Fuel economy is a hot topic but car makers are responding by making their cars ever-more efficient. It is now common to see new cars returning more than 80mpg: even mainstream family cars regularly average more than 65mpg. Buying a fuel-efficient new car is more important than ever before, with record fuel prices pushing up costs for motorists at the pumps. An added benefit of good fuel economy is low CO2 emissions, too - and as car taxation is based on CO2, reducing emissions here brings many benefits, including free road tax for cars emitting 100g/km CO2 or less. For an extra bonus, all 100g/km CO2 and below cars get company car tax benefits - and they can travel into the London congestion charge zone for free, too! So which ARE the most economical cars in Britain? MSN Cars is committed to bringing you details of the cars with the best fuel economy on sale in the UK. We have gathered all the free road tax diesel and petrol cars on sale in the UK here, to show you just how broad and far-reaching the low-emissions choice now is in the UK. Read on to discover the most economical new cars on sale.
1 Kia Rio 1.1 Ecodynamics - 85g/km
The roomy and practical Kia Rio five-door, five-seat supermini has finally unseated the two-seat Smart Fortwo for the title of UK's most economical car.
With 88.3mpg and 85g/km CO2, Kia says it is the most economical conventional-engine car on sale anywhere in the world. With all the space and comfort of all other Kia Rio, it is a true landmark car.
It's powered by a 1.1-litre three-cylinder turbodiesel engine, with direct-injection, and a variable-vane turbo. Low weight (despite being bigger than the outgoing model, it weighs the same) and a long list of fuel-saving aids also help its efficiency.
The economy aids include engine stop-start, low-rolling-resistance tyres, longer gearing, an extended tailgate spoiler and a closed-off radiator grille.
However the real key is the 1.1 litre's pulling power, a stout 125lb ft arriving at an early 1500rpm and persisting through to 2750rpm. In other words, there's useful muscle here.
New Kia Rio Ecodynamics cost from £11,895.
2 Smart Fortwo cdi - 86g/km
The second most economical new car on sale in Britain is the Smart Fortwo cdi diesel. It averages an impressive 85.6mpg.
It only seats two, and the clattery diesel engine is not the fastest or most refined on sale. It is still economical enough to only now have been unseated as the UK's most fuel-efficient car, though.
Statistics
| How much? | £8,000 |
|---|
| On sale in the UK: | February 2009 |
|---|
| Engine: | 0.8-litre 3cyl 6 valve, 45bhp, 81lb ft |
|---|
| Transmission: | Five-speed automated manual, rear-wheel drive |
|---|
| Performance: | 19.8sec 0-62mph, 84mph, 85.6mpg, 88g/km CO2 |
|---|
| How heavy / made of? | 770kg/steel |
|---|
| How big (length/width/height in mm)? | 2695/1559/1542 |
|---|
3 Toyota Prius T3 - 89g/km
The world-famous Toyota Prius was the first mainstream eco car to gain cult appeal. It has now sold in its millions.
The greenest is the entry-level T3 trim. With its smaller, lower-drag wheels, it averages 72.4mpg and emits just 89g/km CO2.
Accelerate hard and the new 1.8-litre petrol engine kicks in, and in normal driving the electric motor assists the petrol unit rather than replaces it. It uses a CVT gearbox so revs are constant as you accelerate, as in the Honda. But the Toyota feels more grown-up. At the test track, it was faster than the Insight and insulated engine noise better. Ride comfort is much smoother, as the Prius deals with bumps better than its rival.
New Priuses cost from £20,695.
4 Toyota Auris Hybrid - 89g/km
The Toyota Auris HSD is a British-built alternative to the Toyota Prius, although it shares the petrol-electric driveline.
It averages 74.3mpg, and is better than the Prius in town for economy, although the smoother Prius wins on a run. Which is best for you?
The reason for the terrific economy is, of course, the assistance given to the 1.8-litre petrol engine by the nickel metal hydride batteries hidden behind the rear seats.
New Auris Hybrids cost from £19,545.
5 Skoda Fabia Greenline - 89g/km
Skoda's super-practical supermini averages 83.1mpg and emits 89g/km CO2, making it the greenest supermini on sale.
We rate the Fabia highly here at MSN Cars and would happily trade 2.5mpg over the Smart for five-seat flexibility.
Top speed: 107mph; 0-62mph: 12.6sec; Economy: 83.1mpg; Co2: 89g/km; Kerbweight: 1203kg; Engine type: 3cyl, 1199cc, turbodiesel; Power: 74bhp at 4200rpm; Torque: 133lb ft at 2000rpm; Gearbox: 5-spd manual
New Fabia Greenlines cost from £13,685.
6 Volkswagen Polo BlueMotion - 91g/km
Volkswagen's mini-Golf Polo is offered in green-focused BlueMotion guise, using the same 1.2 TDI diesel engine as the Skoda.
It's not quite as eco, but 80.7mpg is still impressive, and 91g/km CO2 is among the lowest on sale.
| Engine: | 1199cc 12v, turbocharged triple, 74bhp, 144lb ft |
|---|
| Transmission: | Five-speed manual, front-wheel drive |
|---|
| Performance: | 12+secs 0-62mph, 85.6mpg, 87g/km CO2 |
|---|
| How heavy / made of? | 1080kg/steel |
|---|
| How big (length/width/height in mm)? | 3970/1682/1462 |
|---|
New Polo BlueMotions cost from £14,860.
7 SEAT Ibiza Ecomotive - 92g/km
SEAT's VW Polo-based Ibiza returns the same 80.7mpg as the VW - the smallest of differences account for the extra 1g/km CO2.
The SEAT is, however, the cheaper car to buy new, making it the smarter green buy of the two.
Petrol engine options - 1.2-litre (70bhp); 1.2-litre (105bhp); 1.4-litre (85bhp); 1.6-litre (105bhp). Diesel engine options - 1.2-litre (75bhp); 1.6-litre (105bhp); 2.0-litre (143bhp). Transmission options: five-speed manual gearbox, six-speed manual gearbox, seven-speed twin clutch DSG gearbox. Trim levels: S, SE, Sport, FR, Ecomotive (S and SE)
New Ibiza Ecomotives cost from £13,900.
8 Lexus CT 200h - 94g/km
The UK's first premium hatch hybrid, the Lexus CT 200h boasts fame from both the Kylie adverts AND average fuel economy of 69mpg.
It emits just 94g/km, from its Toyota Prius-derived petrol-electric drivetrain, and is very well equipped.
| Engine: | 1.8L/98-hp/105-lb-ft Atkinson cycle DOHC 16-valve I-4, plus 80-hp/153-lb-ft electric motor |
|---|
| Transmission: | continuously variable auto |
|---|
| Curb weight | 3100 lb (mfr) |
|---|
| Wheelbase | 102.4 in |
|---|
| Length x width x height | 170.1 x 69.5 x 56.7 in |
|---|
New Lexus CT 200h models cost from £23,485.
9 Vauxhall Corsa 1.3 CDTi 95 Stop/Start - 94g/km
The Vauxhall Corsa has been facelifted for 2011, with new looks and colours, plus some more economical diesel engines.
It can be fitted with stop-start which, on the punchy 95hp 1.3-litre diesel, provides 94g/km CO2 emissions and average fuel economy of 80.7mpg.
| Engine: | 4, 1248cc |
| Power, ps: | 95@4000 |
| Torque, lb ft: | 140@1750-3250 |
| Transmission: | Manual |
| Driven Wheels: | F |
| Top speed: | 110.0 mph |
| 0 - 62 mph: | 12.3 seconds |
New Vauxhall Corsa CDTis cost from £13,310.
10 Fiat 500 0.9 TwinAir - 95g/km
The revolutionary two-cylinder turbocharged TwinAir petrol engine in the Fiat 500 is cutting-edge technology that is both powerful and fuel efficient.
Take it easy and it returns 68.9mpg: CO2 emissions are just 95g/km and it benefits from lower exhaust particulates than a comparable diesel engine.
Top speed: 108mph; 0-60mph: 11.0sec; Kerb weight: 1030kg; Engine: two cylinders, 875cc, turbo, petrol; Power: 84bhp at 5500rpm; Torque: 107lb ft at 1900rpm; Gearbox: 5-speed manual
New Fiat 500 TwinAirs cost from £10,865.
No comments:
Post a Comment