What is the most fuel efficient commuter?

What is the most fuel efficient commuter?

Author
Discussion

wested

Original Poster:

40 posts

214 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2015
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Hello, my commute may soon be increasing therefore I am attempting to work out what could be a suitable fuel efficient car for the commute of approx. 60 miles each way within a budget of under £2k.

So far, the Smart ForTwo and the VW Lupo come to mind with around 60+mpg.

Anymore suggestions?

R2T2

4,076 posts

121 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2015
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Is it mostly motorway work?
Any preference?
Any type of car a no no? (estate/saloon etc..)

andy-xr

13,204 posts

203 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2015
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406 HDi, replace in 18 months

20k pa commuting + personal miles on a sub £2k car is going to destroy it within a couple of years

Krikkit

26,500 posts

180 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2015
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Something like a 106 with the 1.5 diesel would probably be pretty ludicrously economical, but what a horrible drive it would be!

When you're stuck in it for 3 hours every day you want comfy seats, good ride quality and a good stereo imo.

Eddh

4,656 posts

191 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2015
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Bicycle.

wested

Original Poster:

40 posts

214 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2015
quotequote all
Mostly motorway miles with a smattering of A-roads.

Completely open to suggestions as to what type of car - but I'm guessing smaller would be better for mpg?

I guess even an lpg conversion could work but I really don't have any experience on what economy these cars are capable of?

R2T2

4,076 posts

121 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2015
quotequote all
LPG usually gets a little less mpg than traditional combustion engines, but the price is less than half, so it can make sense.

I would look at something like a Polo tdi or something like that.
Or if LPG is an option, pick something comfy.

CatfishCKY

904 posts

171 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2015
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If you're doing motorway miles, I'd say a Lupo is a definite no-no. I did a couple of months of 130 mile a day round trips in my 1.4 before I changed it - I was starting to go mad. Stereo didn't work, so I had to have my headphones in. No soundproofing. Short gears, and not enough puff to keep up with the rest of the traffic.

I sold it for a Seat Toledo 1.9 TDI which was a world apart from it - comfortable, reliable, cruise control, nippy enough to keep up with other traffic if need be and still 50 odd MPG even when being thrashed. Was a fairly entertaining steer on A and B roads for what it was too.
Unless you're really committed to getting the most MPG bang-per-buck, you WILL be committed to a mental institution after any amount of time commuting in a small engined car on motorways.

Stenn

2,185 posts

133 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2015
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wested said:
Hello, my commute may soon be increasing therefore I am attempting to work out what could be a suitable fuel efficient car for the commute of approx. 60 miles each way within a budget of under £2k.

So far, the Smart ForTwo and the VW Lupo come to mind with around 60+mpg.

Anymore suggestions?
As a previous ForTwo owner, I'd absolutely not recommend one to do 120 miles a day in.

I do 90 miles a day myself and although economy is important, you need a decent level of comfort and refinement to make the journey bearable.

RizzoTheRat

25,085 posts

191 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2015
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Don't forget to factor in depreciation. I did 100k miles in 3.5 years in a Citroen ZX and made about 9p/mile profit (mileage expenses) mainly because the car wasn't depreciating, try that in a more expensive car and you're losing several grand a year on top of fuel/maintenance costs. ETA: think you might already have that covered with the £2k start price though, in which case reliability comes well up the batting order too.

Hence I'd go for something a little bit bigger (more comfortable on the motorway than a Lupo or Smart) but already on a fairly high mileage. Focus (loads around so cheap), Fabia (economical especially with the 3 pot), Jazz (reliable), etc.

Edited by RizzoTheRat on Tuesday 3rd March 14:43

andy-xr

13,204 posts

203 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2015
quotequote all
Also, I went from a Mondeo to a CMAX once, both 2.0 TDCi. The Mondeo was an 03 5 speed, the CMAX a 55 6 speed, slightly different engine and also different aerodynamically. The Mondeo got 48-55 mpg constantly, the CMAX got 40-50 depending on how it was driven.

The 307 HDi I had was knackered and did around 45 mpg average, it had 147k on it by the time I got it, and I pretty much destroyed it.

I also had a 206 HDi, which was surprisingly comfy, felt bigger inside than it was, and the seats were really supportive (this was D Turbo spec). That did 55mpg all the time

MarshPhantom

9,658 posts

136 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2015
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Original Audi A1 with a diesel engine.

conkerman

3,298 posts

134 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2015
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Ibiza 1.9 TDi/

58MPG, unkillable.

Had some level of acceleration and was a reasonable place to be.

cologne2792

2,126 posts

125 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2015
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Father in law ran a 206 1.4 hdi on his 700 mile weekly commute for around 250,000 miles - mpg was 68 - 81 mpg - reliable too.

Dan_1981

17,351 posts

198 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2015
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I do 160 miles a day.

No chance would I be using anything small and uncomfortable.

I've got a Saab 1.9tdi estate. Heated leather, Bose, 54mpg.


longbow

1,610 posts

234 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2015
quotequote all
Krikkit said:
Something like a 106 with the 1.5 diesel would probably be pretty ludicrously economical, but what a horrible drive it would be!

When you're stuck in it for 3 hours every day you want comfy seats, good ride quality and a good stereo imo.
I commute daily in a Saxo 1.5 - it isn't that bad! 50 miles a day round trip with 3/4 of that on the M4. It is comfy enough, has a stereo and keeps me dry when it rains. It does 55mpg but runs on fresh SVO costing 70p a litre. That works out at an equivalent mpg of 95mpg in relation to pump diesel costing £1.20 per litre. Doubt anything will beat that IMHO.

What I've realised is that you really only need 50hp most of the time. I can sit happily in the fast lane at 90ish with all the other commuters if I feels so inclined. And driving the car to extract every single pony is actually quite fun, as oppose to just tickling thre throttle of a powerful car most of the time. That said, jumping back into the Evo on the weekend is always a joy!

moustache

292 posts

110 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2015
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Seem to be saying this a lot at the moment, but something with the 1.9 TDI VAG PD engine but in a golf etc. comfortable for a long run but easily getting 55-60mpg on a steady run (as its lighter). My Passat does nearly 55mpg and but its heavy so is more economical in a golf/Ibiza etc.

C.A.R.

3,967 posts

187 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2015
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306 HDi.

Pretty bomb-proof. Not including the rear torsion beam or any of the electrical sensors.

Otherwise...bomb-proof.

Swanny87

1,265 posts

118 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2015
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It's 2 hours after the OP was posted and no-one has mentioned a Volvo with the D5 engine in? What is going on PH?!?

RizzoTheRat

25,085 posts

191 months

Tuesday 3rd March 2015
quotequote all
C.A.R. said:
306 HDi.

Pretty bomb-proof. Not including the rear torsion beam or any of the electrical sensors.

Otherwise...bomb-proof.
Or the aircon. Seriously, never buy a 306 with aircon, it won't work. Never had any electrical problems with mine though.