Economical cars
Rising inflation and unpredictable fuel prices means that economy tops any wish list when it comes to buying a new or used car.
What makes a car economical?
An economical car is one that is inexpensive to buy and affordable to maintain. But what makes a car economical to run?
Size matters! Smaller cars carry less weight and have more compact, efficient engines, making them more cost effective than larger vehicles. The most economical cars on the market also have low road tax, low insurance costs, and high fuel efficiency.
Economical cars tend to produce fewer CO2 and other pollutants and use less fuel, making them less damaging to the environment than larger models. As a result, they may be eligible for tax relief, exempt from congestion charges and qualify for other financial incentives.
Maintenance costs comprise a large chunk of any car’s running costs. These costs include routine repairs such as oil changes and tyre replacement, as well as repairs that may be needed over time. Choosing a car or manufacturer with a reputation for reliability, such as Toyota, Honda or Volkswagen, is one way of minimising maintenance costs.
Read more about car running costs and how to reduce them
Fuel efficiency
Fuel efficiency just means how well a car uses fuel. Cars with high fuel efficiency need less fuel to travel the same distance as those with low fuel efficiency. The most reliable indicator of a car’s fuel efficiency is miles per gallon (mpg), which we’ll come to in a moment. But there are several factors that influence the fuel efficiency of your car, including the kind of journeys you make, the way you drive, and even how often you use the air con.
You can improve the fuel efficiency of your car with some simple steps:
Drive sensibly, avoiding sudden braking or accelerating
Try and consolidate your journeys where possible
Don’t carry excess weight in the car
Be frugal with the heating and the aircon!
Miles per gallon (mpg)
MPG stands for miles per gallon and tells you how far a car can travel on a gallon (4.55 litres) of fuel. Today, the average ‘miles per gallon’ for UK cars is 38.8 mpg, with diesel cars averaging 43 mpg and petrol cars 36 mpg. In general:
Anything over 60 mpg is considered extremely efficient
Over 50 mpg is very good, and assuming that above average is seen as good....
....anything over 36 mpg (petrol) or 43 mpg (diesel) is reasonable