Smiles per gallon
There is no escaping the fact that fuel prices have risen recently. And with the general rise in living costs we’re all likely to face, could more fuel-efficient classic cars be the way forward?
Here we have corralled 25 cars that are relatively frugal yet still fun, whether they be classic runabouts or semi-daily drivers from the 1990s, when fuel injection improved miles per gallon without clobbering smiles per gallon.
The figures we quote are a mixture of official figures and reported numbers from owners and, of course, if you drive with a foot seemingly constructed from lead, you won’t get anywhere near the published figures.
However, all 25 of these cars are enjoyable to drive, whether you’re going for frugality or fun. So, let’s begin…
1. Fiat 500 (45mpg+)
This tiny city car has the cuteness per inch quotient very much in its favour, but it’s also exceptionally frugal, despite its age.
Its two-cylinder, 500cc engine may produce just 13hp in its most basic form, but the car weighs just under 500kg and has a very good (for the time) drag coefficient of 0.38Cd, which means it can do 45mpg.
The less said about its inability to reach the national speed limit, the better.
2. BMW Z3 1.9 (35mpg)
The BMW Z3 was one of the stars of the mid-’90s rush for small coupés and convertibles, offering a level of refinement greater than a Mazda MX-5, yet still with a big dash of fun.
Though the six-cylinder cars are generally regarded as being more entertaining, there’s a lot to be said for the four-cylinder models if you fancy an easy-to-run, fairly frugal cruiser.
3. Peugeot 205 GTI 1.6 (36mpg)
The Peugeot 205 GTI is regarded as one of the finest-handling hot hatches ever – indeed, some say it is the best of all time.
However, it’s always been lambasted for its somewhat flimsy construction.
Well, finally, here’s a reason to cheer the odd occasion when the trim comes off in your hand – as well as being a delight in the twisties, the 205 GTI can apparently achieve 36mpg.
4. Fiat 126 (33mpg)
This little city car helped mobilise Eastern Europe, even if its refinement left something to be desired.
As time has gone on, prices have risen – a right-hand-drive example sold for £7000 recently, based on nostalgia for a car affectionately referred to as maluch, Polish for ‘toddler’.
This cultural icon weighs between 580kg and 619kg, and horsepower ranges from 23hp to 26hp, and it is known to return 33mpg.
5. Ford Puma 1.7 (38mpg)
This compact coupé was a revelation in the late 1990s. Its underpinnings may have come from the originally underwhelming Fiesta Mk3, but the Blue Oval’s engineers worked a treat honing a truly engaging chassis.
The 1.7-litre engine was developed with Yamaha, delivering 123bhp in a 1035kg body. Naysayers might comment it will become more fuel efficient as it goes along, shedding weight due to the rampant onset of tin worm, but today most of the survivors are being cherished and rustproofed.
6. Honda Beat (36mpg)
This tiny fun machine is a kei car, which means it was built to strict Japanese regulations with regards to engine size, dimensions and performance.
Its three-cylinder 656cc engine is, unlike a lot of kei cars, naturally aspirated, and produces 63bhp at a heady 8100rpm. That’s a recipe for big fun, because the entire car weighs just 760kg.
7. Alfa Romeo GTV Twin Spark (35mpg)
While the Busso V6 gets a lot of love in Alfa Romeo circles, the Twin Spark four-cylinder engine of the mid-’90s and early 2000s deserves almost as much praise.
Not only does it love to rev, but in the GTV its lighter weight means crisper handling and, of course, much better fuel efficiency.
It has to be said, however, that with an engine such as this that encourages you to tap into its performance and seek those higher revs, that the 35mpg figure might be hard to achieve without severe restraint…
8. Citroën 2CV (40mpg)
The Citroën 2CV was designed to be a people’s workhorse, and as the people can’t really afford huge fuel bills, the model’s extremely light weight and simplicity means it sips at fuel, with around 40mpg reported.
Don’t go thinking that it is a miserable experience, though. Driving a 2CV is both charming and entertaining, and these classics have won over fans more used to supercars.
9. MG Metro (42mpg)
Okay, so the MG Metro was never the fastest hot hatch, but if you were on a budget it offered entertaining handling thanks to its Hydragas suspension, all the stickers and red-accented interior trim you could want, plus supremely low running costs.
Its 1275cc engine might have been old, but the car’s sub-900kg weight meant there wasn’t much to move around.
10. Ford Escort XR3i (35mpg)
Adding fuel injection to the first front-wheel-drive Escort gave an extra pep to performance, but it also pushed fuel economy to a claimed 35mpg.
The 105bhp four-pot wasn’t known for its smoothness, but its practicality and attractive design won it many fans – it’s believed 25 per cent of all Escorts sold were XR3is. Even Ayrton Senna had one…
11. Fiat Uno Turbo (35mpg)
There really isn’t much to the Fiat Uno Turbo. Its 104bhp engine doesn’t sound like a great deal for a legendary hot hatch of its era, but with 750kg to haul it feels far more vivid behind the wheel.
Add in all sorts of pinstriping, stickers and red accents and it’s all very exciting, which gets even better when you realise the fuel receipts are encouragingly small.
12. Volkswagen Golf GTI Mk1 (37mpg)
The VW Golf GTI wasn’t the first hot hatch, but it was perhaps the one that did most to make it an aspirational purchase.
Key to its appeal was its innate practicality, and a big part of that was the way its light weight and fuel injection combined to offer performance and usability in a fun package.
13. Honda CRX Gen 1 (62mpg-84mpg)
No, that’s not a typo.
Back in the 1980s, the Honda CRX was known to do 62mpg in 1.3-litre form, though it’s been reported that it was even more efficient, with some owners achieving 84mpg.
There was also a later 1.5-litre CRX HF model that could achieve 61mpg, helped by a 777kg kerbweight.
14. MG Midget (33.5mpg)
It’s unsurprising that the small, lightweight MG Midget is on this list.
Its on-paper figures don’t seem very sporty (it takes 18.3 secs to get to 60mph in 948cc form), but cars aren’t driven on paper, and the classic MG Midget is lots of fun, with raw thrills aplenty.
The fact it won’t hurt your pocket too much at the pumps is also pretty thrilling.
15. Lotus Elise S1 (36mpg)
The Elise was a revelation for Lotus in the mid 1990s, blending the marque’s traditional traits of superb handling and low weight.
A Series 1 Elise weighs just 725kg, which means a 118mph top speed, 0-60mph in 5.8 secs and a fuel-efficiency figure in the high 30s – well, if you showed restraint.
Although that’s obviously a little challenging on your average B-road…
16. Alfa Romeo 145 Cloverleaf (32mpg)
The quirky 145 is a zesty hot hatch that blends Alfa’s Twin Spark engine with a fast steering rack and a love-it-or-hate-it design.
Its 150bhp four-pot is a heartwarming engine that likes to rev, but it can also be frugal, too – you can get 32mpg out of it. That’s when you’re not red-lining it in every gear, which is what it almost demands of you…
17. MGF (33mpg)
MG’s mid-engined marvel was developed on a shoestring budget, but it achieved great things – it was the most popular car in its class for many years thanks to its excellent ride and handling.
However, its 1.8-litre K-Series four-cylinder engine was also fuel efficient, meaning the F really can sprinkle drop-top delight on everyday driving.
18. Porsche Boxster 2.5 (33mpg)
The very early Porsche Boxster was criticised for not having an engine to exercise the chassis; however, if you’re prioritising relaxing drop-top cruising rather than ultimate track day supremacy, the 2.5 makes sense.
While it’s certainly not slow, it’s also remarkably fuel efficient for a six-cylinder Porsche engine.
19. Suzuki Cappuccino (40mpg)
With just 725kg to cart about, this charming kei car’s turbocharged 657cc three-cylinder engine can really sing.
Its 63bhp is delivered at 6500rpm, which goes to the rear wheels. Unlike the Honda Beat we looked at earlier, the Cappuccino was sold in the UK for a short time.
Rampant rust has dwindled numbers, but more of these frothy cups of joy are being restored, and more are being imported from Japan.
20. Mazda MX-5 NA (33mpg)
The Lotus Elan served as the chief inspiration for the Mazda MX-5, and much like the Lotus mantra of simplify and add lightness, the first MX-5 blended these two tenets to create a lightweight two-seater with crisp handling.
Its four-cylinder engines might not have the character of some of its rivals, but they definitely deliver relatively frugal fun.
21. Audi TT Mk1 (34mpg)
The Audi TT shared much of its mechanical underpinnings with various Volkswagen Automotive Group products, and while this was a stick to beat it with from some critics when it was new, it also meant that the bits were tried and tested items – and fuel efficient to boot.
The four-cylinder engines are (obviously) the most frugal, and kept off boost you should see 34mpg, according to owners.
22. Fiat Barchetta (37mpg)
Much like the Audi TT we’ve just looked at, Fiat dipped into the parts bin to create the sharply styled Barchetta.
Many of the underpinnings are derived from the Punto, the GT version of which was one of the more potent hot hatches of the era.
With a body that weighs around 1000kg, the performance was exciting, as was the economy – you could apparently see 37mpg.
23. Mini (43mpg)
You’d think this was a shoe-in for fuel-sipping classic fun – well, it’s not quite that simple.
While in standard form the Mini can achieve high mpg, anecdotal evidence from owners suggests it doesn’t often work out that way, particularly if the engine’s been tuned.
However, a 1275cc example from late in production is said to have combined fuel consumption of 43mpg, but it’s easy to look past that and be consumed by traditional Mini driving experience giggles.
24. Renault 5 GT Turbo (39mpg)
The engine in the Renault 5 GT Turbo was distinctly at odds with the futuristic Marcello Gandini-penned exterior, being designed many decades before the ’80s.
However, the addition of a turbo elevated this 853kg hot hatch to an eye-popping pace. What’s more, because of its light weight, if driven off boost a claimed 39mpg was (apparently) possible.
The big problem, of course, is keeping it off boost…
25. Morris Minor (35mpg-43mpg)
These charming machines were designed for the era of rationing, so their fuel efficiency is hardly a surprise.
However, don’t go thinking these are not fun classics to drive – Tiff Needell is said to have mastered his supreme car control in a Countryman.
We doubt he was too concerned by fuel consumption while doing so, but it only adds to the allure for owners these days.
We hope you enjoyed this gallery. Please click the ‘Follow’ button above for more super stories from Classic & Sports Car.