Thirst quenchers: Australia’s most fuel-efficient cars

Electric vehicle sales might be on the rise in Australia, from a very low base, but the fact is that for most Australians they remain out of reach – either by choice or price. But that doesn’t mean you can’t drive a fuel-efficient car that will help you save money. While there are fuel-sipping cars in various shapes and sizes, when it comes to the most efficient, there is a common theme – compactness.

Using the Green Vehicle Guide

to make vehicle comparisons, the most fuel-efficient car on sale today is the Toyota Yaris Hybrid, which uses just 3.3L of fuel per 100km. That’s a very impressive return, but there’s still a big price difference between a hybrid small car and one that only uses an internal-combustion engine. The cheapest Yaris Hybrid starts at $29,840 (plus on-road costs), whereas the Suzuki Swift is priced from just $20,490 and uses 4.6L/100km. You can buy an awful lot of petrol for that $9350 price difference. Despite not being a hybrid, the Swift’s 4.6L/100km is a very thrifty figure, and not much thirstier than some hybrid models, so it will help you maximise every dollar of fuel you put in the tank.

There are other options, too, including the Suzuki Ignis, which uses only a fraction more petrol than its stablemate, rated at just 4.7L/100km. If you don’t want a Suzuki, the Kia Picanto GT is another good choice, with the pint-sized city car using a scant 4.8L/100km. But what if you don’t want a compact car? Well, there are other options across different segments of the market.

The Audi A3 is a small car but still larger and more luxurious than what Suzuki and Kia offer, with the A3 35 TFSI sipping 4.9L/100km. Or, if you want something even larger, the Audi Q5 35 TDI is a mid-size SUV that uses 4.8L/100km of diesel fuel – proving that size and efficiency aren’t mutually exclusive.

Another surprise contender for fuel efficiency is the Volkswagen Caddy, specifically the TDI320 model. Its four-cylinder turbo diesel engine is designed to extract maximum range, which means this delivery van uses as little as 4.9L/100km.

And these are only the beginning; the best of the best. There are many more cars available with engines capable of returning sub-6.0L/100km fuel economy figures, which is still a very efficient car by any standards. So if you can’t afford to buy an electric car or simply don’t want to, there is a car out there that will fit your needs and make sure to provide value every time you fill up.

Australia’s most fuel-efficient cars

1. Toyota Yaris Hybrid - 3.3L/100km
2. Toyota Yaris Cross Hybrid - 3.8L/100km
3. Toyota Corolla Hybrid - 4.0L/100km
4. Kia Niro Hybrid - 4.0L/100km
5. Suzuki Swift - 4.6L/100km
6. Suzuki Ignis - 4.7L/100km
7. Kia Picanto GT - 4.8L/100km
8. Audi Q5 35 TDI - 4.8L/100km
9. Audi A3 35 TFSI - 4.9L/100km
10. Volkswagen Caddy TDI320 - 4.9L/100km

^Disclaimer

^{Viva Energy Australia Pty Ltd (“Viva Energy”) has compiled the above article for your general information and to use as a general reference. Whilst all reasonable care has been taken by Viva Energy in compiling this article, Viva Energy does not warrant or represent that the information in the article is free from errors or omissions or is suitable for your intended use.}