WhichCar

Australia's most fuel-efficient cars in 2024: Petrol, diesel and hybrid

Here's every car without a plug, on sale now, that sips five litres per 100km – or less

bac50a30/2021 citroen c3 vs toyota yaris sx hybrid 15 jpg
Gallery3

What are Australia's best cars for good fuel efficiency?

Plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) often steal the spotlight regarding fuel-efficient internal-combustion cars, but other relatively green vehicles are available in Australia today.

While Toyota Australia has retired the pioneering Prius hatchback after 21 years on sale, the 'regular' hybrid powertrain – with no need to plug in – has become an increasingly popular, mainstream choice.

The most popular variants of Australia’s best-selling crossover, the Toyota RAV4 midsize SUV, now feature a hybrid powertrain, while other brands such as Honda, Kia, Hyundai, GWM Haval and Lexus also offer a petrol-electric option.

6a871afb/2024 hyundai kona hybrid australia premium n line 01 jpg
3

WhichCar has compiled data revealing each non-PHEV vehicle currently available in Australia with a claimed combined fuel-efficiency of five litres per 100 kilometres or less.

How is fuel consumption measured?

'Litres per 100km' is exactly as stated, relating to the distance you can travel on an amount of fuel. A lower number demonstrates better fuel-efficiency.

For example, a vehicle with a 40-litre fuel tank with a claimed fuel consumption of 5.0L/100km will travel 800 kilometres from full to empty.

However, this is in an ideal situation, as a vehicle's true fuel economy can differ based on various driving conditions and your own approach to driving – including vehicle and occupant weight, acceleration, the weather, air-conditioning, windows up or down, tyre pressures, and the route.

(Then, of course, there's the 'fuel reserve light'...)

8bcd13d4/2023 mazda cx60 gt diesel inwood 25 jpg
3

Firstly, which car uses the least fuel of all cars in Australia?

The tiny Toyota Yaris Hybrid, powered by a low-capacity 1.5-litre three-cylinder engine with an electric motor, is currently the champ for using only a little fuel, claimed at just 3.3L/100km. In our most recent testing, we achieved an impressive 4.1L/100km in regular 'daily driver' activity.

The Yaris hybrid is followed by over 30 variants from 10 brands that lightly sip their fuel.

Those include...

Most of the vehicles featured include a hybrid powertrain; however, some pure petrol and diesel internal-combustion vehicles – including the Suzuki Swift, Audi A3 35 TFSI, and the Mazda CX-60 and Volkswagen Caddy diesels – also feature on the interactive graph below.

A more-comprehensive table detailing each vehicle’s engine, transmission, fuel and drive type, variant and claimed combined fuel consumption (L/100km) is available below:

UPDATED: January 2024

Note: Table scrolls horizontally to reveal more columns

ModelVariantCombined fuel consumption (L/100km)EngineFuelMinimum RONTransmissionDriveCombined CO2 output (g/km)
Toyota YarisSX, ZR Hybrid3.3L3-cyl, 1.5-litre hybridPetrol91AutomaticFWD76g
Toyota Yaris CrossGX, GXL, GR Sport, Urban3.8L3-cyl, 1.5-litre hybridPetrol91AutomaticFWD86g
Hyundai KonaHybrid, Premium Hybrid3.9L4-cyl, 1.6-litre hybridPetrol91AutomaticFWD89g
Toyota Corolla sedanAscent Sport, SX, ZR Hybrid3.9L4-cyl, 1.8-litre hybridPetrol91AutomaticFWD86g
Kia NiroS, GT-Line Hybrid4.0L4-cyl, 1.6-litre hybridPetrol91AutomaticFWD91g
Toyota Corolla hatchAscent Sport, SX, ZR Hybrid4.0L4-cyl, 1.8-litre hybridPetrol91AutomaticFWD97g
Toyota Yaris CrossGX, GXL, Urban4.0L3-cyl, 1.5-litre hybridPetrol91AutomaticAWD90g
Honda CivicE:HEV LX4.2L4-cyl, 2.0-litre hybridPetrol91AutomaticFWD96g
Toyota CamryAscent Hybrid, Ascent Sport4.2L4-cyl, 2.5-litre hybridPetrol95AutomaticFWD96g
Honda AccordVTi-LX Hybrid4.3L4-cyl, 2.0-litre hybridPetrol91AutomaticFWD98g
Honda HR-VE:HEV L4.3L4-cyl, 1.5-litre hybridPetrol91AutomaticFWD98g
Toyota C-HRKoba Hybrid, GR Sport4.3L4-cyl, 1.8-litre hybridPetrol95AutomaticFWD97g
Toyota Corolla CrossGX, GXL, Atmos Hybrid4.3L4-cyl, 2.0-litre hybridPetrol91AutomaticFWD97g
Toyota Corolla CrossGXL, Atmos Hybrid4.4L4-cyl, 2.0-litre hybridPetrol91AutomaticAWD101g
Lexus UXUX250h4.5L4-cyl, 2.0-litre hybridPetrol91AutomaticFWD103g
Toyota CamrySL4.5L4-cyl, 2.5-litre hybridPetrol95AutomaticFWD103g
Suzuki SwiftGL4.6L4-cyl, 1.2-litre N/APetrol91ManualFWD106g
Lexus UXUX250h4.7L4-cyl, 2.0-litre hybridPetrol91AutomaticAWD107g
Suzuki IgnisGL4.7L4-cyl, 1.2-litre N/APetrol91ManualFWD107g
Toyota CamrySX4.7L4-cyl, 2.5-litre hybridPetrol95AutomaticFWD107g
Toyota RAV4GX, GXL, XSE, Cruiser Hybrid4.7L4-cyl, 2.5-litre hybridPetrol91AutomaticFWD107g
Audi Q535 TDI4.8L4-cyl, 2.0-litre turboDieselAutomaticFWD125g
Lexus ESES300h4.8L4-cyl, 2.5-litre hybridPetrol95AutomaticFWD109g
Suzuki SwiftGL, GL Shadow, GL Plus4.8L4-cyl, 1.2-litre N/APetrol91AutomaticFWD110g
Toyota RAV4GX, GXL, XSE, Cruiser, Edge Hybrid4.8L4-cyl, 2.5-litre hybridPetrol91AutomaticAWD110g
Audi A3 sedan35 TFSI4.9L4-cyl, 1.5-litre turboPetrol95AutomaticFWD111g
Audi A4 Allroad40 TDI4.9L4-cyl, 2.0-litre turboDieselAutomaticAWD130g
Fiat 500Dolcevita4.9L4-cyl, 1.2-litre N/APetrol95AutomaticFWD115g
Mazda CX-60D50e Evolve, GT, Azami4.9L6-cyl, 3.3-litre turbo mild-hybridDieselAutomaticAWD128g
Suzuki IgnisGL, GLX, Shadow4.9L4-cyl, 1.2-litre N/APetrol91AutomaticFWD114g
Toyota YarisSX, ZR4.9L3-cyl, 1.5-litre N/APetrol91AutomaticFWD114g
Volkswagen CaddyTDI2804.9L4-cyl, 2.0-litre turboDieselManualFWD129g
Volkswagen CaddyTDI3204.9L4-cyl, 2.0-litre turboDieselAutomaticFWD129g
Audi A3 hatch35 TFSI5.0L4-cyl, 1.5-litre turboPetrol95AutomaticFWD114g
GWM-Haval JolionLux Hybrid, Ultra Hybrid5.0L4-cyl, 1.5-litre hybridPetrol91AutomaticFWD115g
Honda ZR-VE:HEV LX5.0L4-cyl, 2.0-litre hybridPetrol91AutomaticFWD115g
Lexus NXNX350h5.0L4-cyl, 2.5-litre hybridPetrol95AutomaticFWD/AWD113-114g
Lexus RXRX350h5.0L4-cyl, 2.5-litre hybridPetrol95AutomaticFWD114g
Mazda 2G15 Pure, Pure SP, Evolve, GT5.0L4-cyl, 1.5-litre N/APetrol91AutomaticFWD117g
Volkswagen Polo85TSI Life5.0L3-cyl, 1.0-litre turboPetrol95AutomaticFWD123g

What is good fuel consumption per 100km?

There's no simple answer here, because the fuel efficiency of a vehicle can vary widely depending on a number of factors – including the size and type of the vehicle, the type of fuel it uses, and the way it is driven.

As a general rule, smaller vehicles tend to have lower fuel consumption numbers than larger and less efficient vehicles. Likewise, performance-focused cars will consumer more fuel than 'regular' cars, although many have moved to very small turbocharged engines in a bid to keep fuel consumptions and carbon emissions as low as possible.

As a rough guideline, for petrol-powered vehicles, a fuel consumption of around 6-8 L/100km could be considered good for a small or medium passenger car, while a fuel consumption of around 9-11 L/100km could be considered good for a larger vehicle such as a large SUV. However, these numbers can vary depending on the specific make and model of the vehicle.

Other questions about fuel consumption

To calculate fuel consumption, you can divide the distance travelled by the amount of fuel used. For example, if you travelled 100 kilometres and used 10 litres of fuel, your fuel consumption would be 10 litres per 100 kilometres (L/100km). You can also use this formula to compare the fuel efficiency of different vehicles.

Some ways to improve your vehicle's fuel efficiency include driving steadily, avoiding aggressive acceleration and braking, keeping your tyres properly inflated, and using the recommended grade of motor oil.

Some factors that can affect your vehicle's fuel consumption include the type of fuel you use, the condition of your vehicle (such as the age of the engine and the condition of the tyres), the way you drive (such as your speed and acceleration habits), and the load you are carrying (such as the weight of passengers or cargo).

Some easy ways to improve your fuel consumption include: Driving at a steady speed without aggressive acceleration, using the recommended motor oil, keeping your tyres properly inflated to reduce rolling resistance, avoiding carrying unnecessary weight in the car, and being sure not to keep drag-causing cargo pods or bikes attached to your car any longer than you need to.

Want to read our reviews of the cars above? See the links below

COMMENTS

Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.