient vehicle. Not only to be kinder to your wallet and save you money, but to reduce the amount of occasions you need to frequent the petrol pumps.
To help people out who are looking to purchase a fuel efficient car we have scoured the used car market to see what’s available and put together this list of vehicles which all meet the following requirements:
- Cost around £5,000.
- Return (on average), a minimum of 40 miles per gallon.
- Have a speed of 0-60 mph under 10 seconds. A requirement we included to ensure an acceptable standard of performance across our selection.
*Any vehicle models marked with an asterisk represent models with petrol engines.
| # | Car | Avg MPG | 0-60 MPH | Engine | Year | MPG Urban | MPG Extra Urban | BHP | Drive | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vauxhall Corsa | 57.6 | 9.3 | 1.7 CDTi | 2007 | 44.8 | 68.9 | 125 | FWD | |||
| The petrol 1.4 engine is slower with a 0-60 of 11.8 seconds and averages 46.3 mpg. | ||||||||||||
| 2 | Fiat Bravo | 55.4 | 8.2 | 2 | 2009 | 42.2 | 67.3 | 165 | FWD | |||
| Surprisingly the 2.0 liter is faster and more economic than the 150 bhp 1.9 litre engines. | ||||||||||||
| 3 | Honda Civic | 55.4 | 8.6 | 2.2 i-CTDi | 2006 | 42.8 | 65.7 | 140 | FWD | |||
| The petrol 1.6 averages 42.8 mpg from 110 bhp doing 0-60 in 10.6 seconds. | ||||||||||||
| 4 | Skoda Fabia | 53.3 | 9.5 | 1.9 TDi | 2006 | 40.9 | 64.2 | 130 | FWD | |||
| This would be the preferred option over the 1.4 diesel which only does 0-60 in a painfully slow 14.8 secs. | ||||||||||||
| 5 | Honda Accord | 52.3 | 9.5 | 2.2i CTDi | 2005 | 39.8 | 62.8 | 140 | FWD | |||
| There is no point opting for the petrol engines as they have very similar performance and economy suffers. | ||||||||||||
| 6 | Peugeot 307 | 52.3 | 9.8 | 2.0 HDi | 2005 | 39.8 | 62.8 | 136 | FWD | |||
| The 1.6 diesel doesn’t meet the 0-60 doing it in 11.5 secs. | ||||||||||||
| 7 | Audi A3 | 51.4 | 9.5 | 2.0 TDi | 2004 | 39.2 | 61.4 | 140 | FWD | |||
| In 2006 a faster 170 bhp version was released. | ||||||||||||
| 8 | Mazda 6 | 51.4 | 9.2 | 2.2 | 2010 | 40.4 | 60.1 | 163 | FWD | |||
| The 2.0 diesel variants are more common averaging 46.3 mpg from 143 bhp doing 0-60 in 9.8 secs. | ||||||||||||
| 9 | Ford Focus | 51.3 | 9.3 | 2.0 TDCi | 2008 | 40.3 | 62.7 | 136 | FWD | |||
| This car is slightly out of the price range as the only example we found with this exact engine was £6,000 at the time of writing this article (January 2014). | ||||||||||||
| 10 | Smart ForFour | 51.1 | 9.8 | 1.5 | 2006 | 39.2 | 62.4 | 109 | FWD | |||
| There are not many of these around as they were only produced for 2 years between 2004 and 2006. | ||||||||||||
| 11 | Seat Leon | 50.4 | 9.3 | 2.0 TDi | 2005 | 38.2 | 61.4 | 140 | FWD | |||
| This is the newer 2005 onwards model, the older 2004 shape is actually faster with a 0-60 of 8.9 secs and more economic with an average of 52.3 mpg. | ||||||||||||
| 12 | BMW 120d | 49.6 | 7.9 | 2 | 2005 | 36.7 | 61.4 | 163 | RWD | |||
| This is the original shape 1 series hatchback, not the newer coupe or saloon that was introduced in 2009. Look out for the 123d, currently out of this price range – the 2.3 litre diesel engine has a 0-60 of 6.9 secs from 204 bhp while still averaging 55.4 mpg. | ||||||||||||
| 13 | BMW 320 Cd | 49.6 | 8.8 | 2 | 2004 | 35.8 | 62.8 | 150 | RWD | |||
| There is also a faster 330 (3 litre) model that does 0-60 of 7.2 secs from 204 bhp that averages 42.8 mpg! | ||||||||||||
| 14 | Vauxhall Vectra | 49.6 | 9.8 | 1.9 CDTi | 2006 | 38.2 | 60.1 | 150 | FWD | |||
| Ensure you get the 150 bhp engine and not the slower 120 bhp variant as both of them are apparently the same mpg wise. | ||||||||||||
| 15 | Saab 9-3 | 48.7 | 9 | 1.9 TiD | 2007 | 36.7 | 60.1 | 150 | FWD | |||
| The 2.0 litre petrol variant is faster with 0-60 in 7.4 secs but suffers with only 34.9 average mpg, whereas the 1.8t is worse than the diesel in both aspects. | ||||||||||||
| 16 | Vauxhall Astra | 48.7 | 9.8 | 1.9 CDTi | 2008 | 38.2 | 57.6 | 118 | FWD | |||
| The 1.7 CDTi engine averages 55.4 mpg doing 0-60 in 11.7 secs. | ||||||||||||
| 17 | Volvo V50 | 48.7 | 9.6 | 2.0D | 2008 | 37.2 | 58.9 | 136 | FWD | |||
| The 2.4 petrol engine is faster as expected averaging 33.2 mpg doing 0-60 in 8.3 secs. | ||||||||||||
| 18 | Alfa Romeo 147 | 47.9 | 8.8 | 1.9 JTDm | 2007 | 35.3 | 58.9 | 150 | FWD | |||
| The Q2 version has LSD (limited slip differential) and the Ducati Corse is the fastest version that does 0-60 in 7.7 seconds from 170 bhp which is also diesel and gets 47 mpg, however it is rare. Look out for it’s replacement, the Giulietta, in the next year for better looks and mpg. | ||||||||||||
| 19 | Alfa Romeo 159 | 47.9 | 9.2 | 1.9 JTDm | 2006 | 35.8 | 58.9 | 150 | FWD | |||
| The 159 also comes in a 2.4 litre diesel which does 0-60 in 8.4 seconds from 200 bhp and still gets 41.5 mpg! | ||||||||||||
| 20 | Audi A4 | 47.9 | 9.7 | 2.0 TDi | 2005 | 35.3 | 60.1 | 140 | FWD | |||
| Also comes in cabriolet which would have slightly worse figures due to extra weight. | ||||||||||||
| 21 | Toyota Avensis | 47.9 | 9.3 | 2.2 D-4D | 2007 | 37.2 | 57.6 | 148 | FWD | |||
| The 2.0 diesel variant does 0-60 in 10.3 secs averaging 51.4 mpg. | ||||||||||||
| 22 | VW Golf | 47.9 | 8.2 | 2.0 GT TDi | 2006 | 36.2 | 58.9 | 170 | FWD | |||
| This is the 170 bhp variant. Watch out as there is a 140 bhp engine which is slower doing 0-60 in 9.3 secs but does average 51.4 mpg. | ||||||||||||
| 23 | Jaguar X-Type | 47.1 | 8.5 | 2.2 | 2005 | 34 | 60.1 | 152 | FWD | |||
| Alternatively there is a 2.0 diesel which averages 50.3 mpg from 128 bhp doing 0-60 in 9.5 secs. | ||||||||||||
| 24 | Renault Laguna | 47.1 | 9.5 | 2.0 Dci | 2007 | 36.2 | 55.4 | 150 | FWD | |||
| The petrol variant is slower and averages 34.4 mpg. | ||||||||||||
| 25 | Skoda Octavia | 47.1 | 9.6 | 2.0 TDi | 2007 | 35.8 | 57.6 | 140 | FWD | |||
| This newer model is slightly faster, but slightly less economical than the older model. | ||||||||||||
| 26 | *BMW 118i | 46.3 | 8.7 | 2 | 2007 | 35.8 | 55.4 | 143 | RWD | |||
| This petrol 2.0 version of the 120d had notable figures to add this 1 series model to the list twice, with similar mpg figures to the diesel this is something to think about, however it is marginally slower. | ||||||||||||
| 27 | Citroen C5 | 46.3 | 9.3 | 2.2 HDi | 2007 | 34.9 | 56.5 | 173 | FWD | |||
| There is a smaller 2.0 litre version which is slightly slower with relative economy gains. | ||||||||||||
| 28 | Ford Mondeo ST | 46.3 | 8.7 | 2.2 TDCi | 2006 | 34.5 | 57.7 | 155 | FWD | |||
| The 2.0 TDCi is also an option averaging 48.7 mpg from 130 bhp with 0-60 in 9.8 secs! | ||||||||||||
| 29 | Alfa Romeo GT | 45.6 | 9.6 | 1.9 JTDm | 2006 | 33.2 | 57.6 | 150 | FWD | |||
| The Q2 model has LSD (limited slip differential). | ||||||||||||
| 30 | Toyota Auris | 45.6 | 8.1 | 2.2 D-4D | 2007 | 35.8 | 54.3 | 177 | FWD | |||
| The 2.0 diesel variant does 0-60 in 10.3 secs averaging 52.3 mpg. | ||||||||||||
| 31 | Lexus IS 220d | 44.8 | 8.9 | 2.2 | 2006 | 35.8 | 52.3 | 175 | RWD | |||
| The petrol IS 250 (2.4 litre version) is only slightly faster but suffers from an average of 28.8 mpg. | ||||||||||||
| 32 | *Fiat Panda | 43.5 | 9.5 | 1.4 | 2010 | 32.5 | 53.3 | 100 | FWD | |||
| The 1.3 diesel version of this car did not make the list as the 0-60 is a slow 13 secs. | ||||||||||||
| 33 | Volvo S60 | 42.8 | 9.2 | 2.4D | 2005 | 31.4 | 54.3 | 163 | FWD | |||
| There is a 185 bhp diesel engine that does 0-60 in 8.7 secs however the economy suffers with an average 37.7 mpg. | ||||||||||||
| 34 | Mercedes E220 CDi | 42.2 | 9.7 | 2.1 | 2005 | 31 | 53.3 | 150 | RWD | |||
| Look at the BMW 320d instead, I have always wondered why Mercedes do not keep on par with BMW on paper. | ||||||||||||
| 35 | VW Passat | 42.2 | 8.8 | 2.0 TDi | 2007 | 32.8 | 49.6 | 170 | FWD | |||
| This is the 170 bhp variant. Watch out as there is a 130 bhp engine doing 0-60 in 10.2 secs averaging 47.9 mpg. | ||||||||||||
| 36 | Alfa Romeo Brera | 41.5 | 8.1 | 2.4 JTDm | 2006 | 30.7 | 52.3 | 200 | FWD | |||
| This looks like the brainchild of the 147 and GT models and is the fastest Alfa in this list but also the least fuel efficient. | ||||||||||||
| 37 | *Ford Fiesta Zetec S | 41.5 | 9.9 | 1.6 | 2008 | 30.7 | 52.3 | 100 | FWD | |||
| Also look at the ST version which averages 38.2 mpg from 150 bhp doing 0-60 in 7.9 secs. | ||||||||||||
| 38 | BMW 525d | 40.9 | 8.1 | 2.5 | 2004 | 30.4 | 51.4 | 177 | RWD | |||
| This is also known as the E39 and was known as the best in its class. | ||||||||||||
| 39 | *Mini Cooper (Petrol) | 40.9 | 9.1 | 1.6 | 2005 | 29.1 | 53.3 | 115 | FWD | |||
| The Mini One is another option averaging 41.5 mpg from 90 bhp doing 0-60 in 10.9 secs. | ||||||||||||
| 40 | *Suzuki Swift | 40.4 | 8.9 | 1.6 VVT | 2007 | 32.5 | 47.1 | 125 | FWD | |||
| This only just gets into the mpg requirement. | ||||||||||||
The results show that, with the exception of five, all of the vehicles have diesel engines.
It also shows that if you did the average of 12,000 miles per year, the difference in annual fuel costs between the least efficient Suzuki Swift (40.4mpg – £1,759 pa) and the most efficient Vauxhall Corsa (57.6mpg -£1,305 pa) is £454 per year. These figures were taken straight from the manufacturer’s however, as with anything we urge you to err on the side of caution when trusting their figures as many people never actually reach the high figures quoted by the manufacturers.
