Which are SA’s most fuel economical cars?

Choosing a car to buy is a tricky and laborious task, but picking a car based on segment formula is a touch easier. Here we explore some of the most frugal cars on sale in SA according to fuel-consumption figures claimed by manufacturers.

Manufacturer-stated figures don’t necessarily reflect real-life consumption as they’re achieved by factory testers in ideal conditions. The testers aren’t necessarily stuck in gridlocked traffic or in a hurry to fetch the kids when setting these benchmarks.

Some of these figures listed in litres per 100km are achievable while some, if you are truly committed, can be bettered. Either way, below is a directory of SA’s top 20 most fuel efficient vehicles overall, as well as the top performers by segment. * Denotes vehicles with an electric/petrol hybrid drivetrain. Their claimed figures largely depend on their electric motors doing most of the propelling.

TOP 20 of SA’S MOST FUEL-EFFICIENT VEHICLES OVERALL

BMW i3 eDrive REx                                                 

Engine: electric/petrol

Consumption: 0.6l*

BMW 330e

Engine: 2.0T petrol/electric

Consumption: 1.9l*

BMW 740e          

Engine: 2.0T petrol/electric          

Consumption:  2.1l*

Volvo XC90 T8 Twin Engine AWD Momentum           

Engine:  2.0ST petrol/electric

Consumption: 2.1l*

Volvo XC90 T8 Twin Engine AWD Excellence 

Engine: 2.0ST petrol/electric

Consumption: 2.5l*

Porsche Panamera 4 e-hybrid                                           

Engine: 2.9T petrol/electric          

Consumption: 2.5l*

Porsche Panamera 4 e-hybrid Sport Turismo                   

Engine: 2.9Te

Consumption: 2.6l*

Range Rover Sport HSE P400e   

Engine: 2.0T petrol/electric

Consumption: 2.8l*

Porsche Panamera Turbo S eHybrid        

Engine: 4.0Te

Consumption: 2.9l*

Ford Fiesta 1.5 TDCI Trend                    

Engine: 1.5TD                              

Consumption 3.3l

Porsche Cayenne e-hybrid                                               

Engine: 3.0Te                               

Consumption: 3.4l*

Renault Captur 66kW dCi Dynamique   

Engine: 1.5TD

Consumption: 3.6l 

Fiat Tipo sedan 1.3 Multijet Easy  

Engine: 1.3TD                  

Consumption: 3.7l

Toyota Prius Hybrid                                            

Engine: 1.8e                    

Consumption: 3.7l*

Fiat 500 TwinAir Pop Easy                     

Engine: 0.9T                     

Consumption: 3.8l

BMW 120d Auto                         

Engine: 2.0TD                              

Consumption: 3.9l

Toyota Auris Hybrid XR 

Engine: 1.8e                     

Consumption: 3.9l*

BMW 220d Coupe Auto             

Engine: 2.0TD                              

Consumption: 4.0l

Peugeot 2008 1.6 HDi Active

Engine: 1.6TD                              

Consumption: 4.0l

BMW 3/420d Coupe auto

Engine: 2.0TD                  

Consumption: 4.0l

BEST PERFORMERS BY SEGMENT

Compact cars

Ford Fiesta 1.5 TDCI Trend                                            

Engine: 1.5TD      

Consumption: 3.3l

Fiat Tipo sedan 1.3 Multijet Easy  

Engine: 1.3TD                              

Consumption: 3.7l

Fiat 500 TwinAir Pop      

Engine: 0.9T                     

Consumption: 3.8l

Smart Fortwo coupe 52kW base  

Engine: 1.0                       

Consumption: 4.1l

Audi A1 Sportback 1.0 TFSI S   

Engine: 1.0T                     

Consumption: 4.2l

Fiat Panda TwinAir Easy 

Engine: 0.9T                     

Consumption: 4.2l

Peugeot 208 1.2 Active

Engine: 1.2                       

Consumption: 4.3l

Mahindra KUV100 Nxt 1.2 D75 K6+

Engine: 1.2TD                              

Consumption: 4.3l

Toyota Aygo 1.0              

Engine:  1.0                      

Consumption: 4.3l

Mazda2 1.5DE Hazumi auto

Engine: 1.5TD                              

Consumption: 4.4l

Medium cars

BMW i3 eDrive REx                                           

Engine: elec/petrol                       

Consumption: 0.6l*

Toyota Prius Hybrid

Engine: 1.8e                     

Consumption: 3.7l*

Toyota Auris Hybrid XR 

Engine: 1.8e         

Consumption: 3.9l*

BMW 120d Auto 

Engine: 2.0TD                              

Consumption: 3.9l

Volvo V40 D3 Momentum          

Engine: 2.0TD      

Consumption: 4.0l

BMW 220d Coupe Man

Engine: 2.0TD                  

Consumption: 4.1l

Ford Focus Sedan /hatch 1.5 TDCI                     

Engine:  1.5TD                 

Consumption: 4.1l

Volvo V40 D2 Kinetic                            

Engine:   2.0TD                

Consumption: 4.1l

Opel Astra 1.0T   

Engine: 1.0T                     

Consumption:  4.4l

Toyota Corolla 1.4 D-4D E         

Engine: 1.4TD                  

Consumption: 4.5l

Executive cars

BMW 330e          

Engine: eDrive     

Consumption: 1.9l*

BMW 3/420d Coupe auto           

Engine: 2.0TD                              

Consumption: 4.0l

Audi A5 Coupe 40 TDI   

Engine: 2.0TD      

Consumption: 4.1l

Audi A4 40 TDI  

Engine: 2.0TD                  

Consumption: 4.1l

Jaguar XF 20d Prestige    

Engine: 2.0TD                  

Consumption: 4.3l

Volvo S60 D4 Momentum

Engine: 2.0TD                  

Consumption: 4.3l

Volvo S90 D4 Momentum                      

Engine: 2.0TD      

Consumption: 4.4l

Mercedes-Benz E220d Coupe

Engine: 2.0TD                  

Consumption: 4.6l

Lexus ES 300h SE                       

Engine: 2.5e                                 

Consumption: 4.6l*

BMW 520d 

Engine: 2.0TD

Consumption: 4.7l

Luxury cars

BMW 740e          

Engine:   eDrive   

Consumption: 2.1l*

Porsche Panamera 4 e-hybrid

Engine: 2.9Te                               

Consumption: 2.5l*

Porsche Panamera 4 e-hybrid Sport Turismo

Engine: 2.9Te       

Consumption: 2.6l*

Porsche Panamera Turbo S e-hybrid Executive

Engine: 2.9Te       

Consumption: 2.9l*

Audi A6 2.0TDI SE

Engine: 2.0TD                  

Consumption: 4.2l

Mercedes-Benz E220d    

Engine:  2.0TD                 

Consumption: 4.3l

BMW 530d                      

Engine: 3.0TD      

Consumption: 5.1l

Mercedes-Benz S350d L 

Engine: 2.9TD                  

Consumption: 5.4l

Maserati Ghibli Diesel     

Engine: 3.0TD                  

Consumption: 5.9l

Audi A8 3.0 TDI Quattro                                                

Engine: 3.0TD                              

Consumption: 5.9l

Compact/medium SUV

Renault Captur 66kW dCi Dynamique   

Engine: 1.5TD                  

Consumption: 3.6l  

Peugeot 2008 1.6 HDi Active     

Engine: 1.6TD      

Consumption: 4.0l

Nissan Qashqai 1.5 dCi Acenta   

Engine:  1.5TD

Consumption: 4.2l

Jeep Renegade 1.6L Multijet Limited

Engine: 1.6TD                  

Consumption: 4.6l

BMW X1 sDrive20d

Engine: 2.0TD

Consumption: 4.6l

Renault Duster 1.5 dCi Dynamique

Engine:  1.5TD     

Consumption:  4.8l

Suzuki Ignis1.2 GLX Auto                     

Engine: 1.2           

Consumption: 4.9l

Volvo XC40 D4 AWD Momentum        

Engine: 2.0TD                  

Consumption: 5.0l

Range Rover Evoque SE TD4

Engine: 2.0TD      

Consumption: 5.1l

Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0 TDI Comfortline      

Engine: 2.0TD                  

Consumption: 5.2l

Large SUV

Volvo XC90 T8 Twin Engine AWD Momentum           

Engine: 2.0STe                             

Consumption: 2.1l*

Volvo XC90 T8 Twin Engine AWD Excellence

Engine: 2.0STe                 

Consumption: 2.5l*

Range Rover Sport HSE P400e

Engine: 2.0Te       

Consumption: 2.8l*

Porsche Cayenne e-hybrid           

Engine: 3.0Te       

Consumption: 3.4l*

Land Rover Discovery Sport Pure TD4

Engine: 2.0TD      

Consumption: 5.1l  

Volvo XC60 D4 AWD Momentum        

Engine: 2.0TD      

Consumption: 5.2l

Jaguar F-PACE 20d AWD Pure

Engine: 2.0TD                              

Consumption: 5.3l

Mercedes-Benz GLC220d Coupe           

Engine: 2.1TD                              

Consumption: 5.4l

Range Rover Velar D180            

Engine: 2.0TD                  

Consumption: 5.4l

Lexus RX 450h                

Engine: 3.5e         

Consumption: 5.7l