Fuel economy champions: 7 Hatchbacks with the best MPG

Seven of the most fuel-efficient hatchbacks available to lease

Sometimes, you just need to go back to basics.

Small car, good economy, easy to drive. 

If you’re after a vehicle that gets you and your family from A-B without costing an arm and a leg, a hatchback with a decent MPG will answer all your dreams.

And to make the car leasing process even easier for you, we’ve rounded up seven of the best hatchbacks with the best MPG, so all you need to do is decide which hatchback will suit your lifestyle. 

It couldn’t be simpler. 

1. Peugeot 208 – up to 72mpg

If there’s one thing that France does well – if you don’t count cheese, wine or delightful breakfast pastries – it's small cars. 

And the Peugeot 208 is a very nice small car. 

The exterior is smart and a lot less fussy than some rivals, while the interior is glamorous with a high-quality finish. The smaller-than-normal steering wheel might take a bit of getting used to, but once you’ve driven the car a couple times, it’ll feel totally normal.

When it comes to the engine, Peugeot give you a choice of three: either the cheapest petrol PureTech 75, the pick-of-the-range PureTech 100 (also a petrol), or the extremely economical 1.5 BlueHDi 100 diesel engine. 

If you’re covering some serious mileage each year, the diesel, with its claimed fuel economy of up to 72mpg, is the one for you. 

2. Citroen C3 -  up to 70.6mpg

If you’re looking for a car that won’t get lost in the crowd, the Citroen C3 is the one for you.

With it’s extroverted exterior styling, multitude of paint options and trademark Citroen air bumps, the C3 turns heads wherever it goes. And with a claimed fuel economy of up to 70.6mpg, the C3 can go far.

The cream of the Citroen C3 engine crop is the 1.2L PureTech 110 petrol. It’s efficient and peppy without being too expensive. But if you really rack up the miles over the year and need something even more economical, opt for the 1.5L BlueHDi 100 diesel engine and enjoy those long motorway trips in comfort and style. 

There’s a lot to be said for the interior of the C3 too. 

With a good amount of space in the front for two adults and room in the back for three children, it makes for an excellent family car. The infotainment screen is good, if not class-leading, but it comes with all the mod-cons you could need, including DAB radio, Bluetooth and smartphone integration. 

3. Skoda Octavia - up to 68.3mpg

The Skoda Octavia is the model for the Scandi brand. It’s been their biggest-selling car pretty much since it launched, offering practicality and style in a great value for money package. 

The latest Octavia is crammed full of the latest tech to make it a real contender in the hatchback class, even against more premium rivals, and all models come equipped with a 10in infotainment screen, Bluetooth, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone mirroring and a DAB radio. 

If you’re looking for the most bang for your buck, opt for the mid-range Technology trim. It includes all the tech from the specs below, but includes built-in satnav, front parking sensors and infotainment upgrades for not a huge amount more. 

In terms of fuel economy, the Octavia has a choice between four different petrol and diesel engines. If you’re often travelling with a full car, the 2.0 TDI 150PS diesel with its excellent fuel economy of up to 64.2mpg is the engine for you. 

But the 1.5litre petrol is just as quick and a lot more affordable if your mileage is lower, and it’s claimed fuel economy of 51.8mpg is competitive.

4. Toyota Corolla – up to 64.1mpg

If you need something more economical than a petrol but don’t want to pay out for a diesel, the Toyota Corolla could be the answer to all your dreams.

Toyota describe the car as a ‘self-charging hybrid’ – essentially, you don’t need to worry about faffing around with charging cables and range. The Corolla’s electric motors will recharge on the go, offering an extra boost to the petrol engine that keeps fuel consumption down.

But the Corolla isn’t just a winner for fuel economy.

It’s a very spacious hatchback, with plenty of space in the front and the back for anyone measuring around six foot (though you’ll start to struggle if all your friends are rugby players), and it makes a lot of sense if you’re looking for your next business car lease.

With low CO2 emissions meaning lowered Benefit in Kind tax, you’ll be saving money without having to commit to the full electric experience. 

5. Volkswagen Golf – up to 62.8mpg

The Volkswagen Golf is a staple of the hatchback world, and it makes for one of the best lease cars. 

In fact, if you’ve ever owned a hatchback before, chances are it was a VW Golf. 

The interior of the Golf is spacious, with soft-touch finishes that lend it a premium edge. There’s plenty of tech included too, with every model coming equipped with a 10in infotainment system with satnav, Bluetooth and smartphone mirroring. 

There are several engines up for grabs, both petrol and diesel, with each variation offering something slightly different for your money. The petrol engines offer competitive CO2 emissions and real-world fuel economy, while the diesel engines are for you if you’re after something super economical, if a little pricier up front.

With a combined MPG of up to 62.8 on offer, the VW Golf will slot right into family life and leave you with more of your hard-earned cash in your pocket.

6. Honda Jazz – up to 61.4mpg

The Honda Jazz has always been somewhat of an underdog in the hatchback category, outshone by some of its larger rivals.

But despite this, the Jazz makes for a very good little car. The interior is practical, and it always scores top marks for reliability – which could be the deciding factor for a lot of people. There’s something to be said for heading off on a long journey, knowing your car is dependable and unlikely to leave you stranded on the M5.

And with its boxier, MPV-like shape, the Jazz makes for one of the most spacious hatchbacks out there. 

There’s only one engine available with this latest-gen model – a 1.5L petrol-electric hybrid – but it’s extremely efficient. It’s only a regular hybrid, so you can’t go very far on the battery alone and it doesn’t need plugging in, but this extra boost of electric energy improves efficiency and garners the Jazz a respectable 61.4mpg.

It makes a fantastic choice for your next hybrid car lease. 

7. Dacia Sandero – up to 53.3mpg

The most amount of car for the least amount of money available, the Dacia Sandero is a competitive choice for cheap car leasing.

It might be last on the list for hatchbacks with the best fuel economy, but that doesn’t make it bad – WLTP testing puts the Sandero at 53.3mpg, which is still extremely competitive and will bag you a good number of miles in between petrol station stops.

And if you hate making choices, the Dacia Sandero makes it very simple. There are two engines on offer, and two trim levels. Unless you want a brand-new car with an old-school style (there’s only a DAB radio on offer in the entry-level trim, not an infotainment screen in sight), then you’ll want to go for the Expression trim with its 8in screen and smartphone mirroring.

Then the only decision you need to make is the TCe90 engine or the TCe 100 Bi-Fuel with a little more power. They’re both petrol, but very efficient all the same.

In a fast-moving world with a multitude of choices at our fingertips, sometimes it’s quite nice to take a step back and let someone else do the decision-making. And with the Dacia Sandero making for such an affordable car lease, it ticks all the boxes.