Most economical cars in each class

Fuel economy is an issue for manufacturers no matter what type of car they are building. Every model range needs to try and achieve the best fuel economy.

Carmakers are not standing still. No matter what type of car you are buying, there are models returning some incredible miles-per-gallon figures.

In the MSN Cars guide to the most economical cars in each class, there is just one car that returns less than 60mpg: most of them average well over 65mpg, and the best is up to nearly 90mpg!

Read on, to discover which are the new car green stars by sector and size, boasting the best fuel economy and lowest CO2 emissions.

Top 10 most economical cars
Most economical petrol cars
Most economical used cars under £3,000
Most economical used cars under £5,000

City: Smart Fortwo - 86g/km - 85.6mpg

The Smart is getting old and can only seat two people, but there's still no shaking it off the top of the city car eco chart.

The diesel is slow and rattly but it also returns an impressive 85.6mpg and emits a meagre 86g/km CO2. That's not quite the best on offer, though...

Driven: Fiat 500 TwinAir
Driven: Smart Fortwo
Driven: Citroen C1
Display available used Smart Fortwos on Auto Trader

Supermini: Kia Rio 1.1 CRDi EcoDynamics - 85g/km, 88.3mpg

The latest Kia Rio is a fine supermini that's up with the class best. It's a great achievement - which is enhanced further by the amazing EcoDynamics diesel.

This averages an incredible 88.3mpg and emits just 85g/km CO2. No car currently on sale in the UK can beat it - yet the Rio still seats five and still performs well. A superb achievement.

Driven: Kia Rio
Driven: Skoda Fabia Greenline
Driven: Ford Fiesta
Display available used Kia Rios on Auto Trader


Family hatchback: Toyota Auris HSD - 89g/km - 74.3mpg

Toyota is famous for its Prius hybrid, but in city centre motoring, the UK-build Toyota Auris HSD hybrid is actually more fuel efficient.

The petrol-electric drivetrain also allows zero-emissions running at times, while its exhaust emissions are super-clean thanks to the advanced 1.8-litre petrol.


Driven: Toyota Auris Hybrid
Driven: Honda Insight
Display used Toyota Auris' on Auto Trader

Large family: Volkswagen Passat 1.6 TDI BlueMotion Technology - 114g/km - 65.7mpg

No large family car offers such an impressive combination of fuel economy and sheer amount of practical space as the Volkswagen Passat.

The advanced diesel boasts super-low CO2 emissions, and the 70-litre fuel tank also ensures over 1,000 miles from every tankful.


Driven: Volkswagen Passat
Driven: Toyota Prius
Display used Volkwagen Passats on Auto Trader

Junior exec: BMW 3 Series EfficientDynamics - 109g/km - 68.9mpg

The all-new BMW 3 Series is a fantastic car - an MSN Cars Five Star Car that has class-leading talents across the board.

BMW hasn't forgotten economy either. The new EfficientDynamics variant averages 68.9mpg and still dips down below the key 110g/km CO2 benchmark.

Driven: BMW 3 Series F30
Display used BMW 320ds on Auto Trader

Executive: BMW 5 Series EfficientDynamics - 119g/km - 62.8mpg

The latest BMW 5 Series is, like the smaller 3 Series, a brilliant car that MSN rates as leader of the executive car class.

No rival can touch the economy it offers, either. The EfficientDynamics model emits 119g/km CO2 and averages 62.8mpg.

Driven: BMW 5 Series EfficientDynamics
Driven: Audi A6
Display used BMW 520ds on Auto Trader

Luxury: Mercedes S 350 BlueTEC - 164g/km - 45.6mpg

The world's best luxury car is an S-Class, despite the best efforts of Audi with the A8 and BMW with the 7 Series.

The world's greenest luxury car is ALSO the S-Class. The latest BlueTEC diesel can average 45.6mpg and emits 164g/km - with more eco improvements in the pipeline from Mercedes...

Driven: Mercedes S-Class
Driven: Volvo S80
Driven: Audi A8
Used Mercedes S-Class models on Auto Trader

Coupe: MINI Cooper SD Coupe - 114g/km, 65.7mpg

The controversial MINI Coupe is one of the most distinctive new cars on sale. It's a real love-it-or-hate-it design.

Most will love the economy on offer though. Despite the 2.0-litre SD diesel option's 143hp performance, it also emits just 114g/km CO2 and averages over 65mpg.

Driven: MINI Coupe
Driven: Vauxhall Tigra
Used MINIs on Auto Trader

Cabriolet: Mini Cooper 1.6D 112 Cabriolet - 105g/km, 70.6mpg

The MINI Cooper D Cabriolet is the guilt-free way to enjoy the sunshine - because you'll be minimising your contribution to the threat of global warming.

CO2 emissions are a meagre 105g/km, and despite its 112hp Cooper-like diesel performance, it still impressively averages more than 70mpg.

Driven: MINI Cooper D Convertible
Used MINI Convertibles on Auto Trader

Sportscar: Lotus Elise - 149g/km, 45.0mpg

The ageing Lotus Elise continues to exploit its light weight in the smartest possible way - by returning great fuel economy figures.

Emitting just 149g/km CO2 and averaging 45mpg, it's a performance car that really doesn't cost the earth.

Driven: Lotus Elise
Used Lotus Elise models on Auto Trader

MPV: Peugeot 3008 HYbrid4 - 99g/km, 74.3mpg

Peugeot has achieved the seemingly impossible with the 3008 HYbrid4: built a large crossover MPV that dips under the 100g/km CO2 barrier.

Capable of 74.3mpg, it emits just 99g/km in greenest guise, thanks to an ingenious diesel-electric hybrid drivetrain.

Driven: Peugeot 3008 HYbrid4
Used Peugeot 3008s on Auto Trader

4x4: BMW X1 2.0d 143 - 119g/km, 62.8mpg

The front-wheel drive 4x4 is now commonplace. It means buyers can still have SUV styling and sit-up reassurance without the fuel economy penalty of four-wheel drive (which few use anyway).

The greenest is the BMW X1. In EfficientDynamics guise, this averages 62.8mpg and emits 119g/km CO2. Figures that could once only be dreamed about from an SUV.

Driven: BMW X1
Driven: Lexus RX450h
Used BMW X1s on Auto Trader


More from MSN Cars

Green Car Guide

Top 10 most economical cars
Most economical petrol cars
Most economical used cars under £3,000
Most economical used cars under £5,000

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