Is there a fun, petrol car that will do a genuine 40mpg?

[Pit Pony]

TameRacingDriver said:

Pit Pony said:

Mk1 Mx5 can achieve 40 mpg.

Really?! Not my experience!

Can, if driven carefully. Our 90 bhp monza, has achieved 40 mpg on a long boring motorway cruise, where I stuck to the speed limit. Cross country, extracting all 90 bhp in every gear, it clearly won't get 40 Mpg.

[Rickyy]

Pit Pony said:

TameRacingDriver said:

Pit Pony said:

Mk1 Mx5 can achieve 40 mpg.

Really?! Not my experience!

Can, if driven carefully. Our 90 bhp monza, has achieved 40 mpg on a long boring motorway cruise, where I stuck to the speed limit. Cross country, extracting all 90 bhp in every gear, it clearly won't get 40 Mpg.

34MPG is the highest I've achieved from my 1.8 MK1. That was driving like a saint, so not exactly fun.

[tjs79]

I bought a 400 quid 318ti, I've thrown out the spare and rear seats and it's doing pretty near that. It's fun and very cheap. Spend the rest on upgrades!

[Fantuzzi]

Tickle said:

Fantuzzi said:

Another vote for S3 Elise, (30k budget is rather generous!). From owners and those who have driven them from s1s,s2s etc, they are meant to be a lot more inhabitable than one might think.

If four seats are needed however GT86 would be a great choice, or one that hasn''t been mentioned the Last Gen Clio RS200. Meant to be ace to drive, look rather sweet, and I would assume from the stats they would fit the 40 on a run criteria, but would be worth asking owners to see if they can reach it rather than just mid 30s.

I climbed in the back of a modern ST recently, I sit rather close to the wheel given my leg length, but the room in the back was still rather minimal with the drivers seat in my position. So unless you really need the spare seats for kis, I''d go for the elise or coupe over the little hatches as you may find that the extra ''practicality'' is a little misleading! . Boot sizes might be worth a check though.

I can confirm that the last gen Clio 200 are fun, a lot of fun. They are however thirsty! The most I got was 36 mpg on the motorway driving at a constant 60. I averaged about 27 mpg in mine.

Shame, I had my eye on one for the future daily!

[Captain Muppet]

Rickyy said:

Pit Pony said:

TameRacingDriver said:

Pit Pony said:

Mk1 Mx5 can achieve 40 mpg.

Really?! Not my experience!

Can, if driven carefully. Our 90 bhp monza, has achieved 40 mpg on a long boring motorway cruise, where I stuck to the speed limit. Cross country, extracting all 90 bhp in every gear, it clearly won't get 40 Mpg.

34MPG is the highest I've achieved from my 1.8 MK1. That was driving like a saint, so not exactly fun.

I never got more than 25mpg out of my mk1 MX5, but it didn't get worse when i put a turbo on it, which was nice.

I'd rather spend less on the car and more on fuel, but then I bought a 600 quid RX7, so I'm not sure my judgement can be trusted.

[emicen]

kambites said:

Do any of you guys with Cooper Ss actually average 40mpg or is it more a question of "it should be possible but no-one would ever actually do it"? It's very impressive if it can average 40 without trying.

Glasgow to Oulton Park and back plus a shopping run down there. 45mpg manual calc.

75 cruise control most of the time but did give it some beans now and then having a play with certain things and more like 80 once past Preston just to keep up with traffic. 63 plate fJCW

[ZX10R NIN]

I know it's not a petrol but it goes better than most petrols & will leave them behind so my vote goes to the Alpina D3 174mph 350bhp 516ft/lb torque over 40mpg fast handles & rides really well it's properly fast & has a decent engine note without the need for speakers!!

Edited by ZX10R NIN on Friday 10th April 00:48

[jacklewisno1]

I've got an abarth 500. I average 43.2 mpg, which coincedently is the quoted mpg figure. Its remapped which may have had an effect. It likes to go on three wheels.

[mph999]

Matttracker said:

I was looking at Cooper S' but all the review and forums suggest around a maximum of 27 mpg. Is this a new one? I was looking at pre 09

Timing chain issues sorted on Oct 2010 builds onwards.

I've got an S, 2nd gen, 40 impossible depending on the type of driving and roads.
First gen, forget it ...

[Maracus]

I've got an Oct 10 on 184bhp MCS auto. 40+ is easy on a 70mph motorway run. I see 44/45 on my 100 mile each way commute.

At 80 ish it'll be 38/39.

These are OBC readings, but still pretty impressive.

[jonm01]

I got 43mpg on a drive to Wales in my JCW 2008 when I had it. Wasn't even trying to be economical.

[bonesX]

stupidbutkeen said:

Suzuki swift sport. Old one I get 34-35mpg pure city driving and can get over 40 on a longer run easy enough.
Expect the new one to do better due to the 6th gear it has.

I can't get more than 32 out of mine (Mk2, one before the latest)

There again, the car cost £4.5K so some fuel allowance left in the OP's budget

[Rickyy]

Maracus said:

I've got an Oct 10 on 184bhp MCS auto.

What car is this?

[s m]

Rickyy said:

Maracus said:

I've got an Oct 10 on 184bhp MCS auto.

What car is this?

October 2010 Mini Cooper S - auto gearbox and 184bhp I'd say at a guess

[Rickyy]

s m said:

Rickyy said:

Maracus said:

I've got an Oct 10 on 184bhp MCS auto.

What car is this?

October 2010 Mini Cooper S - auto gearbox and 184bhp I'd say at a guess

That makes sense! I thought Autocorrect had changed Octavia to Oct 10!

[Maracus]

s m said:

Rickyy said:

Maracus said:

I've got an Oct 10 on 184bhp MCS auto.

What car is this?

October 2010 Mini Cooper S - auto gearbox and 184bhp I'd say at a guess

Sorry poor English!

Yes, it's a '60' plate MINI Cooper S auto

[GravelBen]

Captain Muppet said:

I never got more than 25mpg out of my mk1 MX5, but it didn't get worse when i put a turbo on it, which was nice.

My turbo one used less fuel cruising than the standard one, I once got 46mpg from it over a very boring (and flat) hour or so on the way to a track day. Where it used much, much more.

Used to get low/mid 30s from the standard one when I was pottering along instead of caning it. 80s engine tech for you I suppose.

[hollythedog]

So four years on what have we learnt? I am in a similar position as the OP. Work vehicle with an allowance. 15k to spend and needs to do a 40mpg average during work motorway miles. Only get 12ppm petrol rebate for work miles.
Fun weekend milage I’m not so concerned.
Has to have five doors/hatch. Currently considering. F56 Mini Cooper S. Mk7 Golf GTI. After owning a previous iteration of the TFSI, I’m not so so the Golf can do that MPG on a run if driven sensibly.

[Chris Hinds]

hollythedog said:

So four years on what have we learnt? I am in a similar position as the OP. Work vehicle with an allowance. 15k to spend and needs to do a 40mpg average during work motorway miles. Only get 12ppm petrol rebate for work miles.
Fun weekend milage I’m not so concerned.
Has to have five doors/hatch. Currently considering. F56 Mini Cooper S. Mk7 Golf GTI. After owning a previous iteration of the TFSI, I’m not so so the Golf can do that MPG on a run if driven sensibly.

A new one will exceed your budget but actually my wife’s Countryman Cooper S (2019) model is really impressing me efficiency wise. It’s a Dual-Clutch auto model and yesterday we drove from Wolverhampton to Loughborough via M54/M6/M69 route and over 72 miles it did a computer indicated 50mpg with an average speed of 60mph. Cruise set to true 70 for most of the trip. Trip is of course flattered by average speed roadworks for 10miles but even so I think that’s a pretty good result. When I borrow it to go to work (Derby) I get mid 40s keeping up with road speed. Therefore I’d say you will be ok with a Mini hatch being smaller, lighter and more fun!

[TheDrBrian]

hollythedog said:

So four years on what have we learnt? I am in a similar position as the OP. Work vehicle with an allowance. 15k to spend and needs to do a 40mpg average during work motorway miles. Only get 12ppm petrol rebate for work miles.
Fun weekend milage I’m not so concerned.
Has to have five doors/hatch. Currently considering. F56 Mini Cooper S. Mk7 Golf GTI. After owning a previous iteration of the TFSI, I’m not so so the Golf can do that MPG on a run if driven sensibly.

MX5.You can get 57mpg on the motorway on cruise.