Most fuel efficient car UK: new cars with best MPG economy - plug-in hybrids from Mercedes to Toyota

A full tank of petrol now costs more than £100 and diesel is edging ever closer to a frightening £2 a litre, leaving drivers struggling to find ways to save money.

Buying a new car isn’t a cheap option but if you’re in the market for new wheels, it’s worth knowing which will return the best MPG to save money in the long run.

Now, new research has identified the most fuel efficient new cars on sale in the UK as well as the most economical models from every major car brand.

The What Car? list has named the Mercedes-Benz C300e as the most economical car in the country, with the plug-in hybrid returning an official 470.8mpg.

It leads a list of plug-in hybrid (PHEV) models, with premium brands such as Volvo, Land Rover and Lexus joined by mainstream marques such as Volkswagen, Skoda and Toyota.

The Volvo S80 Recharge T8 took second spot with an official economy of 403mpg, followed by the Range Rover Sport P400e at 341.2mpg. Other models to feature in the list include the Skoda Octavia iV, Suzuki Across, Peugeot 308 and Ford Kuga.

PHEV cars offer staggering official economy figures thanks to the way they are lab tested. Real-world drivers rarely achieve the official figures, even with regular charging of the batteries, but the figures give an indication of how different models compare.

PHEVs’ electric-only ranges have also improved in recent years, with the C300e capable of up to 62 miles on a charge and the Volvo able to do up to 52 miles on battery power alone.

What Car? editor Steve Huntingford said: “Given the rising cost of living, things like fuel economy are an increasingly important consideration for car buyers.

“The good news is modern PHEVs, in particular, are capable of incredible efficiency if you do mostly short journeys and plug them in regularly.”

The What Car? List is dominated by plug-in hybrid models but if a petrol/electric model doesn’t fit your life, we’ve also compiled a list of the most efficienct non-hybrids currently on sale.

For buyers looking to save money, electric cars offer a cheaper per-mile running cost than even the best PHEVs but there are factors such as charger access and up-front prices to consider. But if an electric car is an option, we’ve got also a rundown of the cheapest new models, those with the longest ranges and some of the best used EVs to consider.