It can be hard to get good fuel economy out of an SUV. They’re heavier and less aerodynamic than an equivalent hatchback or saloon, which makes their engines work harder. But manufacturers have engineered their way around the issue with cleaner-burning engines, clever hybrid systems and smoother shapes. The best SUVs are now really efficient and the most economical SUVs can easily return upwards of 50mpg.
Here, we’re looking at the top 10 most economical SUVs, according to their official WLTP average miles-per-gallon figures. We haven’t included plug-in hybrid or electric SUVs, because a different method is used to measure their efficiency. The list is dominated by self-charging hybrids, though there are two diesels. None of them are especially costly, either.
It’s worth noting that WLTP figures don’t necessarily reflect what you’ll achieve in the real world. You may not get anywhere near them, you might match them or even exceed them. It entirely depends on the circumstances at any given moment.
The most economical SUVs on sale in 2024
A sensible yet entertaining family SUV
We’re actually rather fond of the Yaris Cross at Parkers because it’s such a well-rounded package. It’s well-equipped, safe, immensely reliable and has ample room for four adults plus some luggage. It’s even good fun to drive. And it has an industry-best 10-year warranty.
Read our Toyota Yaris Cross review
Pros
- Ideally sized for its market
- Very efficient hybrid system
- Industry-leading 10-year warranty
Cons
- Cabin is quite drab
- Sluggish infotainment
Comfortable ride and striking looks
The powertrain consists of a 1.6-litre petrol engine and 1.32kWh battery pack, plus a dual-clutch gearbox – which is unusual in a self-charging hybrid. The system switches between engine and battery perfectly smoothly though, inevitably, the engine can be raucous if you clog the throttle. There’s a couple of miles of electric range for around-town driving.
Read our Kia Niro review
Pros
- Efficient hybrid powertrain
- Spacious, well-equipped cabin
- Long seven-year warranty
Cons
- Noisy engines
- Disappointing handling
Mini luxury SUV has substance behind the style
The LBX is powered by the same 1.5-litre petrol engine and electric motor as the Yaris Cross. The engine can get a bit rowdy if you floor the throttle but it’s otherwise smooth and quiet, and you never really notice the hybrid system cutting in and out. As in the Yaris Cross, the 116hp version is most efficient, though the 130hp variant isn’t far behind.
Read our full Lexus LBX review
Pros
- Looks and feels luxurious
- Very well equipped
- Big boot
Cons
- Cramped back seat
- Quite expensive
Stylish mild-hybrid Stellantis pair
We’ve driven the Hybrid 136 powertrain is several cars and it’s a mixed bag. It’s clearly very efficient – we expect both these cars to well exceed 50mpg in the real world – but it’s not the most refined of systems. It’s generally quiet but can become really loud and harsh if you accelerate hard. The dual-clutch gearbox can be caught out when a quick down-change is needed, too.
Read our full DS 3 review
Read our full Peugeot 2008 review
Pros
- DS 3 feels quite luxurious
- Peugeot 2008's practicality
- Long journey efficiency
Cons
- Powertrain can be unrefined
- Dim-witted gearbox
Love or hate it styling with a mixed bag powertrain
The Kona shares its self-charging hybrid powertrain with the Kia Niro discussed above. As in the Kia, it a very smooth and efficient system but short on outright power. You have to really hammer the throttle to make progress when overtaking or joining a motorway, at which point the engine screams like it’s guzzling ghost chilli oil and fuel economy plummets.
Read our Hyundai Kona review
Pros
- Petrol, hybrid and EV options
- Roomy and well equipped
- N Line model handles well
Cons
- Hybrid model lacks punch
- Fidgety ride quality
Renault SUV set all return identical MPG
While it’s very efficient, we have some reservations about the E-Tech Hybrid powertrain. It’s generally quiet and refined but some of our testers have reported undue harshness when accelerating. It can struggle with the weight of the bigger cars, as well. Still, drive gently and it’s pleasant enough under most circumstances.
Read our full Renault Captur review
Read our full Renault Arkana review
Read our full Renault Symbioz review
Read our full Renault Austral review
Read our full Renault Rafale review
Pros
- Many options in Renault SUV range
- All are good value
- Most are very competent
Cons
- Arkana worth missing
- Powertrain can be thrashy
Stylish coupe SUV looks sportier than it is
At least it’s as efficient as you expect a hybrid to be. The 140hp, 1.8-litre version provides perfectly acceptable performance and there’s enough juice in the battery for a few miles of EV range. The 198hp, 2.0-litre C-HR feels a lot punchier and doesn’t pay much of an efficiency penalty.
Read our full Toyota C-HR review
Pros
- Looks great
- Brilliant 10-year warranty
- User-friendly interior
Cons
- Not fun to drive
- Not particularly practical
BMW’s baby SUV is still a cracking steer
As we’re not considering plug-in hybrids here, the most efficient X1 you can get is the 23d diesel. Its engine produces a healthy 211hp and pretty punchy performance. We’ve found it’s possible to get well over 50mpg on motorways, and it’s not much less economical elsewhere. The less powerful 18d returns slightly lower mpg, because it has to work a bit harder against the car’s weight.
Read our BMW X1 review
Pros
- Very practical
- Engaging to drive
- Both diesels can exceed 50mpg
Cons
- Ride is quite firm
- Irritating heater controls
Efficiency and style only go so far
Efficiency isn’t one of its problems, though. The petrol hybrid can get pretty close to the official WLTP fuel economy numbers in the real world, and it’s nice to drive around town on silent electric power. But it feels oddly gutless for a hybrid and can sound very loud and thrashy when accelerating hard.
Read our full Nissan Juke review
Pros
- Stand-out styling
- User-friendly infotainment
- Feels robust
Cons
- Tiny back seats
- And tiny boot
A compact SUV with diesel efficiency
But let’s focus on the positives. The 115hp diesel engine is capable of returning over 50mpg on a motorway run and remains very economical in town. It can run out of puff on long uphill drags, though. The 150hp diesel is the better all-rounder and very nearly as efficient, just not quite enough to make this list.
Read our Volkswagen T-Roc review
Pros
- Funky styling
- Low running costs
- Customisation options
Cons
- Disappointing interior
- Firm ride on large wheels
What range of MPG should be considered economical?
Any non-plug-in hybrid SUV than can achieve more than 50mpg can be considered very fuel efficient. But most family SUVs can achieve at least 40mpg if you drive them with a modicum of care. That’s a massive improvement from the 20-odd mpg such cars typically achieved in the 1990s.
What diesel SUV has the best MPG?
Going by the WLTP figures, the BMW X1 23d is the most efficient diesel SUV currently available to buy new in the UK, it achieving 60.1mpg. Next is the VW T-Roc 2.0 TDI 115ps on 58.9mpg. Remarkably, the top three is rounded out by the big Mazda CX-60 whose thumping-great 3.3-litre, 200hp engine reaches 55.4mpg. Even more remarkably, we’ve managed to extract almost 60mpg from it on a gentle economy run.
What is the most economical petrol SUV in the UK?
If we take SUVs with any form of electrification – including mild-hybrid systems – out of the equation, the most economical petrol SUV on sale in the UK right now is the tiny Suzuki Ignis 1.2 Dualjet, which achieves 56.9mpg on the WLTP cycle. The bigger DS 3 1.2 PureTech 100ps is second on 54.3mpg, and the SEAT Arona 1.0 TSI 115ps comes third on 52.3mpg.
What is the most economical family SUV?
There are several roughly mid-size family SUVs among the top 10 most economical SUVs on sale in the UK. The most efficient of them is the Kia Niro 1.6 GDi Hybrid, which can average 64.2mpg according to the official WLTP figures. The Renault Austral 1.6 E-Tech Hybrid 145 is second on 60.1mpg, a number the BMW X1 23d matches. If you need a bigger family SUV, the Mazda CX-60 3.3d 200ps is rated at 55.4mpg.
What’s the most economical luxury SUV?
The economical SUV made by a luxury brand is the Lexus LBX, which records average fuel economy of 62.7mpg in the official WLTP test. However, that might be a too small of a car to be considered truly luxurious. In which case, you might want to check out the 60.1mpg BMW X1 23d or the 56.4mpg Lexus UX 300h.
But that’s just looking at cars that could get on the top 10 list presented here. The most economical luxury SUVs are actually plug-in hybrids. You won’t get near the multi-hundreds mpg shown in the WLTP figures, but the likes of the Range Rover Sport and BMW X5 plug-ins are capable of 40mpg-plus in the real world.
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