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As we get towards the end of 2021, we’ve seen a number of changes in the used car market. From huge increases in price due to supply chain issues, to the petrol shortage making drivers consider a switch to EVs, there are many reasons why you might be looking into the greenest and most eco-friendly cars available.
In this piece, we look at some of the top cars for fuel efficiency and environmentally-friendly design, as well as standard vehicles that offer the best mileage for your pound.
When we talk about efficiency, we look at a calculation that shows MPG (miles per gallon). For example, WhatCar.com states that the Vauxhall Astra 1.6 CDTi 110 Ecoflex as the most efficient car they’ve ever tested, with 46.4mpg driving in urban conditions and a massive 73mpg in more rural areas.
The issue when looking at MPG as a condition of purchase is that sometimes the results can be deceptive or somewhat ambiguous. With a new and more rigid set of regulations now in place, some sales brochures may show an MPG score that just isn’t reflective of real-world driving. Using realistic routes in laboratory settings gives a better view of MPG and will hopefully help inform customers when they look to buy a car.
If you’re looking for some other options when it comes to fuel efficiency, a few that make the top ten lists include:
All of the above cars are five-seaters, making them perfect choices for families looking to get more miles for their money.
If you are looking to keep costs down low, a popular choice is the Dacia Logan MCV which was the cheapest family car on offer when new, coming in at around £10,700. Now that it’s not available to buy new, second hand Logans are likely to be good value. The MPG is also not bad either, in the low 50s and low 60s for the diesel version.
Dacias in general are among the best value for money on the market, with the Duster coming in as the second cheapest family car available, again with the diesel reaching a huge 58mpg.
With the environment a hot topic on everyone’s mind at the moment, reducing your carbon footprint by driving an eco-friendly car can be simpler than you think. If you’re not quite ready to go fully electric, you can choose a petrol car with low CO2 emissions.
The Kia Picanto 1.0 66 is one of the best used cars you can get when it comes to MPG and emissions. It has 58.9mpg, a CO2 emission level of 110kg/km, CO level of 291mg/km and a NOx level of 13mg/km.
If that all sounds like a bunch of numbers, it becomes clearer when you compare this with some of the highest emission vehicles available, like most Aston Martin cars, which come at an average of 314g/km of CO2. Similarly, Land Rover and Subaru are among the worst offenders, with the former having a score of 223g/km and the latter 214g/kn.
Starting off with a hybrid is a good stop gap between petrol and electric, as they can run on electricity for between 20-40 miles before the engine needs to kick in.
It goes without saying that the ‘greenest’ cars are EVs (electric vehicles). The top 5 in terms of their environmental-friendliness are:
When it comes to choosing an environmentally-friendly car, you need to make the right choice for your budget and lifestyle. For example, if you are a heavy commuter or drive long distances regularly, electric vehicles might not suit your needs, but you could opt for a hybrid.
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