SUVs with the best MPG

With a taller stance and bigger bodywork than a hatchback, SUVs are almost always a bit less efficient. But, if you need the high ride height and space that an SUV offers, you don’t need to blow the budget on fuel. With modern tech and innovation, some SUVs are surprisingly economical.

We’ve compiled this list using carmakers’ quoted figures. It’s worth noting that these were achieved in test conditions, which might not match your driving habits – such as where and how you drive. That’s especially true of plug-in hybrids, which have astounding fuel economy figures that are only achievable if you mostly drive on battery power.

Best MPG SUVs

Small SUVs with the best MPG

Petrol: DS 3

Fuel economy: 62.1mpg

The DS 3 is a stylish small SUV that feels quite premium for the price. It uses the same underpinnings as the Peugeot 2008, Vauxhall Mokka, Jeep Avenger and Alfa Romeo Junior, and all of those cars – and many more – come with a 136hp 1.2-litre petrol engine. We'll see it a few times on this list.

This engine is badged as a hybrid, although in our opinion that oversells the input of the electric motor because you can't drive on electric power alone. However, the mild-hybrid tech clearly helps the fuel economy – an estimate of 62mpg for the DS 3 and Peugeot 2008 are incredibly impressive.

Shop used DS 3 cars for sale

Diesel: BMW X1

Fuel economy: 57.6mpg

The latest X1 is one of BMW’s strongest models. It’s not massive, so it’s easy enough to park and drive, but it’s very spacious. Under the bonnet, there’s a full complement of petrol, diesel, plug-in hybrid and electric powertrains – and the continued inclusion of diesel is a little bit of a surprise, when the 1 Series and 3 Series have dropped diesel engines. That means the X1 is the BMW to go for if you need long-range fuel economy.

Shop used BMW X1 cars for sale or read our BMW X1 review

Hybrid: Toyota Yaris Cross

Fuel economy: 64.1mpg

Whereas the DS and BMW above will be most efficient on a long journey at a set speed, the Toyota Yaris Cross is at its most efficient around town and in stop-start traffic. In these situations, the small electric motor provides the propulsion, with the petrol engine kicking in once you get onto faster roads. There's also the posher Lexus LBX, which is based on the Yaris Cross and is very nearly as efficient. Both the Lexus and Toyota come with a warranty package that lasts up to 10 years or 100,000 miles, if you keep the car serviced at a main dealer.

Shop used Toyota Yaris Cross cars for sale or read our Toyota Yaris Cross review

Plug-in hybrid: BMW X1

Fuel economy: 403.5mpg

We mentioned that the X1 has a full selection of fuel types, and almost all of them are really economical. That's true of the xDrive25e plug-in hybrid engine, too, which is said to achieve over 400mpg. The more important figure is a 55-mile electric range, and you'll slash your fuel costs if you treat the X1 PHEV as an electric car and try not to use the petrol engine. Of course, this won't suit every driver – a diesel X1 will be more efficient if you're up and down the motorway on a regular basis.

If you want to go fully electric, read our BMW iX1 review

Electric: Ford Puma Gen-E

Efficiency: 4.7 miles per kWh

According to the official figures, the Ford Puma Gen-E is an incredibly efficient electric SUV. Even though the 43kWh (usable) battery is on the small side, it offers a competitive 233 miles of range, or even more if you only drive around town. A 10-80% charge takes 24 minutes, and the e-Puma is barely any heavier than the petrol one so it's still great to drive. Ford's even put a fake engine note in so it sounds like a petrol car. Practicality gets a boost over the petrol Puma, with a much bigger boot and a useful cable storage area under the bonnet.

Shop used Ford Puma Gen-E cars for sale or read our Ford Puma Gen-E review

Midsize SUVs with the best MPG

Petrol: Peugeot 3008

Fuel economy: 52.8mpg

Good value, interesting to look at and very practical, the Peugeot 3008 is a family SUV that doesn’t elbow its way to the top of your shopping list – it asks very politely instead. The 1.2-litre petrol engine might sound weedy but it’s more than potent enough for town and motorway use. And, if you back off the throttle and make the most of the 3008’s relaxing feel, you’ll be rewarded with around 50mpg. Many diesel SUVs can’t match that.

Shop used Peugeot 3008 cars for sale or read our Peugeot 3008 review

Diesel: Mercedes GLC Coupe

Fuel economy: 54.3mpg

There's a slight efficiency benefit to choosing the swoopier Mercedes GLC Coupe over the more straight-laced GLC SUV – although you'll want the standard GLC if you regularly load to the roof or if you've got a big dog. Either way, the GLC is a fantastic choice for long-distance driving – it's economical for its size and really cosseting. If you've got to wade through a city at the end of your long drive, consider the GLC 300 de: the only diesel plug-in hybrid engine on sale.

Shop used Mercedes GLC and GLC Coupe cars for sale

Hybrid: Nissan Qashqai

Fuel economy: 62.8mpg

In late 2025, Nissan updated the Qashqai's e-Power hybrid engine, and cars with this refreshed engine achieve up to 62mpg – up from 53mpg on older versions. Impressively, the engine updates didn't come with any cost to the customer – prices remained exactly the same across the range. In the e-Power system, the electric motor drives the wheels, so the Qashqai has the smoothness of an electric car without the need to plug in.

Shop used Nissan Qashqai cars for sale or read our Nissan Qashqai review

Plug-in hybrid: Volkswagen Tiguan eHybrid

Fuel economy: 751.4mpg

That’s not a misprint – the Volkswagen Tiguan eHybrid really will do more than 700mpg. Well, if you drive in a very specific way and almost never use the petrol engine. That could well be achievable for many drivers, given the Tiguan’s circa-80-mile electric range. The eHybrid engine comes with either 204 or 272hp, and both are pretty nippy as well as economical.

Shop used Volkswagen Tiguan cars for sale or read our Volkswagen Tiguan review

Electric: Nissan Leaf

Efficiency: 4.5 miles per kWh

The new Nissan Leaf has morphed into a coupe SUV but it's still dead-set on being cheap to run and easy to drive. Built in Britain, the new Leaf manages up to 375 miles between charges if you buy the big-battery one, helped by the fact that it slips through the air like a Jamaican bobsleigh team. It's one of the few cars to qualify for the Government's £3,750 electric car grant, too.

Read more about the new Nissan Leaf and its sports car-inspired rear end

Large SUVs with the best MPG

Petrol: Skoda Kodiaq

Fuel economy: 46.9mpg

Large SUVs were traditionally better served by brawny diesel engines, but modern petrol engines are more than up to the job as well. And diesels need long journeys – a petrol or hybrid engine will be better if you have a low-to-medium annual mileage. The Kodiaq's 1.5-litre petrol engine is plenty powerful enough to get this big family bus up to motorway speeds, and it'll be economical if you keep the revs down.

Shop used Skoda Kodiaq cars for sale or read our Skoda Kodiaq review

Diesel: Mazda CX-60

Fuel economy: 55.4mpg

The Mazda CX-60 is another example of Mazda going its own way and not following convention. While rivals are fitting smaller engines or dropping diesel completely, the CX-60 still offers a 3.3-litre six-cylinder diesel engine capable of over 55mpg. Many large SUVs can’t get within 10mpg of that. Mazda’s newest diesel engine is smooth and unstressed, which helps its great fuel economy.

Need seven seats? There's the Mazda CX-80, which is almost as efficient.

Shop used Mazda CX-60 cars for sale at Motorpoint or read our Mazda CX-60 review

Hybrid: Lexus RX

Fuel economy: 44.8mpg

Based on the NX, the Lexus RX is the brand's biggest and poshest SUV you can get in the UK. A less-chosen alternative to the likes of the BMW X5 and Audi Q7, the RX is smooth and sophisticated, and it's economical too. Mid-40s fuel economy is great for a car this size, and you could see even more than that on the school run or on the way to football practice. The RX L is a seven-seat version.

Shop used Lexus SUVs for sale at Motorpoint

Plug-in hybrid: Skoda Kodiaq iV

Fuel economy: 839.2mpg

We have to wonder if Skoda's got its maths right. Because the Kodiaq iV uses the same parts as the Volkswagen Tiguan, but it's heavier and somehow gets a higher mpg figure.

Anywho, the Kodiaq is capable of a fantastic 75 miles on squeaky clean electric power. That's a lot of flexibility for zero-emission parent taxi runs. It's no good if you're after a seven-seater, because the PHEV only seats five, but the upshot is a vast 745-litre boot that laughs in the face of luggage. For largely the same set of qualities with a more premium badge, check out the Volkswagen Tayron.

Electric: DS No.8

Efficiency: 4.8 miles per kWh

You'll probably never see a DS No.8 on UK roads. Time and time again, DS has tried to tempt British buyers away from premium German rivals with little success. The No.8 ought to succeed, because it's an arresting coupe-SUV with a fancy interior, one of the longest ranges of any electric car and plenty of interior space. Pick the larger battery and you could manage over 460 miles before needing to plug in again. And, if the DS No.8's good enough for the French president, surely it's good enough for us.

Shop used DS cars for sale at Motorpoint

Which SUV has the best MPG?

On paper, the Skoda Kodiaq's 839mpg is the best you’ll find. But that requires a very specific driving style to achieve – you basically need to drive on electric power for nearly all the time. Don’t want to plug in? Get yourself a diesel Citroen C3 Aircross, which promises up to 64mpg. You won’t get anywhere super quickly, but you won’t use much fuel doing so.