Six of our favourite fuel sippers

With petrol and diesel prices rising again, this time to unprecedented levels with all grades costing more than R25/l inland, saving on fuel becomes paramount. Car buyers will not only seek bargains on purchase prices, but economic ownership too. Whether you are a captain of industry, a petrolhead or working a regular job, there are cars that won't blow the lid on fuel consumption. 

Not only budget cars can run on the sniff of an oil rag. Here are six cars that returned fuel economy when we tested them in the real world, used daily or taken on extended trips. 

BMW X1 xDrive18d 

BMW nailed this vintage of the X1 while prioritising economical ownership. It's available in a choice of engines, but when optioned with the 115kW and 360Nm four-cylinder diesel in the X1 Sdrive18d model the motor offers robust tractability and an impressive 6.3l/100km fuel average, achieved mostly in urban settings. Pricing starts at R815,617.

Kia Sportage GT-Line 1.6 CRDi 

As a range there’s little to fault the Kia Sportage. It’s a lot of mid-size family SUV for the money and it bridges everyday usability, comfort, modern tech, safety and style. The engine line-up comprises petrol and diesel 1.6l four-cylinder units. The latter is a champion of economy at the pumps which consumed 6.0l/100km in a mix of urban and highway driving when we tested it. It costs R627,995.

Mercedes-Benz S350dL

This model is classic presidential long wheels in social standing, wafting and technology. However, the Mercedes-Benz S350d, with a 3.0l diesel six-cylinder motor, is proof that even the top 1% can save on high fuel costs. It's a strong car that can sprint from 0-100km/h in 6.5 seconds with a 250km/h top speed while sipping just 7.5l/100km on average. It costs R2,721,695.

Renault Captur Turbo Intens 

This French crossover makes a compelling daily school and work run car. It’s practical even for a weekend getaway, with a high level of trending features such as a large digital screen and full integration with smartphones. It even has a steering wheel warmer for cold mornings, but the bigger hook is the fuel consumption from its 113kW and 270Nm 1.3l four-cylinder petrol engine. Renault claims 6.6l/100km, but we achieved an even better 6.4l/100km. It costs R499,999.

Volkswagen Tiguan AllSpace 1.4 TSI

We didn’t expect the large Tiguan Allspace 1.4 TSI with 110kW and 250Nm to be as economical when we took it on a 1,000km round trip. The seven-seat, front wheel drive model has a six-speed DSG transmission and engine modes. In the Eco setting it returned 8.2l/100km, enabling us to cover 490km using only half the contents of its 58l tank, with enough fuel remaining to travel another two days. This is sensational. Pricing starts at R656,500. 

Volvo XC60 Recharge plug-in hybrid

Don’t let the dramatic styling question its addition to the list of fuel sippers. The Volvo XC60 “Beast 2.0" is styled by Heico Sportiv and Polestar performance tweaks applied to its 2.0l four-cylinder petrol engine that's equipped with a supercharger, turbocharger, an electric hybrid system and an eight-speed automatic transmission. Total outputs are 340kW and 709Nm for a 0-100km/h sprint in 4.8 seconds, but you’d be surprised to learn it can drive 81km in fuel-free electric mode and the car returned on average 5.3l/100km during its stay. Prices start at R1,314,000.