What Car? Q&A - Which diesel auto MPVs do over 50mpg?

Q: We want a diesel MPV with an automatic gearbox. It must offer excellent fuel economy (over 50 mpg). We like the Meriva, but unfortunately it doesn't come with an automatic option for the diesel model. Any ideas?
Arthur Butler

A: There is a shortage of diesel MPVs that offer automatic gearboxes, but there are a few good ones on the market.

As you've been looking at a Meriva, we're assuming you want a small MPV. If so, the Renault Modus might suit.

We class the Meriva and Modus as superminis, but they do offer MPV practicality despite their small size.

The Modus 1.5 dCi 86 Dynamique S Quickshift5 might have a long-winded name, but with a semi-automatic gearbox it will do a whopping 62.8mpg on average.

Not only that, but its low carbon dioxide emissions of 119g/km mean you'll only pay £35 a year in car tax.

It has a list price of £12,440, but with a bit of haggling you should expect to pay no more than £11,051.

Another option is the Seat Altea. It's not strictly an MPV, but apart from flexible seating it offers a high driving position and plenty of interior space.

The Altea 1.9 TDI Stylance - with the excellent DSG semi-automatic gearbox - won't quite hit 50mpg, but at 47.1mpg it's not far off.

The Seat is a bit more expensive than the Renault at £15,995, but we've found a price of £13,593 at Drivethedeal.com.

It should hold its value better than the Renault and is great to drive, too.