Green Motoring News
Not so long ago if you told someone you'd bought a new car they'd probably ask you how fast it went.
Or, maybe, how much it cost. Not any more. These days the first question is just as likely to be what it does to the gallon, or how much CO2 it emits. It's not hard to work out why.
Whatever your beliefs when it comes to the eco debate it's clear the price of fuel is only going to be going one way in the coming years. Thankfully cars are getting more efficient though. And it's no longer hard to find a car that satisfies environmental consciousness, financial prudence and delivers the luxuries and enjoyment at the wheel we've all become used to.
So here are the top 10 most economical cars
Smart ForTwo CDI - 85.6mpg - 88g/km
It's amazing to think the Smart, now in its second generation, has been around for over 10 years now. And the format of a light, well-packaged city car is more relevant than ever. Petrol Smarts can be had with start-stop technology but it's the 88g/km diesel and its 85.6mpg that really flies the eco flag, one crew boosting that to an amazing 96.8mpg on last year's MPG Marathon.
Ford Fiesta Econetic - 76.3mpg - 98g/km
Thought you could have eco consciousness or driving pleasure? You thought wrong, the Fiesta proving that the two aren't necessarily mutually exclusive with the impressively frugal Econetic Fiesta.
An official combined figure of 76.3mpg proves you don't need complex hybrid technology for minimal environmental impact, smart design, sparkling dynamics and a punchy diesel achieving much of the same benefit.
Ford Fiesta Review
SEAT Ibiza Ecomotive - 76.3mpg - 98g/km
We're already on the second generation of the Ibiza Ecomotive, SEAT's eco brand delivering both excellent fuel economy and class leading value for money. Why, asks SEAT, pay more for less? The Ibiza Ecomotive has an impressive string to its bow too - a record of 120.4mpg at the hands of Austrian eco driving specialist Gerhard Plattner who drove one through 12 countries last year and covered 1,186 miles on one 45-litre tank of fuel.
SEAT Ibiza Review
Citroen C3 1.6HDi Airdream+ - 74.3mpg - 99g/km
You'll see several cars in this list using variants of the same engine, namely the 1.6-litre turbodiesel designed by Peugeot and Citroen and adopted by Mini, Ford and others besides. In the new C3 Airdream it achieves predictably strong 70-plus mpg ability and typically punchy performance, the Airdream special edition the first Citroen on the market with sub-100g/km CO2 emissions too.
Citroen C3 Review
Volvo C30 DRIVe Start/Stop - 74.3mpg - 99g/km
The first wave of eco cars seemed almost deliberately basic in spec and design - an automotive hairshirt for those equating sacrifice of creature comforts as a route to environmental purity.
But the C30 DRIVe is different. It looks cool. Really cool. Even the trademark DRIVe flat-faced wheels add an exotic feel. But it's green, our man Richard topping even the official 62.8mpg of the non-Start/Stop version and getting an astounding 84.7mpg.
Peugeot 207 Economique + - 74.3mpg - 99g/km
A consistent star in European best-seller charts, the 207 is another beneficiary of the all-conquering PSA 1.6-litre diesel engine. And under the Economique + branding it's another mpg star.
99g/km furthers the claim of one in six sub-120g/km cars being Peugeots, the extensive Economique + modifications including a 5mm ride height drop, eco tyres, revised bumpers and a reduction in the drag coefficient from 0.30 to 0.27.
Peugeot 207 Review
Volvo S40/V50 DRIVe Start/Stop - 72.4mpg - 104g/km
Further mould-breaking from Volvo here with the DRIVe variants of the S40 and V50. Like the C30 DRIVe and many others here both use the familiar PSA 1.6-litre diesel and various efficiency refinements. And both prove you can have a stylish saloon or sporty estate with no compromise on style or comfort capable of supermini mpg. If you're looking for an eco car for racking up the miles it's the best by far.
Toyota Prius - 72.4mpg - 89g/km
The first two generations of Prius were easy targets for cynics. Almost deliberately unstylish, anaesthetised driving dynamics and - it seemed - over-optimistic claims for real-world mpg were all welcome ammunition. But third time around the Prius is harder to argue against. Sure, it's not the last word in style or driving fun. But the drivetrain is lighter, simpler, smarter and more refined and, at last, really delivers on the eco promise.
Toyota Prius Review
Mini Cooper D - 72.4mpg - 104g/km
Mini's parent company BMW is the absolute master at playing the mpg/CO2 game and eking out efficiency figures that undercut all class rivals by huge margins without compromising the brand's traditional driver appeal. And the Mini is just the same. An early exponent of start-stop technology - this year's must-have feature - and combined with the ever present 1.6 PSA diesel it proves style, driving verve and low running costs aren't mutually exclusive.
Mini Cooper D Review
Toyota iQ - 65.7mpg - 99g/km
Like a Smart but, well, smarter, the iQ takes the usual foundations for efficiency - small size and clever, downsized engineering - to a new level. And provides seating for more than just two.
To be fair it doesn't actually achieve much that a more straightforward supermini can't. But for those who appreciate its cleverness and Toyota's boldness in building it it's a very appealing package.