Fuel efficient cars – It’s all about finding the right set of wheels for you.

“Uzadla iM3 yahko namhalnje” translates to “You’ll eat your M3 today” in isiZulu, a variation of the phrase thrown around to poke fun at a usually young driver, whose fuel-thirsty BMW M3 has them seemingly spending all their money on petrol and subsequently not being able to fill up their bellies with their regular dining options of choice. It’s all in good spirits, because as much as this young lad’s friends are happy to pick up the bill for the food to go around, they take pride in being able to go for a spin in their friend’s top of the range BMW M3 or equivalent “I’ve arrived” car.

Never mind the other upkeep costs, as this all-too-common story brings into focus the increasingly important issue of fuel efficiency, with the most logical place to start looking being the make, model and size of the car, if it’s fuel efficiency you’re after. There are some vehicles available which are expressly known for their fuel efficiency, however, beyond the vaunted kilos-to-the-litre fuel consumption rate published as a technical specification, almost any car can go down as a fuel efficient one. It all depends on a number of in-use factors, one of which is your driving style, which of course is in-turn determined by a number of factors itself...

More on that in a bit...

As a starting point, some of the latest makes and models manufactured with the most efficient fuel
consumption rates include:

- Kia Cerato
- Jaguar XF Prestige Diesel (Honourable mention; Jaguar XE range)
- Hyundai Elantra
- Honda Fit
- Toyota Yaris Sedan
- Honda Civic Sedan
- Toyota Corolla Hatchback
- Mitsubishi Mirage

By no means is this list (above) an exhaustive one and the apparent order of increasing fuel efficiency is only relative. The featured makes and models are those you’d buy brand new in 2019, with some surprises that perhaps warrant further explanation. Any vehicle bearing the Jaguar emblem would perhaps not readily be associated with any kind of fuel efficiency, but at a fuel consumption rate of 4.3 litres per 100km, the aptly named Prestige model (runs on diesel) casts Jaguar in a different light. The XE range deserves an honourable mention, consuming 6.3l / 100km, while the list gets better with the Hyundai Elantra range, the Honda Civic Sedan and Toyota Corolla Hatchback.

Believe it or not, the Jags outdo the Kia Cerato as far as fuel efficiency goes, while the Toyota Corolla Hatchback and Honda Civic Sedan probably embody the theme of this list, which is a balance between fuel efficiency and performance. The Mitsubishi Mirage, however, is about pure fuel efficiency, while Uber drivers perhaps wish the Toyota Corolla wasn’t a hatchback so they could go about their business in one of these babies.

These are some established names associated with fuel efficient cars, so even if you’re not looking to buy new, you can find a Convenient Deal 4 U on pre-loved models.