Compare the most economical petrol cars

High-quality economical petrol cars from rated and reviewed dealers

Rated 4.5/5 from 60,282 reviews
most economical petrol cars

Most economical petrol cars of 2024

Petrol cars offer smooth and quiet driving characteristics, and many modern versions rival their diesel and hybrid counterparts when it comes to fuel economy. They’re usually cheaper to buy than petrols and hybrids, so if you find one with great fuel efficiency it’s a win-win. Here we have selected some of the most economical petrol cars on sale today.

Mazda 2

1. Mazda 2 (60.1mpg)

7/10
Mazda 2 review
Suzuki Swift (2017-2024)

2. Suzuki Swift (59.7mpg)

6/10
Suzuki Swift (2017-2024) review

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Kia Picanto
2024
Smart Spender Award
Highly Commended

3. Kia Picanto (58.9mpg)

7/10
Kia Picanto review
Toyota Aygo X

4. Toyota Aygo X (58.8mpg)

7/10
Toyota Aygo X review
Suzuki Ignis

5. Suzuki Ignis (56.9mpg)

7/10
Suzuki Ignis review
Volkswagen Up

6. Volkswagen Up (55.2mpg)

8/10
Volkswagen Up review
Renault Clio

7. Renault Clio (54.4mpg)

9/10
Renault Clio review
Ford Focus

8. Ford Focus (54.3mpg)

7/10
Ford Focus review
Mazda 3

9. Mazda 3 (54.3mpg)

7/10
Mazda 3 review
Dacia Sandero

10. Dacia Sandero (53.3mpg)

8/10
Dacia Sandero review

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Advice about economical petrol cars

Most economical petrol cars FAQs

A diesel car offers a fuel economy advantage on long motorway journeys, but for short journeys around town the difference between the two is far smaller. Petrol-powered cars are also preferable to diesels for these short trips as diesels have a diesel particulate filter (DPF) which can clog up causing poor running and higher fuel consumption.

Not as a rule. Modern turbocharged petrol cars with direct injection technology can offer very impressive fuel economy figures, but a diesel car can still be slightly more economical on short trips.

As with any car, keeping to the recommended service intervals, ensuring that the tyres are at the correct pressure, and avoiding aggressive driving all help to reduce fuel consumption figures.

Idling for long periods, using the air conditioner constantly and labouring the engine in too high a gear (for manual cars) also adversely affects your fuel economy.