Car specifications

Most economical new cars

The new cars with the best official fuel economy in the Vehicle Certification Agency’s data for 15 September 2026, by type of car. Figures are official WLTP laboratory results, grouped into bands because VCA advises against ranking cars with similar figures.

Last updated
Records analysed
114,679 VCA records (a version in several snapshots counts each time)
Methodology
View methodology

VCA lists 5,750 versions of new cars with official figures in its data for 15 September 2026. The best petrol cars reach 57.6 mpg and the best self-charging hybrids 76.3 mpg on the WLTP test. Below, the 94 models in the top bands of each type are listed alphabetically within their band. VCA’s latest data has few or no versions from Ford, Infiniti, Jaguar, Land Rover and SsangYong, which it listed before, so their cars are not included.

  • Petrol 57.6 mpg best official figure; median 45.6 mpg
  • Diesel 65.8 mpg best official figure; median 52.3 mpg
  • Mild hybrid 65.9 mpg best official figure; median 44.8 mpg
  • Hybrid (self-charging) 76.3 mpg best official figure; median 56.5 mpg
  • Electric 5.7 miles per kWh at best; median 3.7

Most economical petrol cars

1,021 petrol versions of 157 models are listed. Half reach at least 45.6 mpg; the best reach 57.6 mpg. Each model is shown with its best version.

Most economical petrol cars, in bands
Model Best mpg CO2 g/km Versions
Band 1: 55.0 to 59.9 mpg
Hyundai i10 55.4 116 20
Peugeot 208 57.6 110 6
Skoda Fabia 56.8 112 15
Skoda Scala 55.7 115 14
Vauxhall Corsa 57.6 110 15
Volkswagen Polo 55.4 116 12
Band 2: 50.0 to 54.9 mpg
Audi A1 52.3 123 5
Audi A3 52.3 122 5
Chrysler Avenger 53.3 120 1
Citroën C3 54.2 117 9
Citroën C4 54.7 117 6
Dacia Bigster 52.3 123 4
Dacia Duster 51.4 124 38
Dacia Sandero 54.3 118 43
Hyundai Bayon 51.4 124 10
Hyundai i20 53.3 120 21
Kia Picanto 54.3 116 26
Kia Stonic 51.4 125 6
Nissan Micra 53.3 120 7
Peugeot 2008 52.3 122 10
Renault Clio 54.3 118 15
SEAT Arona 53.3 120 14
SEAT Ibiza 52.3 123 11
SEAT Leon 50.4 128 6
Skoda Kamiq 52.4 122 14
Skoda Octavia 54.0 119 8
Vauxhall Astra 53.3 120 6
Vauxhall Mokka 54.7 117 11
Volkswagen Golf 53.3 120 17
Volkswagen T-Cross 52.3 124 16
Volkswagen Taigo 53.3 120 14

Most economical diesel cars

166 diesel versions of 43 models are listed. Half reach at least 52.3 mpg; the best reach 65.8 mpg. Each model is shown with its best version.

Most economical diesel cars, in bands
Model Best mpg CO2 g/km Versions
Band 1: 65.0 to 69.9 mpg
Skoda Octavia 65.8 113 10
Band 2: 60.0 to 64.9 mpg
Citroën C3 64.0 116 1
Mercedes-Benz CLE-Class 60.1 122 2
SEAT Leon 61.4 120 5
Volkswagen Golf 64.2 114 6
Band 3: 55.0 to 59.9 mpg
Audi A3 58.9 125 2
Audi A5 57.6 128 4
BMW X1 56.5 131 3
Citroën Berlingo 57.4 129 8
Dacia Duster 58.9 125 21
Mercedes-Benz A-Class 58.9 127 6
Mercedes-Benz B-Class 55.4 133 1
Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class 56.5 130 2
Skoda Superb 57.6 129 12
Volkswagen T-Roc 56.5 130 2

Most economical mild hybrid cars

722 mild hybrid versions of 79 models are listed. Half reach at least 44.8 mpg; the best reach 65.9 mpg. Each model is shown with its best version.

Most economical mild hybrid cars, in bands
Model Best mpg CO2 g/km Versions
Band 1: 65.0 to 69.9 mpg
Peugeot 208 65.9 96 3
Vauxhall Corsa 65.9 96 4
Band 2: 60.0 to 64.9 mpg
Alfa Romeo Junior 62.8 102 2
BMW X1 60.1 124 7
Chrysler Avenger 62.8 102 2
Citroën C4 62.8 102 6
DS DS3 62.8 102 1
Fiat 600 62.8 102 4
Mercedes-Benz C-Class 62.8 119 14
Mercedes-Benz E-Class 60.1 122 12
Peugeot 2008 62.8 102 3
Suzuki Swift 64.2 99 5
Vauxhall Astra 62.6 102 1
Vauxhall Mokka 62.8 102 4

Most economical hybrid (self-charging) cars

548 hybrid (self-charging) versions of 67 models are listed. Half reach at least 56.5 mpg; the best reach 76.3 mpg. Each model is shown with its best version.

Most economical hybrid (self-charging) cars, in bands
Model Best mpg CO2 g/km Versions
Band 1: 75.0 to 79.9 mpg
Mazda 2 76.3 85 20
Band 2: 70.0 to 74.9 mpg
Toyota Aygo 74.3 87 7
Toyota Yaris 70.6 91 56
Band 3: 65.0 to 69.9 mpg
Renault Captur 65.7 97 10
Renault Clio 67.3 95 21
Renault Symbioz 65.7 97 4
Band 4: 60.0 to 64.9 mpg
Dacia Bigster 61.4 105 3
Dacia Duster 61.4 105 11
Dacia Jogger 61.4 104 7
Honda Civic 60.1 108 3
Honda Jazz 62.8 102 5
Hyundai Kona 60.1 106 19
Kia Niro 64.2 100 6
Lexus LBX 62.7 102 21
MG 3 64.2 100 4
Renault Arkana 60.1 105 15
Renault Austral 61.4 103 12
Renault Rafale 60.1 105 1
Toyota C-HR 60.1 105 14
Toyota Corolla 64.2 100 26

Most economical electric cars

940 electric versions of 136 models are listed. Half reach at least 3.7 miles per kWh; the best reach 5.7 miles per kWh. Each model is shown with its best version.

Most economical electric cars, in bands
Model Best miles per kWh Versions
Band 1: 5.5 to 5.9 miles per kWh
MINI Aceman 5.7 9
Band 2: 5.0 to 5.4 miles per kWh
Dacia Spring 5.0 7
Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class 5.0 8
Tesla Model 3 5.1 15
Band 3: 4.5 to 4.9 miles per kWh
Fiat 500 4.7 2
MINI Cooper 4.5 11
MINI Countryman 4.8 7
Peugeot 208 4.5 6
Subaru Uncharted 4.5 3
Tesla Model Y 4.9 26
Toyota BZ4X 4.5 16
Toyota C-HR 4.6 7
Vauxhall Corsa 4.5 8
Volkswagen ID7 4.5 6

How we band the figures

These are official figures from laboratory type-approval tests on the WLTP cycle. VCA says they may not be achieved in real-world driving, and that they should not be used to rank vehicles with similar figures. So we do not put one car above another on a fraction of a mile per gallon: models are grouped into bands of 5 mpg (0.5 miles per kWh for electric cars), bands are listed from best to worst, and models within a band are in alphabetical order.

A model’s figure is its best version in the class; other versions of the same model can be much less economical. Types follow VCA’s powertrain labels: mild hybrids have a small battery that assists the engine, self-charging hybrids can drive on battery power. Plug-in hybrids are not banded, because their official figures depend on how much of the test is driven on battery power.

Data sources and methodology

Datasets used on this page
Figures Source Period Records Updated
Official fuel economy and CO2 Car fuel and emissions information Vehicle Certification Agency July 2000 to 15 September 2026 114,679 VCA records (a version in several snapshots counts each time) 15 September 2026
  • Latest VCA data: 15 September 2026. Every version with an official combined figure is included.
  • Models are matched to our car pages by name where we can; others keep VCA’s model name.
  • VCA’s latest data has few or no versions from Ford, Infiniti, Jaguar, Land Rover and SsangYong, although earlier data listed them.
  • VCA’s car fuel data is Crown copyright. Its reuse licence is still being confirmed with VCA.

Source: Vehicle Certification Agency car fuel data. Crown copyright.