Real MPG: most economical cars for town driving

WLTP MPG 62.7mpg | Real MPG Average 60.1mpg | Town 103.3mpg | Motorway 45.5mpg | Rural 70.5mpg

Not only is the Toyota Yaris Cross the only car to manage triple-digits in the town portion of our real-world fuel economy tests, but it's also the most economical car we've ever tested overall. Key to that efficiency is its hybrid system, which matches an electric motor with a 1.5-litre petrol engine. When you're driving around town, the electric motor can take most of the strain of driving, helping you save money. 

Elsewhere, the Yaris Cross impresses with its lofty driving position and its uncluttered dashboard design, but it's worth noting that some small SUV rivals are more spacious.

Read our full Toyota Yaris Cross review

WLTP MPG 53.3mpg | Real MPG Average 49.0mpg | Town 91.9mpg | Motorway 37.9mpg | Rural 54.0mpg

That a big, heavy car like the Toyota RAV4 can be almost as frugal as the far smaller Yaris Cross around town is nothing short of remarkable and, as with that car, the hybrid system is the secret to the RAV4’s success. Its 2.5-litre petrol engine is paired with a powerful electric motor for a total of 302bhp, and it's the electric motor which does most of the work at low speeds.

As well as its frugal credentials, we like the RAV4's slow predicted depreciation and Toyota's stellar reliability record. Most SUV rivals are better to drive, though, and there's no seven-seat option.

Read our full Toyota RAV4 review

WLTP MPG 57.7mpg | Real MPG Average 53.3mpg | Town 90.6mpg | Motorway 40.8mpg | Rural 60.8mpg

You might be sensing a pattern here, and it’s no coincidence; Toyota takes the majority of places on this list, thanks to the brand's expertise when it comes to hybrid technology. The Corolla uses a 1.8-litre petrol engine that's teamed with an electric motor for maximum efficiency.

What’s more, the Corolla is a fantastic family car across the board, thanks to a comfortable ride and the fact that you get loads of equipment as standard. Indeed, we named it our 2024 Family Car of the Year.

Read our full Toyota Corolla review

WLTP MPG 64.2mpg | Real MPG Average 50.3mpg | Town 86.6mpg | Motorway 38.4mpg | Rural 58.4mpg

How come the Swace is so frugal? Well, it shares the vast majority of its parts with a model from another Japanese manufacturer – but which one? Yep, you guessed it: Toyota.

Specifically, the Swace is based on the Toyota Corolla Touring Sports, and uses the same 1.8-litre hybrid system you get in entry-level versions of that car.

The result is a super-efficient estate that's impressively frugal anywhere, but especially so around town. And, while it can be rather noisy when you put your foot down, and the infotainment system is far below par, the Swace is a good choice if you want a green car that's also capable of moving some furniture.

Read our full Suzuki Swace review

WLTP MPG 56.5mpg | Real MPG Average 49.5mpg | Town 84.6mpg | Motorway 38.6mpg | Rural 56.4mpg

Like the other cars on this list so far, the Honda Civic features both a petrol engine and an electric motor. However, what sets it apart from those models (beside the fact it’s not a Toyota) is how the hybrid system works.

The Civic's so-called e:HEV setup means that, around town, the petrol engine never directly powers its front wheels – that only occurs at higher speeds – instead generating electricity which is fed to a pair of electric motors.

There's a lot more to the Civic's string of talents than just efficiency, however, because it's also extremely practical and comes loaded with kit.

Read our full Honda Civic review

WLTP MPG 68.8mpg | Real MPG Average 59.9mpg | Town 80.0mpg | Motorway 46.7mpg | Rural 74.1mpg

The latest Yaris is ruthlessly efficient – in fact, its overall average score of 59.9mpg means it's the second most efficient car to ever go through our Real MPG tests. It doesn't quite break into the top five in terms of in-town efficiency, but a score of 80mpg on urban roads means you won't be making very many trips to the petrol station.

Just don't expect practicality to be a key strength, here. There isn't much room for rear passengers to stretch out, or much space for them to put their luggage into the boot – even by the standards of the small car class.

Read our full Toyota Yaris review

NEDC MPG 78.5mpg | Real MPG Average 49.2mpg | Town 80.0mpg | Motorway 37.7mpg | Rural 57.5mpg

No, you're not seeing double, this is indeed a second version of the ultra-efficient Toyota Yaris, but it's the previous generation of the car. The good news is that it's still thoroughly green, recording the same 80.0mpg during the town portion of our test, and 49.2mpg overall.

The even better news for bargain hunters is that you don't have to spend a lot to put one on your driveway, because used examples start from just £3000.

Read our full used Toyota Yaris review

WLTP MPG 61.4mpg | Real MPG Average 56.0mpg | Town 68.8mpg | Motorway 43.4mpg | Rural 73.0mpg

The Honda Jazz is as practical as some far larger models, as well as being good to drive, well-equipped and, as our real-world tests show, wonderfully efficient around town.

Like the rest of the top 10, it's a hybrid, and on urban roads its electric motor is able to take care of most of the driving, leaving the peppy 1.5-litre petrol engine for the motorway or faster country roads.

The cherry on the cake here is that thanks to slow depreciation, you'll get a good portion of your money back when you come to sell your Jazz.

Read our full Honda Jazz review

WLTP MPG 49.6mpg | Real MPG Average 49.4mpg | Town 68.1mpg | Motorway 39.8mpg | Rural 57.0mpg

The sister car to the Suzuki Swace we saw earlier, this Corolla Touring Sports features a slightly larger 2.0-litre petrol engine and electric motor, with the latter able to take most of the strain if you stick to urban roads.

The Corolla isn't just a good green choice, though, it's a fantastic estate car all-round. There's even more legroom for rear passengers than you'd find in the gargantuan Skoda Octavia Estate, and while choosing the 2.0-litre engine over the smaller 1.8-litre option does reduce boot space slightly, there's still 581 litres on offer – enough for your holiday luggage or a big trip to the tip.

Read our full Toyota Corolla Touring Sports review

WLTP MPG 52.3mpg | Real MPG Average 47.4mpg | Town 63.7mpg | Motorway 39.7mpg | Rural 52.0mpg

The previous-generation Kona is a fine choice if you want a small SUV that's also frugal, and it impresses with a generous amount of standard kit and a decent infotainment system, although quite a few rivals are more impressive still. This hybrid version is powered by a 104bhp 1.6-litre petrol engine and electric motor.

It won't win any awards for outright acceleration – the 0-62mph sprint takes 11.2sec – but in the real world it's plenty quick enough.

Read our full used Hyundai Kona review