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Real MPG: Most economical Motability cars
Want a Motability car that will be affordable to run? We reveal the models that were most economical in our Real MPG tests...
Whether you’re spending all or part of your mobility allowance on a car on the Motability leasing scheme, you’ll want it to sip fuel gently so it doesn’t burn a hole in your bank balance.
While car makers’ official fuel economy figures will give you an indication of the kind of economy you can expect from a specific model, you’re unlikely to achieve them in real-world driving.
To give you a much better idea of how many miles a potential candidate for your next car will do to the gallon (and therefore how much it will cost you to run) we’ve used our Real MPG fuel economy figures to show which are the most economical cars you can lease on Motability.
You can find out more about the Motability Scheme by reading What Car?’s full guide or heading to the Scheme's website.
1. The most economical Motability car: Toyota Yaris 1.5 Hybrid
Real MPG 59.6mpg | Town 80.0mpg | Motorway 46.7mpg | Rural 74.1mpg
The Yaris hybrid has a remarkable ability to sip fuel gently; it achieved 80mpg in town – almost double the economy of many a conventionally powered. It should also be very reliable and hold onto its value well. Just bear in mind that the ride is quite firm and the rear seats cramped.
Read our full Toyota Yaris review or see our latest Toyota Yaris deals
Read on to find out how we find your car's Real MPG, and see more Motability cars which performed well in our tests, as well as the models which will cost you the most to run.
How we test for a car's Real MPG
Our Real MPG tests are conducted in a laboratory but are based on a real-world route that takes in town, rural and motorway driving.
To make the test as accurate as possible, each car is weighed and has its tyre pressures checked, plus an exhaust connection is fitted to measure the car's emissions. This is then used to find out the Real MPG results.
In other areas, the car's climate control is set to 21 degrees. Or, if it has manual air conditioning, the temperature is set to the midway point and the fan speed to its lowest setting. We also turn off any other electrical equipment, such as the headlights, heated seats or stereo.
The results reflect what's achievable if you’re driving gently and sticking to speed limits, but aren’t resorting to any unrealistically slow acceleration or special 'hypermiling' techniques. You can find our more about how we test for Real MPG here.
The best of the rest: Motability cars
2. Skoda Octavia 2.0 TDI 115
Real MPG 57.9mpg
Diesel might be something of a dirty word these days, but it remains a great choice if you prioritise efficiency and do regular long journeys. In fact, few cars are as good as munching motorway miles as the Skoda Octavia, especially in 2.0 TDI guise. It's hugely comfortable with its comfortable suspension set-up and impressive refinement.
Real MPG 56.0mpg
When you combine a small car like the Honda Jazz with an efficient hybrid system, the result is truly impressive efficiency. In this instance, the Jazz achieved a strong average of 56mpg (which was helped by impressive town and rural scores). Elsewhere, the Jazz is hugely practical with its wide opening doors, big boot and flip-up rear seat bench, and those are just several reasons why we named it our 2023 Small Car of the Year.
Read our full Honda Jazz review or see our latest Honda Jazz deals
=3. Volkswagen Up 1.0 S/S 60PS
Real MPG 56.0mpg
The Up city car has been around for quite some time; in fact, it was crowned our overall Car of the Year in 2012. But it’s still well worth considering if you want a small, economical urban runabout that’s also capable of holding its own on faster A-roads and motorways, too. This engine is the most economical of the line-up, but the punchier 89bhp 1.0 turbo also achieved almost 54mpg in our tests.
Read our full Volkswagen Up review or see our latest Volkswagen Up deals
5. Seat Ibiza 1.0 TSI 95
Real MPG 54.0mpg
A former What Car? Small Car of the Year, the Ibiza is still one of the best small cars on sale. It’s fun to drive and has a roomy, practical interior. And the turbocharged 1.0 TSI 95 engine is surprisingly sprightly, even though it has seriously impressive fuel economy.
Read our full Seat Ibiza review or see our latest Seat Ibiza deals
6. Toyota Corolla 1.8 Hybrid
Real MPG 53.3mpg
Not many family cars can top the Toyota Corolla 1.8 Hybrid when it comes to fuel economy, and you can't argue with its real-world fuel economy figure of 53.3mpg. And, despite being the smaller engine offering, it still offers more than enough performance for everyday driving.
Read our full Toyota Corolla review or see our latest Toyota Corolla deals
7. Ford Focus 1.5 Ecoblue 120
Real MPG 52.4mpg
The Focus is a common sight on our roads, and with good reason; it’s a great family car to drive and it’s a quiet cruiser with a fairly compliant ride and plenty of space for passengers and all their clutter. And if you pick the 1.5 diesel you’ll get more than 50 miles to the gallon. If you prefer petrol power, we’d recommend the 1.0 Ecoboost 125, which returned an impressive 49.6mpg in our tests.
Read our full Ford Focus review or see our latest Ford Focus deals
8. Toyota Aygo X 1.0
Real MPG 52.2mpg
New small cars aren't launched very often, and the Aygo X is one of the newest on the scene. It offers lots of safety kit and stylish looks, but only makes do with a non-turbocharged 1.0-litre engine that's pretty slow. On the plus side, it is economical and beats its rivals (the Hyundai i10 and Kia Picanto) for efficiency.
Read our full Toyota Aygo X review or see our latest Toyota Aygo X deals
=9. Volkswagen Polo 1.0 TSI 95
Real MPG 51.8mpg
The latest VW Polo is bigger and better to drive than previous versions. It has a supple ride, plenty of passenger space and a classy interior. The 1.0 95 is our pick of the engine line-up because it’s perky enough in and out of town and it’s very efficient.
Real MPG 51.8mpg
The 99bhp 1.2-litre petrol engine in the Peugeot 208 is our pick of the range, largely because it offers a brilliant balance between performance and fuel economy. From an accessibility standpoint, the 208 scores well thanks to its high driving position and decent levels of seat and steering wheel adjustment for the driver. The boot is also a good size and bigger than those of the Ford Fiesta and Volkswagen Polo.
Read our full Peugeot 208 review or see our latest Peugeot 208 deals
And the least efficient Motability cars
Those are the models that will cost you the least in fuel bills, but what about those cars that'll quickly have your purse running dry? Next, we'll take you through the three models that performed the worst in our real-world tests.
3. Skoda Karoq 1.5 TSI 150
Real MPG 36.0mpg
The Skoda Karoq excels when it comes to practicality, being well made, huge inside and flexible with its seating. The 1.5-litre engine quoted here also offers strong performance, but hybrid rivals (such as the Hyundai Tucson or Kia Sportage) are more economical.
Read our full Skoda Karoq review or see our latest Skoda Karoq deals
2. Skoda Kodiaq 2.0 TSI 190
Real MPG 31.6mpg
With space for seven, a plush interior and decent comfort levels, the Kodiaq is a great all-rounder. However, with the 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine fitted, it doesn't exactly sip fuel. We'd recommend going for the 1.5-litre petrol or one of the diesels if efficiency is a priority.
Read our full Skoda Kodiaq review or see our latest Skoda Kodiaq deals
1. Ford Kuga 1.5 Ecoboost 150
Real MPG 30.4mpg
The entry-level engine in the Kuga is a 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol unit. Its a decent engine that's much cheaper to buy than the hybrid and plug-in hybrid options, but as shown here, it does suffer on the fuel economy front.
Read our full Ford Kuga review or see our latest Ford Kuga deals
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