Top 10 fuel-efficient green cars

(29/12/2008)

Switching to a car with high fuel economy reduces emissions. Fuel-efficient cars are therefore, by definition, green cars, which is why they also benefit from road tax, company car tax and London Congestion Charge incentives.

Fortunately, the last few years has seen a significant increase in the availability of quality fuel-efficient models in the UK. To illustrate the range of what's on offer, a list of Top 10 Credit Crunch Cars has been compiled, all with superb fuel economy, low emissions, low tax and all but one under £10,000. As the list shows, annual fuel cost and road tax savings of at least £340 are easily achievable.

NICE MyCar (electric) – CO2: 0 g/km
From £8,995, Annual fuel cost saving £870, Road tax £0
Like the G-Wiz, the Italian-designed two-seater MyCar gets you noticed. With a top speed of 40 mph and range of up to 60 miles, the MyCar may not give you conventional performance, but as one of the greenest 4-wheelers in the UK its green credentials are unbeatable. Its 4kW (5.4 hp) motor is powered by deep cycle lead gel batteries; although a full recharge takes eight hours, the batteries respond well to frequent top-up recharging.

Smart fortwo mhd – CO2: 103 g/km
From £6,970, Annual fuel cost saving £407, Road tax £35
Launched in October this year, the fortwo mhd (mild hybrid drive) uses the new 999cc, three cylinder petrol engine providing 71bhp (max speed 91mph, 0-62mph in 13.3s). The 'mild hybrid' drive refers to the use of a belt driven generator that supplies the car's electrical system and doubles up as a starter motor. Though not a hybrid in the true sense, the engine features a stop-start function which cuts out the engine when the vehicle's speeds is below 5mph and the brake pedal is operated - the engine automatically re-starts once the brake pedal is released.

VW Polo 1.4 BlueMotion 1 – CO2: 99 g/km
From £10,934 (discount), Annual fuel cost saving £403, Road tax £0
The Polo BlueMotion 1 is in essence a stripped-down version of the standard diesel model (no air conditioning or central locking etc) and is fitted with a 1.4-litre three-cylinder turbo diesel engine. To reduce environmental impact, a particulate filter and improved oxidation catalytic converter have been fitted. The gearbox has also been given longer ratios to maximise fuel consumption remains even at motorway speeds. The result is very impressive combined test fuel economy (74.3 mpg) and carbon emissions of only 99g/km, which makes the Polo BlueMotion 1 road tax free. However, the 78bhp unit will still give 110mph and a 0-62mph time of 12.8 seconds.

Toyota Aygo (Peugeot 107/Citroen C1) – CO2: 108g/km
From £6,719 (discount) Annual fuel cost saving £367, Road tax £35
Toyota's Aygo is the result pf a joint venture with Citroen and Peugeot, who have virtually identical models: the C1 and the 107. The Aygo is available in 3- and 5-door versions, all of which are powered by a 1 litre petrol engine. As well as being cheap to buy, the Aygo is cheap to run – it sits in the lowest insurance groups and will offer a combined mpg of 61.4. With CO2 emissions of only 108 g/km (VED band B) the Aygo is also cheap to tax.

Fiat 500 – CO2: 110 g/km
From £9,535, Annual fuel cost saving £334, Road tax £35
Crowned 2008 Car of the Year, the 500 is only the second A-Segment car to have ever won the award (the first was the Fiat Panda in 2004) and is a signal that small cars and their environmental credentials are in the ascendancy. The most fuel-efficient model in the 500 range has a fuel economy of 67.3 mpg with CO2 emissions of only 111 g/km (VED band B). The Fiat 500 also sets new standards for city-cars – this is the first time that a car barely 3.55 metres long has been awarded a 5-star crash safety rating by Euro NCAP.

Skoda Fabia – CO2: 109g/km
From £9,716 (discount) Annual fuel cost saving £351, Road tax £35
The Fabia is designed to be ultra-cheap to run. The 1.4 litre three-cylinder turbodiesel version is the most fuel-efficient of all the engine options, providing a combined mpg rating of 61.4 (70.6 mpg on the open road). This version is also the least environmentally damaging; official figures indicate CO2 emissions of 120g/km. In addition, the Fabia comes with the option of a 1.2, 1.4 or 1.6 litre petrol engine, with a 1.9 litre diesel also available.

Fiat Panda – CO2: 120g/km
From £7,015, Annual fuel cost saving £306, Road tax £35
The Fiat Panda 1.1 Active ECO is both the most environmentally friendly and the most fuel-efficient version in the Panda range. It emits just 119 g/km of CO2 and returns 56.5 mpg. Both the Active ECO and the Dynamic ECO (which includes remote central locking, colour coded bumpers and a CD/MP3 player for an additional £600) cost £100 more than their equivalent non-ECO versions, but reduced CO2 emissions provide an annual road-tax saving of £85 per year, making the ECOs the more cost effective option in the long-term.

Hyundai i10 – CO2: 119g/km
From £7,545, Annual fuel cost saving £306, Road tax £35
Following the successful i30 hatchback comes the five-seater, five-door i10 city-car. All i10 models are powered by a 67PS, 1.1-litre petrol engine with either a manual or an automatic gearbox. Manual versions have a fuel economy of over 56.5mpg and produce just 119g/km of CO2, so qualifying the car for VED band B road tax of only £35 a year. Design innovations include a gearshift lever that is mounted on the centre console to improve ergonomics and free up the space between the driver and the passenger seat. The i10 has been one of the big successes of the year – as fuel prices rose dramatically in the Spring of 2008, the mini-sector saw a growth of 120% in May, and the newly launched i10 was the best seller in the segment.

Daihatsu Sirion 1.0 – CO2: 118g/km.
From £7,995, Annual fuel cost saving £306, Road tax £35
Although not perhaps as well built as some of the more popular brands, it is worth noting that the Daihatsu model is built in Japan (considered a good thing by car connoisseurs), the company being part owned by Toyota. Indeed, the Sirion shares some of its platform with the Yaris, which also features Daihatsu's 1.3-litre petrol engine. The main reason you’d buy a Sirion, however, is its high fuel economy (56.5 mpg) and low CO2 emissions (118 g/km), giving low fuel and road tax costs (VED band B). The car’s size and simplicity mean that servicing and insurance are also low.

Vauxhall Agila – CO2: 120g/km
From £7,705, Annual fuel cost saving £306, Road tax £35
The Agila offers three new engines (and trim levels) with manual and automatic gearbox options. Petrol units include a 1.0-litre three-cylinder unit developing 65PS and an 85PS 1.2-litre four-cylinder engine, the latter of which is also available with automatic transmission. Vauxhall's 1.3CDTi diesel is also on offer, delivering 75PS with a fuel economy of around 62mpg (120g/km).

Related categories:  Citroen   Fiat   Green cars and environment   Hybrid and electric car   Hyundai   Peugeot   Skoda   Smart   Supermini car   Toyota   Vauxhall   Volkswagen