[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/blog\/best-worst-cars-achieving-official-mpg\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/blog\/best-worst-cars-achieving-official-mpg\/","headline":"Best and worst cars for achieving official mpg","name":"Best and worst cars for achieving official mpg","description":"Do you ever feel frustrated that your car never returns its advertised fuel consumption figure? You\u2019re not the only one; this deflating mpg shortfall has been going on for yonks and motorists are quite rightly sick of it. It reached a point a few years ago that motoring website Honest John invited visitors to submit the fuel economy they were getting in the real world, and since then, some 118,000 people have done just that. The exercise found that on […]","datePublished":"2017-04-18","dateModified":"2017-04-18","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/author\/matthew-collett\/#Person","name":"Matthew Collett","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/author\/matthew-collett\/","identifier":5,"description":"Max Wheeler is a leading motoring journalist and classic car specialist at Smart Motoring, renowned for his sharp insight and infectious passion for all things automotive. With years of experience covering motoring news, supercars, and the enduring legacy of classic cars, Max brings stories to life with style and authority. Whether it\u2019s the roar of a Lamborghini, the elegance of an Aston Martin DB5, or the cultural impact of vintage motoring icons, he delivers expert commentary that inspires enthusiasts and collectors alike. Dedicated to celebrating the heritage and future of driving, Max Wheeler is your trusted voice for classic car news and beyond.","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/64eca1152247aa111ace79ff1c03782b175df9dc21d2092364ff21e1cf5e38fa?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/64eca1152247aa111ace79ff1c03782b175df9dc21d2092364ff21e1cf5e38fa?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Smart Motoring","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/smart-motoring_news_logo_g-e1765846726493.webp","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/smart-motoring_news_logo_g-e1765846726493.webp","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Exhaust-feature.jpg","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Exhaust-feature.jpg","height":520,"width":1200},"url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/blog\/best-worst-cars-achieving-official-mpg\/","about":["BLOG"],"wordCount":590,"keywords":["Audi A4","BMW X5","economy","fiat 500x","ford fiesta","fuel economy","Hyundai Tucson","Land Rover Discovery Sport","Mazda MX-5","MINI Hatch","mpg","Peugeot 308 SW","Range Rover Evoque","SEAT Mii","Subaru Forester","Suzuki Swift","Suzuki SX4 S-Cross","toyota gt86","Toyota Verso","volvo xc90","VW Jetta","VW Scirocco R"],"articleBody":"Do you ever feel frustrated that your car never returns its advertised fuel consumption figure?You\u2019re not the only one; this deflating mpg shortfall has been going on for yonks and motorists are quite rightly sick of it.It reached a point a few years ago that motoring website Honest John invited visitors to submit the fuel economy they were getting in the real world, and since then, some 118,000 people have done just that.The exercise found that on average, a car uses almost a quarter more fuel than it should, while the gap between the laboratory figures and those obtained under real-world driving conditions is at its widest point ever, with just one in ten hitting their official mpg.One of the reasons behind new cars performing increasingly worse is because, since 2015, car manufacturers have been fined if the corporate average CO2 emissions of their cars exceeds 130g\/km according to mpg and CO2 lab tests. So to avoid the fines, vehicles are increasingly optimised for the laboratory test at the expense of reality, but when was the last time you cellotaped over your door cracks?Consequently, UK motorists are using almost 3,000 million extra litres of petrol and 2,609 million of diesel every year, producing 13.8 million tonnes of CO2 that should never have entered the atmosphere.But it\u2019s name-and-shame time: which cars are the absolute worst at hitting their official fuel consumption figure, and in contrast, which cars are most likely to meet their mpg in the real world?WorstWhen it came to delivering the advertised mpg, BMW\u2019s X5 was found to be shortchanging motorists more than any other car, returning barely two-thirds of its official figure (66.9 per cent).The Land Rover Discovery Sport in second place was only 0.6 of a percentage point behind (67.5 per cent), followed by the Audi A4 with 68.3 per cent.Meanwhile, the Volvo XC90 and Fiat 500X were in fourth and fifth with 68.5 and 69.6 per cent respectively.Completing the bottom ten was the Mini Hatch (70 per cent), Peugeot 308 SW (70.2 per cent), Range Rover Evoque (70.4 per cent – pictured), Ford Fiesta (71 per cent) and the Hyundai Tucson (71.3 per cent).If you weren\u2019t keeping tally, six of the bottom ten were SUVs of some sort.BestSo if you wanted to get the most miles for your moolah, which car should you go for? The magnificent Mazda MX-5, apparently. The radical roadster – which also won World Car of the Year in 2016 – was the only car to exceed its official mpg figure from Honest John\u2019s data (101.5 per cent).Next best was the Toyota Verso (99.5 per cent), followed by another Toyota – the GT86 with 98.4 per cent. Despite Toyota\u2019s emphasis on hybrid vehicles, note that neither are offered with a hybrid powertrain.Fourth and fifth were the Subaru Forester (97.1 per cent) and Peugeot Partner Tepee (92.9 per cent), while sixth was the Suzuki SX4 S-Cross (92 per cent) – the only model in the top ten that could be described as an SUV (pictured below).Completing the top ten was the Seat Mii (90.6 per cent), Volkswagen Jetta (90.4 per cent), Suzuki Swift (90.1 per cent) and Volkswagen Scirocco (88.6 per cent).Issuing its findings, Honest John said its data revealed how for many motorists, advertised fuel economy figures were simply too good to be true.What about you though? How does your car fare in the real world? Do you often find your ride falls depressingly short of its official mpg or are you one of the lucky few that actually exceeds the figure? Tell us down there in the comments\u2026"},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/blog\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Best and worst cars for achieving official mpg","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/blog\/best-worst-cars-achieving-official-mpg\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]