The most economical cars 2025 – petrol, diesel, hybrid and plug-in hybrid

With unpredictable fuel prices and a growing need to reduce our carbon emissions, it makes sense that fuel economy is often a top priority for car buyers. Today’s engines are more efficient than ever before, but finding official fuel-efficiency figures for each make and model can be a laborious task. With that in mind, we’ve rounded up the most economical cars on sale today, so look no further if you’re after rock-bottom fuel bills.

Our list focuses on models with the most economical petrol, diesel, self-charging hybrid and plug-in hybrid cars on the market – we’ve included mild hybrid cars in the petrol and diesel sections, as these only offer a small degree of electric assistance and often cost the same as their non-electrified counterparts. If you'd rather read about pure electric models that could cost even less to run, we have lists where we round-up the best electric cars, cheapest electric cars and the longest-range electric cars. 

For simplicity, we’ve listed the most economical petrol cars first, followed by the diesel cars with the highest miles per gallon results in official WLTP testing. After these, we’ve also included self-charging and plug-in hybrid models, which tend to offer the highest MPG figures out of any cars on sale.

Keep reading below to find out which are the most economical cars on sale in the UK.

Most economical petrol cars

1. Peugeot 208

• Up to 65.9mpg
• Priced from around £24,000

The Peugeot 208 has long been a favourite among supermini buyers, and the latest model ticks many of the important boxes. It’s stylish, fun to drive and, when specified with the right engine, incredibly economical. The mild hybrid petrol engine will return up to 65.9mpg – a figure that puts many diesel cars to shame. You get 99bhp and a six-speed automatic gearbox, making around-town driving a breeze, but it doesn’t feel out of its depth on the motorway, either.

On paper, the Peugeot 208 can look quite expensive. Under the chic bodywork, it’s essentially the same car as the cheaper Vauxhall Corsa, which you’ll find on this list a few spots below. But with the Peugeot comes a more interesting interior, with good build quality and the brand’s i-Cockpit dashboard layout. Like many of the other small cars on this list, cabin space is a bit limited, but that will be a worthwhile sacrifice for class-leading economy.

Find new and used Peugeot 208 deals on our sister site Auto Express

2. Suzuki Swift

• Up to 64.2mpg
• Priced from around £19,000

An all-new generation of Suzuki Swift arrived in 2024, and with it came updated styling, a fresh interior and a new petrol engine with mild hybrid assistance. The old model was already an efficient car, but a little electric help has boosted its efficiency to around 64mpg, making it one of the most economical petrol cars on the market.

There’s more going in the Swift’s favour than just efficiency, though. At around £19,000, it represents excellent value-for-money, packing all the kit you could need into a small, manoeuvrable hatchback body. It’s comfortable, too, but don’t expect the 84bhp three-cylinder petrol engine to get your pulse racing – this is a car that’s all about efficiency, after all.

If we had to pick an area of improvement, it would be practicality. The Swift’s rivals offer more boot and rear passenger space, but that won’t be a dealbreaker for many buyers. If you’re after maximum fuel economy, just avoid the automatic versions and the Swift with four-wheel drive, as these aren’t as efficient as the front-wheel drive manual model.

Find new and used Suzuki Swift deals on our sister site Auto Express

3. Vauxhall Corsa

• Up to 62.8mpg
• Priced from around £19,000

This generation of Vauxhall Corsa has been around for a while now, but it remains one of the most fuel efficient petrol cars you can buy. You have to opt for the 99bhp mild hybrid version, which is around £4,500 more expensive than the cheapest pure-petrol model, but you get a dual-clutch automatic gearbox in place of the manual item, plus a fuel economy improvement of around 10mpg.

If we’re being honest, you’re unlikely to see more than £4,500 in fuel savings by opting for the mild hybrid, so you’ll need to weigh up whether it’s worth the extra money for you. At least there’s a lot to like about the Corsa; it’s great to drive and fun to wind along a B road, even if the suspension is a little firmer than we’d like. You get plenty of interior kit but, like the Swift above, boot space is a weak point.

Find new and used Vauxhall Corsa deals on our sister site Auto Express

4. Peugeot 308

• Up to 62.6mpg
• Priced from around £32,000

Unsurprisingly, the Peugeot 308 isn’t all that different from the 208 above. You get equally striking looks, a well-built interior, and a very efficient mild hybrid engine, just in a larger package. You forgo hardly any fuel economy by opting for the bigger hatchback, with Peugeot claiming up to 62.6mpg is achievable. You get a bit more power in the 308, too – up from 99bhp to 134bhp – which is useful, although it’s hardly a hot hatchback.

Peugeot also sells the 308 with a diesel or plug-in hybrid engine, but we think the mild hybrid petrol will suit most buyers the best. That’s good news as it’s the cheapest engine of the lot, but the 308 still isn’t the most affordable car in its class. At least it comes with plenty of standard equipment, including Peugeot’s i-Cockpit dashboard, a reversing camera, 17-inch alloy wheels and automatic air conditioning.

Find new and used Peugeot 308 deals on our sister site Auto Express

5. Citroen C4

• Up to 62.1mpg
• Priced from around £22,000

The Citroen C4 is one of the quirkier family hatchbacks on sale today. It combines elements of coupe, SUV and hatchback into one unusual-looking package, but it excels in a few key areas – including fuel economy. It uses the same mild hybrid engine as the pair of Peugeots and the Vauxhall Corsa, returning just over 62mpg in this application. What’s better is that this C4 actually costs less than the pure-petrol model, as it’s available in the budget-friendly You! trim level.

Besides fuel economy, the Citroen C4 also nails comfort. The suspension has been set up to smooth out speed bumps and potholes effortlessly, and we reckon it’s one of the comfiest cars out there. Of course, the trade off is a bit of lean through the corners, but the C4 isn’t trying to be a sports car, and we doubt many family car buyers will mind.

Find new and used Citroen C4 deals on our sister site Auto Express

Most economical diesel cars

1. Skoda Octavia

• Up to 66.2mpg
• Priced from around £27,000

The Skoda Octavia is a Carbuyer favourite for many reasons, including its strong 2.0-litre diesel engine that returns up to 66.2mpg. The engine – and much of the Octavia’s underpinnings – are shared with the Golf below, yet the Skoda returns slightly better fuel economy in a larger and more practical package. It's not the most exciting of engines, with just 114bhp, but it pulls strongly enough and will happily cruise at motorway speeds.

Historically, opting for a Skoda over a Volkswagen would mean sacrificing interior design and quality for a lower price tag, but that’s no longer the case. The Octavia is just as well-built and well-equipped as its Golf cousin, with class-leading legroom and a vast 600-litre boot, while undercutting it on price. Like the Golf, Skoda will sell you an estate variant or one equipped with a DSG automatic gearbox, although fuel economy will drop marginally.

Find new and used Skoda Octavia deals on our sister site Auto Express

2. Volkswagen Golf Estate

• Up to 64.8mpg
• Priced from around £29,000

A few of the hatchbacks on this list are available as an estate, but you usually have to give up a few MPGs for the extra practicality. That’s not the case for the Volkswagen Golf Estate, which will return up to 64.8mpg when equipped with the 2.0-litre TDI engine – marginally more than the Golf hatch. It’s the same engine found in the Octavia above, connected to a seven-speed DSG automatic gearbox driving the front wheels, so both cars drive very similarly.

As we’ve come to expect from the Golf badge, build-quality is top notch and you get all the tech and safety kit you need. Some of the interior controls are a bit fiddly – we’d prefer physical buttons for the climate controls instead of the touchscreen – but it’s unlikely to be a dealbreaker for most buyers. The Golf Estate’s real strength is just how well it drives. It’s more than happy around town, but motorway drivers will be equally impressed by its refinement and fuel economy.

Find new and used Volkswagen Golf Estate deals on our sister site Auto Express

3. Mercedes C-Class

• Up to 62.8mpg
• Priced from around £45,000

A long-standing executive car favourite, the Mercedes C-Class is still offered with a diesel engine alongside petrol and plug-in hybrid versions – unlike its key rival, the BMW 3 Series. The diesel C-Class still makes lots of sense for drivers who cover long motorway miles, where this type of engine is most efficient. Still, over a mixture of driving scenarios, the C 220 d will return up to 62.8mpg, with a little help from its mild hybrid system.

This engine is a great fit for the C-Class. With 197bhp, it’s powerful enough to accelerate from 0 to 62mph in 7.5 seconds, but it’s the low-down grunt that’s really apparent from behind the wheel. It’s comfortable, too, making those long motorway journeys seem effortless, while the interior is just as impressive as you’d expect from a car with a three-pointed star on the nose.

Find new and used Mercedes C-Class deals on our sister site Auto Express

Most economical self-charging hybrid cars

1. Mazda 2 Hybrid

• Up to 74.3mpg
• Priced from around £24,000

It may come as a surprise to learn that the Mazda 2 Hybrid is the most fuel efficient hybrid car on sale today, considering it’s essentially a rebadged version of the Toyota Yaris below. However, Mazda has managed to squeeze a few extra miles per gallon from the 1.5-litre three-cylinder hybrid engine, which can deliver over 74mpg – almost unheard of outside of a diesel or plug-in hybrid car.

We reckon the Yaris is the better car overall – it’s a little cheaper to buy and comes with Toyota’s unbeatable 10-year warranty – but the Mazda 2 Hybrid is still a well-rounded supermini. Besides its phenomenal efficiency, it's well-equipped and very easy to drive around town, although some may find its interior a little bland. It’s also a shame it’s not available with the more powerful 128bhp engine that Yaris buyers can pick, but those looking for maximum efficiency will be satisfied with the standard engine.

Find new and used Mazda 2 Hybrid deals on our sister site Auto Express

2. Toyota Yaris

• Up to 67.3mpg
• Priced from around £23,000

Toyota is the brand that pioneered self-charging hybrid tech with the original Prius in the 1990s, so it’s no surprise to find one of its models on this list. While the Prius is now a plug-in hybrid only, the Yaris has stepped up to be its most efficient hybrid on sale. It uses a 1.5-litre three-cylinder engine along with an electric motor to deliver up to 67.3mpg – a mighty figure, but less than its sister car, the Mazda 2 Hybrid, above.

We like the Toyota Yaris a lot here at Carbuyer. It’s a bit more expensive than some rival superminis, but your money goes towards excellent build-quality, a bullet-proof hybrid powertrain and a class-leading warranty. The biggest threat to the Yaris is the new wave of affordable electric cars that are even cheaper to buy and run. Still, if you’re not ready to make the switch to an EV, the Yaris is probably your next best bet.

Find new and used Toyota Yaris deals on our sister site Auto Express

3. Renault Clio

• Up to 67.3mpg
• Priced from around £19,000

The Renault Clio has always been a cheap-to-run supermini, but it became even more frugal with the introduction of the E-Tech hybrid system in 2020. Using clever tech derived from Renault’s Formula 1 programme, the hybrid Clio uses its 1.6-litre petrol engine and a pair of electric motors to return up to 67.3mpg, matching the Toyota Yaris above.

That impressive economy is one of the reasons why the Clio picked up the Carbuyer Best Small Car award for 2025. It’s both cheap to run and cheap to buy – even cheaper than the Yaris despite the Clio’s more spacious and interesting interior. The Clio also has the Yaris beaten when it comes to the driving experience – it’s more fun to wind along a B road but it’s also capable at tackling long motorway journeys.

Find new and used Renault Clio deals on our sister site Auto Express

Most economical plug-in hybrid cars

1. Volkswagen Golf

• Up to 1000.4mpg
• Priced from around £28,000

You read that correctly – we’re now in the era of 1,000mpg-plus plug-in hybrid cars – well, on paper at least. The latest Volkswagen Golf can be specified with the brand’s eHybrid system, which pairs a 1.5-litre petrol engine with an electric motor and sizable 20kWh battery. As a result, the Golf can drive up to 88 miles on electric power alone, essentially letting you use it as an EV for the majority of short journeys.

In reality, achieving 1,000mpg in the Golf will be highly unlikely, unless you keep the battery charged up regularly and stick to EV mode for 90% of your driving. Taking the Golf onto the motorway or letting the battery run flat will see that economy figure plummet, but that’s true for every plug-in hybrid. If you need a practical, well-built hatchback for around town driving, but don’t want a pure EV, then the Golf eHybrid makes a lot of sense.

Find new and used Volkswagen Golf deals on our sister site Auto Express

2. Audi A3

• Up to 941.6mpg
• Priced from around £30,000

Not quite into four-figure territory but almost as impressive as the Golf, The Audi A3 plug-in hybrid will return over 941mpg according to WLTP testing. The A3 is essentially the same car as the Golf but wearing a snazzier suit, so it’s little surprise to find it on this list, too. It uses the same petrol engine and large battery, with an identical electric-only range of 88 miles.

Like the Golf, you won’t see fuel economy figures anywhere near what’s stated in the brochure unless you spend the majority of your time driving around town with the petrol engine switched off. But if that’s your use case, then the A3 will appeal just like the Golf, except here, you get a more premium interior and that prestigious four-ringed badge on the front grille.

Find new and used Audi A3 deals on our sister site Auto Express

3. Skoda Superb Estate

• Up to 783.4mpg
• Priced from around £37,000

It’s three out of three for the Volkswagen Group here, although each car is from a different sub-brand. Skoda is the last piece of the plug-in hybrid puzzle, with its Superb Estate delivering up to 783.4mpg in ‘iV’ guise. Under the bonnet, you’ll find the same 1.5-litre engine as the Golf and A3, along with the same 20kWh battery. The system is powering a bigger, heavier car here, so fuel economy isn’t quite as stratospheric, but 783.4mpg is still a figure that’s hard to believe.

As mentioned previously, that figure will be confined to the realm of make-believe if you don’t keep the Superb regularly charged up. But if you have a home charger, and if your journeys are mainly around town, you’re unlikely to find a more economical estate car. Plus, the Superb Estate performs exceptionally well in other areas, too – it’s hugely practical, comfortable and the interior is excellent for this price point. It was awarded our Carbuyer Best Estate Car for 2025 for good reason. 

Find new and used Skoda Superb Estate deals on our sister site Auto Express

Economical car buying guide

Picking one of the most fuel-efficient cars can be very important, as paying for fuel is usually the biggest expense in any annual motoring budget. Thanks to the latest fuel-saving technology, there are plenty of large and small economical petrol, diesel and hybrid cars on sale in the UK.

Where diesel may originally have been the fuel of choice for those seeking the best economy, modern turbocharged petrol engines and hybrids are capable of matching or even beating the economy figures offered by diesel engines. Economical family cars and SUVs are increasingly being offered with hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains as diesel sales decline. With higher rates of tax for diesel cars, fuel savings could be outweighed by a bigger tax bill, unless the majority of your driving is on the motorway where diesel offers the biggest economy gains over petrol.

On paper, plug-in hybrid cars seem to be a no-brainer, offering sky-high fuel economy figures well into the 300s and beyond. While these figures have been WLTP tested and serve as a good comparison between different plug-in hybrids, achieving these MPG numbers in the real world is probably impossible for most drivers. 

Only if you spend the majority of your time driving in pure-electric mode, with minimal use of the combustion engine, will you achieve the quoted figure. That being said, keep the battery topped up and drive sensibly, and you could see MPG figures with three digits. There are also tax incentives for some plug-in hybrid cars, so you could end up saving yourself some cash another way.

Economical car price and score list

In the table below, we’ve included the 14 cars from this list with their starting price, quoted fuel economy figure and their Carbuyer score.

Check out our best hybrid cars, or see our best family cars…