Top ten petrol cars to buy instead of a diesel (updated)

FOR YEARS it’s been said that the “greenest” cars are diesel-powered. More fuel efficient and emitting less CO2, they are also fitted with special filters that trap harmful emissions from their engines.

But diesel’s reputation has plummeted. Research, very first exposed in The Sunday Times, found that the fuel is responsible for most of the pollution that can be attributed to 40,000 deaths per year in Britain.

The initial report, commissioned by Defra, the environment ministry, blamed diesel vehicles for a rise in nitrogen dioxide emissions and high levels of lil’ toxic particulates that can pass through the lungs to inject every organ in the assets. Albeit much of the pollution is down to buses, lorries and taxis, David Carslaw, of King’s College London, a co-author of the report, also blamed European legislators for failing to put in place sturdy and realistic emissions testing.

Browse Fresh or USED cars for sale on driving.co.uk

“The key failure is that the European testing regime is too lenient and does not measure how vehicles perform when driven on real roads,” said Carslaw. “They all pass the test but our research shows that when driven on real roads they typically emit 4-5 times more than the tests suggest.”

Since the report’s release, Volkswagen has been caught cheating emissions tests in order to sell diesel cars in America. London is about to introduce a toxicity “T-charge” of £10 a day for older vehicles, which pollute far more than modern, cleaner engines, and other cities are to go after its lead.

Medical professionals have called for the government to eliminate diesel cars from Britain’s roads. And scientists have found that lil’ particles in air pollution can significantly worsen infections and make them stiffer to treat with antibiotics.

All the while, improvements in technology have seen petrol-powered cars catch up diesels for cost-effectiveness.

“From an air quality point of view it is hard to find a major disadvantage with modern petrol cars”

Carslaw told Driving that air quality could still be improved if motorists switched from diesel to petrol-powered cars. “From an air quality point of view it is hard to find a major disadvantage with modern petrol cars. What most people would say is that petrol is worse than diesel for CO2 emissions. This is still true but even here, a puny, modern petrol vehicle can be very low emitting, and will give diesel a run for its money.”

The higher purchase cost of some diesel cars menaces to make them redundant against a fresh generation of puny, efficient, turbocharged petrol models. For example, the petrol-powered Ford Fiesta 1.0 Zetec costs £14,295 and comes back 65.7mpg. A 1.Five TDCi diesel version of the Fiesta shows up much more economical at 88.3mpg but it costs £2,000 more. It would take a staggering twelve years to make up the difference in the money you save on fuel, based on the UK average of 7,900 miles per year.

Depreciation is harshly the same, whichever type of engine you choose, according to Cap, a vehicle pricing company. So if now is the time to switch to petrol cars (assuming plug-in electrical vehicles are not a realistic option for you yet), here are ten that will give you just as much for your money as a diesel.

The best eco-friendly petrol-powered puny cars

2017 Fiat Panda Effortless 0.9 TwinAir 5dr, £11,245

THE PANDA is, arguably, Fiat’s best car. It’s as unpretentious as an Italian mother’s homemade pasta and devoid of the retro dress sense of its five hundred sibling. It also happens to be good to drive, can seat five at a pinch and parking this petite package is a doddle.

Of the fresh generation of small-capacity, turbocharged petrol engines, the Twin Air has received most criticism for failing to get close to its official fuel consumption figure. That’s because, with just two cylinders under the bonnet, it needs to be worked hard to make meaningful progress. All the same, it is economical and brimful of character, and proves cheap to insure and service.

There are some jaw-dropping deals to be had on fresh Pandas, too, so it’s likely to prove even better value than its price suggests.

2017 Ford Fiesta Zetec 1.0 80PS Commence/Stop 3dr, £14,295

Very first, a word of warning. The Fiesta will be substituted by a fresh generation model, which goes on sale in July. But you know what? Don’t worry about it; the current model is such a cracking little thing that so long as you drive a hard bargain you’ll not be disappointed.

Some cars are more spacious inwards, others have more up-to-date technology, some are safer – but none drive as well as the Fiesta, as Jeremy Clarkson finds with the Zetec S Crimson Edition. It’s antsy and responsive, composed on long drives yet as a quick and agile as a motorcycle courier around town.

The three-cylinder, 80PS (79bhp) engine is no ball of fire. But it sounds pleasant enough and if need be you can opt for the more expensive, turbocharged EcoBoost version. But when the regular motor makes the car so cheap to buy and frugal to run, why bother?

2017 Renault Clio Play TCe ninety Eco 5dr, £14,265

WITH ITS chic dress sense and affordable prices, the Clio is as tempting as pavement table outside one of those utterly brilliant Parisian bistros that the locals never tell anyone else about.

Recently facelifted, this version of the Clio achieves its outstanding fuel economy with the addition of the ECO pack, which brings taller gearing, low rolling resistance tyres and a lighter plastic tailgate. The turbocharged, three-cylinder engine is positively brimming with character compared to a hum-drum diesel, and the car rails, steers and treats with a remarkably grow-up feel.

There’s also a healthy amount of space in the cabin, and the boot will hold more than a baguette or two. All in all, it’s a good package. Read our utter review, here.

2017 Audi A1 1.0 TFSI Sport 95PS Sportback, £17,465

IF YOU want a puny, affordable car that trickles big-car build quality and has a posh badge on its nose, look no further than the Audi A1. This pint-size Audi has brought thousands of fresh drivers to the German car maker’s showrooms, and the majority have left as owners of an A1.

What do they like? Most likely the fact that the interior feels just as well made as that of a £130,000 R8. It’s also a good looking little hatchback, which stands out from the Fords, Hyundais, Kias and Renaults of this world.

But most of all, they’re attracted by the A1’s numbers. The three-cylinder, turbocharged petrol model is claimed to comeback up to 67mpg, and it’s so clean it’s exempt from road tax – until April, at least.

The best eco-friendly petrol-powered family hatchbacks

2017 Volkswagen Golf S 1.Four TSI 125PS 5dr, £19,320

• Fuel economy 54.3mpg
• CO2 120g/km
• Road tax before April 1, 2017 Free for very first year, £30 thereafter
• Road tax after April 1, 2017 £160 for very first year, then £140

JEREMY Clarkson summed up the universal appeal of the Volkswagen Golf when reviewing it for Driving. “The Golf is a byword for everything you indeed need from a car. It’s the reaction to every motoring question that’s been asked. You’re a youthful tearaway and you want something joy? Buy a Golf GTI. You’re a family man who needs a sensible 2nd car? Buy a Golf diesel. You need to carry big explosions? Buy a Golf estate. You’re a teacher and you want something cheap and reliable to get you to the classroom every morning? Buy a second-hand Golf. You indeed, indeed want to get cracking and you live in Zermatt? Buy a Golf R.”

You get the picture. It truly is a Jack of all trades, and when fitted with the 1.4-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, it manages to stir at more than a snail’s enough rhythm when the family is aboard while sipping puny amounts of petrol. An updated model will be in showrooms imminently, but even so, the Golf is a class-leading car.

2017 Audi A3 1.Four TFSI SE Sportback, £22,595

IF A Golf is something of a common look in your eyes, attempt the Audi A3 Sportback. The five-door hatchback is identically practical, feels upmarket when you’re sitting in it and drives almost as well as the Golf. Its 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine will come back up to 61mpg, and has a useful helping of pulling power low in the rev range – peaking at just 1,500rpm – to make for effortless progress.

As with the Golf, there are all sorts of engines, gearboxes and trim levels to pick from. But to our mind, the 1.Four SE in the five-door bod makes for an ideal everyday car that should be a pleasure to live with.

Driving recently ran an extended test of an Audi A3 e-tron, and you can read all about our practices here. It’s a lot more expensive than a diesel or, for that matter, a regular petrol-engined model. But when driven in EV (electrical vehicle) mode, there are no local emissions, which may be appealing to some drivers.

2017 Mini Cooper Clubman, £20,205

• Fuel economy 55.4mpg
• CO2 118g/km
• Road tax before April 1, 2017 Free for very first year, £30 thereafter
• Road tax after April 1, 2017 £160 for very first year, then £140

IF YOU subscribe to the view that most modern cars are boring, take a test drive of a Mini Cooper Clubman. It’s joy to drive, packed with personality, the interior design is positively daring compared with most family hatchbacks and it’s got as much back seat space as an Audi A3 Sportback or VW Golf.

The three-cylinder turbocharged engine puts a skip in the Clubman’s step, and the steering and roadholding and better than Minis of old, which tended to be too hyperactive for some drivers’ tastes.

The boot doors, which open outwards like barn doors, are controversial, but once you’ve attempted them you’ll get the string up of them. And they make loading the weekly shop a entire lot more interesting.

2017 Toyota Auris Active 1.8 VVT-I HybridSynergy Drive 5dr, £20,895

WE WON’T attempt and kid you: the Toyota Auris is not the most arousing car in the world to look at, sit in or drive. But just look at that claimed fuel economy figure: 80.7mpg! It’s better than most diesel-powered hatchbacks. As ever, achieving such feats of frugality is no mean feat, but own an Auris and you’d have time to practice.

The hybrid powertrain consists of a 1.8-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine and a battery-powered electrical motor that can propel the car up to 44mph before the petrol engine lends a arm.

It’s no niche model, either. In Europe, it has accounted for more than half the Auris models sold. And eventually, it’s built in Britain, if that matters to you.

The best eco-friendly petrol-powered SUVs

2017 Peugeot three thousand eight 1.Two PureTech one hundred thirty Stop/Commence Active, £23,195

• Fuel economy 55.4mpg
• CO2 117g/km
• Road tax before April 1, 2017 Free for very first year, £30 thereafter
• Road tax after April 1, 2017 £160 for very first year, then £140

AFTER TESTING the latest generation 3008, we concluded that Peugeot was right to have morphed it from a people carrier (MPV) to a faux-by-four, or SUV. It brings the car type du jour to the French car maker’s showrooms, and of its kind, this is a good ‘un.

The big surprise is its 1.2-litre petrol engine. In a five seat family SUV, you’d be forgiven for expecting it to fight to pull the skin off a rice pudding. But the three-cylinder motor is antsy as a puppy and brimming with character, yet refined, too. More importantly, its peak pulling power is developed at a low 1,750rpm, so it doesn’t need to be worked hard to make progress, meaning you’l stand a better chance of getting somewhere near its 55mpg combined fuel economy figure.

The rail is exceedingly convenient in the tradition of the best French cars, and its cabin and notably its boot are much more accommodating than a Nissan Qashqai. Give it a attempt.

2017 Mazda CX-5 Two.0 SE-L Nav 5dr, £23,195

DRIVING likes the CX-5 for a ordinary reason: it feels good to drive. There’s a lot more to the family SUV than that, but when you distil everything down, that’s what makes one car stand head and shoulders above the rest.

There are four-wheel drive models available, but you know what? You most likely don’t need it. Stick with a 2-litre, two-wheel drive petrol and you’ll have a sweet-handling car that is capable of returning up to 47mpg. Mazda’s Skyactive weight-reducing technology is the key here, with this 1,345kg SUV returning the kind of petrol economy that would have been unheard of a few years ago.

An all-new model will be coming to showrooms soon, so drive a hard bargain and we’re pretty sure you’ll love the drive.

Top ten petrol cars to buy instead of a diesel

Top ten petrol cars to buy instead of a diesel (updated)

FOR YEARS it’s been said that the “greenest” cars are diesel-powered. More fuel efficient and emitting less CO2, they are also fitted with special filters that trap harmful emissions from their engines.

But diesel’s reputation has plummeted. Research, very first exposed in The Sunday Times, found that the fuel is responsible for most of the pollution that can be attributed to 40,000 deaths per year in Britain.

The initial report, commissioned by Defra, the environment ministry, blamed diesel vehicles for a rise in nitrogen dioxide emissions and high levels of lil’ toxic particulates that can pass through the lungs to inject every organ in the assets. Albeit much of the pollution is down to buses, lorries and taxis, David Carslaw, of King’s College London, a co-author of the report, also blamed European legislators for failing to put in place sturdy and realistic emissions testing.

Browse Fresh or USED cars for sale on driving.co.uk

“The key failure is that the European testing regime is too lenient and does not measure how vehicles perform when driven on real roads,” said Carslaw. “They all pass the test but our research shows that when driven on real roads they typically emit 4-5 times more than the tests suggest.”

Since the report’s release, Volkswagen has been caught cheating emissions tests in order to sell diesel cars in America. London is about to introduce a toxicity “T-charge” of £10 a day for older vehicles, which pollute far more than modern, cleaner engines, and other cities are to go after its lead.

Medical professionals have called for the government to eliminate diesel cars from Britain’s roads. And scientists have found that lil’ particles in air pollution can significantly worsen infections and make them tighter to treat with antibiotics.

All the while, improvements in technology have seen petrol-powered cars catch up diesels for cost-effectiveness.

“From an air quality point of view it is hard to find a major disadvantage with modern petrol cars”

Carslaw told Driving that air quality could still be improved if motorists switched from diesel to petrol-powered cars. “From an air quality point of view it is hard to find a major disadvantage with modern petrol cars. What most people would say is that petrol is worse than diesel for CO2 emissions. This is still true but even here, a petite, modern petrol vehicle can be very low emitting, and will give diesel a run for its money.”

The higher purchase cost of some diesel cars menaces to make them redundant against a fresh generation of petite, efficient, turbocharged petrol models. For example, the petrol-powered Ford Fiesta 1.0 Zetec costs £14,295 and comes back 65.7mpg. A 1.Five TDCi diesel version of the Fiesta shows up much more economical at 88.3mpg but it costs £2,000 more. It would take a staggering twelve years to make up the difference in the money you save on fuel, based on the UK average of 7,900 miles per year.

Depreciation is toughly the same, whichever type of engine you choose, according to Cap, a vehicle pricing company. So if now is the time to switch to petrol cars (assuming plug-in electrified vehicles are not a realistic option for you yet), here are ten that will give you just as much for your money as a diesel.

The best eco-friendly petrol-powered puny cars

2017 Fiat Panda Effortless 0.9 TwinAir 5dr, £11,245

THE PANDA is, arguably, Fiat’s best car. It’s as unpretentious as an Italian mother’s homemade pasta and devoid of the retro dress sense of its five hundred sibling. It also happens to be good to drive, can seat five at a pinch and parking this petite package is a doddle.

Of the fresh generation of small-capacity, turbocharged petrol engines, the Twin Air has received most criticism for failing to get close to its official fuel consumption figure. That’s because, with just two cylinders under the bonnet, it needs to be worked hard to make meaningful progress. All the same, it is economical and brimful of character, and proves cheap to insure and service.

There are some jaw-dropping deals to be had on fresh Pandas, too, so it’s likely to prove even better value than its price suggests.

2017 Ford Fiesta Zetec 1.0 80PS Begin/Stop 3dr, £14,295

Very first, a word of warning. The Fiesta will be substituted by a fresh generation model, which goes on sale in July. But you know what? Don’t worry about it; the current model is such a cracking little thing that so long as you drive a hard bargain you’ll not be disappointed.

Some cars are more spacious inwards, others have more up-to-date technology, some are safer – but none drive as well as the Fiesta, as Jeremy Clarkson finds with the Zetec S Crimson Edition. It’s anxious and responsive, composed on long drives yet as a quick and agile as a motorcycle courier around town.

The three-cylinder, 80PS (79bhp) engine is no ball of fire. But it sounds pleasant enough and if need be you can opt for the more expensive, turbocharged EcoBoost version. But when the regular motor makes the car so cheap to buy and frugal to run, why bother?

2017 Renault Clio Play TCe ninety Eco 5dr, £14,265

WITH ITS chic dress sense and affordable prices, the Clio is as tempting as pavement table outside one of those utterly brilliant Parisian bistros that the locals never tell anyone else about.

Recently facelifted, this version of the Clio achieves its astounding fuel economy with the addition of the ECO pack, which brings taller gearing, low rolling resistance tyres and a lighter plastic tailgate. The turbocharged, three-cylinder engine is positively brimming with character compared to a hum-drum diesel, and the car rails, steers and treats with a remarkably grow-up feel.

There’s also a healthy amount of space in the cabin, and the boot will hold more than a baguette or two. All in all, it’s a good package. Read our utter review, here.

2017 Audi A1 1.0 TFSI Sport 95PS Sportback, £17,465

IF YOU want a puny, affordable car that trickles big-car build quality and has a posh badge on its nose, look no further than the Audi A1. This pint-size Audi has brought thousands of fresh drivers to the German car maker’s showrooms, and the majority have left as owners of an A1.

What do they like? Most likely the fact that the interior feels just as well made as that of a £130,000 R8. It’s also a good looking little hatchback, which stands out from the Fords, Hyundais, Kias and Renaults of this world.

But most of all, they’re attracted by the A1’s numbers. The three-cylinder, turbocharged petrol model is claimed to comeback up to 67mpg, and it’s so clean it’s exempt from road tax – until April, at least.

The best eco-friendly petrol-powered family hatchbacks

2017 Volkswagen Golf S 1.Four TSI 125PS 5dr, £19,320

• Fuel economy 54.3mpg
• CO2 120g/km
• Road tax before April 1, 2017 Free for very first year, £30 thereafter
• Road tax after April 1, 2017 £160 for very first year, then £140

JEREMY Clarkson summed up the universal appeal of the Volkswagen Golf when reviewing it for Driving. “The Golf is a byword for everything you indeed need from a car. It’s the response to every motoring question that’s been asked. You’re a youthfull tearaway and you want something joy? Buy a Golf GTI. You’re a family man who needs a sensible 2nd car? Buy a Golf diesel. You need to carry big fountains? Buy a Golf estate. You’re a teacher and you want something cheap and reliable to get you to the classroom every morning? Buy a second-hand Golf. You indeed, truly want to get cracking and you live in Zermatt? Buy a Golf R.”

You get the picture. It indeed is a Jack of all trades, and when fitted with the 1.4-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, it manages to stir at more than a snail’s enough rhythm when the family is aboard while sipping puny amounts of petrol. An updated model will be in showrooms imminently, but even so, the Golf is a class-leading car.

2017 Audi A3 1.Four TFSI SE Sportback, £22,595

IF A Golf is something of a common glance in your eyes, attempt the Audi A3 Sportback. The five-door hatchback is identically practical, feels upmarket when you’re sitting in it and drives almost as well as the Golf. Its 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine will comeback up to 61mpg, and has a useful helping of pulling power low in the rev range – peaking at just 1,500rpm – to make for effortless progress.

As with the Golf, there are all sorts of engines, gearboxes and trim levels to pick from. But to our mind, the 1.Four SE in the five-door figure makes for an ideal everyday car that should be a pleasure to live with.

Driving recently ran an extended test of an Audi A3 e-tron, and you can read all about our practices here. It’s a lot more expensive than a diesel or, for that matter, a regular petrol-engined model. But when driven in EV (electrified vehicle) mode, there are no local emissions, which may be appealing to some drivers.

2017 Mini Cooper Clubman, £20,205

• Fuel economy 55.4mpg
• CO2 118g/km
• Road tax before April 1, 2017 Free for very first year, £30 thereafter
• Road tax after April 1, 2017 £160 for very first year, then £140

IF YOU subscribe to the view that most modern cars are boring, take a test drive of a Mini Cooper Clubman. It’s joy to drive, packed with personality, the interior design is positively daring compared with most family hatchbacks and it’s got as much back seat space as an Audi A3 Sportback or VW Golf.

The three-cylinder turbocharged engine puts a skip in the Clubman’s step, and the steering and roadholding and better than Minis of old, which tended to be too hyperactive for some drivers’ tastes.

The boot doors, which open outwards like barn doors, are controversial, but once you’ve attempted them you’ll get the suspend of them. And they make loading the weekly shop a entire lot more interesting.

2017 Toyota Auris Active 1.8 VVT-I HybridSynergy Drive 5dr, £20,895

WE WON’T attempt and kid you: the Toyota Auris is not the most titillating car in the world to look at, sit in or drive. But just look at that claimed fuel economy figure: 80.7mpg! It’s better than most diesel-powered hatchbacks. As ever, achieving such feats of frugality is no mean feat, but own an Auris and you’d have time to practice.

The hybrid powertrain consists of a 1.8-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine and a battery-powered electrified motor that can propel the car up to 44mph before the petrol engine lends a arm.

It’s no niche model, either. In Europe, it has accounted for more than half the Auris models sold. And eventually, it’s built in Britain, if that matters to you.

The best eco-friendly petrol-powered SUVs

2017 Peugeot three thousand eight 1.Two PureTech one hundred thirty Stop/Commence Active, £23,195

• Fuel economy 55.4mpg
• CO2 117g/km
• Road tax before April 1, 2017 Free for very first year, £30 thereafter
• Road tax after April 1, 2017 £160 for very first year, then £140

AFTER TESTING the latest generation 3008, we concluded that Peugeot was right to have morphed it from a people carrier (MPV) to a faux-by-four, or SUV. It brings the car type du jour to the French car maker’s showrooms, and of its kind, this is a good ‘un.

The big surprise is its 1.2-litre petrol engine. In a five seat family SUV, you’d be forgiven for expecting it to fight to pull the skin off a rice pudding. But the three-cylinder motor is antsy as a puppy and brimming with character, yet refined, too. More importantly, its peak pulling power is developed at a low 1,750rpm, so it doesn’t need to be worked hard to make progress, meaning you’l stand a better chance of getting somewhere near its 55mpg combined fuel economy figure.

The rail is exceedingly convenient in the tradition of the best French cars, and its cabin and notably its boot are much more accommodating than a Nissan Qashqai. Give it a attempt.

2017 Mazda CX-5 Two.0 SE-L Nav 5dr, £23,195

DRIVING likes the CX-5 for a plain reason: it feels good to drive. There’s a lot more to the family SUV than that, but when you distil everything down, that’s what makes one car stand head and shoulders above the rest.

There are four-wheel drive models available, but you know what? You most likely don’t need it. Stick with a 2-litre, two-wheel drive petrol and you’ll have a sweet-handling car that is capable of returning up to 47mpg. Mazda’s Skyactive weight-reducing technology is the key here, with this 1,345kg SUV returning the kind of petrol economy that would have been unheard of a few years ago.

An all-new model will be coming to showrooms soon, so drive a hard bargain and we’re pretty sure you’ll love the drive.

Top ten petrol cars to buy instead of a diesel

Top ten petrol cars to buy instead of a diesel (updated)

FOR YEARS it’s been said that the “greenest” cars are diesel-powered. More fuel efficient and emitting less CO2, they are also fitted with special filters that trap harmful emissions from their engines.

But diesel’s reputation has plummeted. Research, very first exposed in The Sunday Times, found that the fuel is responsible for most of the pollution that can be attributed to 40,000 deaths per year in Britain.

The initial report, commissioned by Defra, the environment ministry, blamed diesel vehicles for a rise in nitrogen dioxide emissions and high levels of little toxic particulates that can pass through the lungs to come in every organ in the bod. Albeit much of the pollution is down to buses, lorries and taxis, David Carslaw, of King’s College London, a co-author of the report, also blamed European legislators for failing to put in place sturdy and realistic emissions testing.

Browse Fresh or USED cars for sale on driving.co.uk

“The key failure is that the European testing regime is too lenient and does not measure how vehicles perform when driven on real roads,” said Carslaw. “They all pass the test but our research shows that when driven on real roads they typically emit 4-5 times more than the tests suggest.”

Since the report’s release, Volkswagen has been caught cheating emissions tests in order to sell diesel cars in America. London is about to introduce a toxicity “T-charge” of £10 a day for older vehicles, which pollute far more than modern, cleaner engines, and other cities are to go after its lead.

Medical professionals have called for the government to eliminate diesel cars from Britain’s roads. And scientists have found that little particles in air pollution can significantly worsen infections and make them stiffer to treat with antibiotics.

All the while, improvements in technology have seen petrol-powered cars catch up diesels for cost-effectiveness.

“From an air quality point of view it is hard to find a major disadvantage with modern petrol cars”

Carslaw told Driving that air quality could still be improved if motorists switched from diesel to petrol-powered cars. “From an air quality point of view it is hard to find a major disadvantage with modern petrol cars. What most people would say is that petrol is worse than diesel for CO2 emissions. This is still true but even here, a puny, modern petrol vehicle can be very low emitting, and will give diesel a run for its money.”

The higher purchase cost of some diesel cars menaces to make them redundant against a fresh generation of petite, efficient, turbocharged petrol models. For example, the petrol-powered Ford Fiesta 1.0 Zetec costs £14,295 and comebacks 65.7mpg. A 1.Five TDCi diesel version of the Fiesta shows up much more economical at 88.3mpg but it costs £2,000 more. It would take a staggering twelve years to make up the difference in the money you save on fuel, based on the UK average of 7,900 miles per year.

Depreciation is toughly the same, whichever type of engine you choose, according to Cap, a vehicle pricing company. So if now is the time to switch to petrol cars (assuming plug-in electrified vehicles are not a realistic option for you yet), here are ten that will give you just as much for your money as a diesel.

The best eco-friendly petrol-powered puny cars

2017 Fiat Panda Effortless 0.9 TwinAir 5dr, £11,245

THE PANDA is, arguably, Fiat’s best car. It’s as unpretentious as an Italian mother’s homemade pasta and devoid of the retro dress sense of its five hundred sibling. It also happens to be good to drive, can seat five at a pinch and parking this petite package is a doddle.

Of the fresh generation of small-capacity, turbocharged petrol engines, the Twin Air has received most criticism for failing to get close to its official fuel consumption figure. That’s because, with just two cylinders under the bonnet, it needs to be worked hard to make meaningful progress. All the same, it is economical and brimful of character, and proves cheap to insure and service.

There are some jaw-dropping deals to be had on fresh Pandas, too, so it’s likely to prove even better value than its price suggests.

2017 Ford Fiesta Zetec 1.0 80PS Commence/Stop 3dr, £14,295

Very first, a word of warning. The Fiesta will be substituted by a fresh generation model, which goes on sale in July. But you know what? Don’t worry about it; the current model is such a cracking little thing that so long as you drive a hard bargain you’ll not be disappointed.

Some cars are more spacious inwards, others have more up-to-date technology, some are safer – but none drive as well as the Fiesta, as Jeremy Clarkson finds with the Zetec S Crimson Edition. It’s impatient and responsive, composed on long drives yet as a quick and agile as a motorcycle courier around town.

The three-cylinder, 80PS (79bhp) engine is no ball of fire. But it sounds pleasant enough and if need be you can opt for the more expensive, turbocharged EcoBoost version. But when the regular motor makes the car so cheap to buy and frugal to run, why bother?

2017 Renault Clio Play TCe ninety Eco 5dr, £14,265

WITH ITS chic dress sense and affordable prices, the Clio is as tempting as pavement table outside one of those utterly brilliant Parisian bistros that the locals never tell anyone else about.

Recently facelifted, this version of the Clio achieves its amazing fuel economy with the addition of the ECO pack, which brings taller gearing, low rolling resistance tyres and a lighter plastic tailgate. The turbocharged, three-cylinder engine is positively brimming with character compared to a hum-drum diesel, and the car rails, steers and treats with a remarkably grow-up feel.

There’s also a healthy amount of space in the cabin, and the boot will hold more than a baguette or two. All in all, it’s a good package. Read our utter review, here.

2017 Audi A1 1.0 TFSI Sport 95PS Sportback, £17,465

IF YOU want a puny, affordable car that trickles big-car build quality and has a posh badge on its nose, look no further than the Audi A1. This pint-size Audi has brought thousands of fresh drivers to the German car maker’s showrooms, and the majority have left as owners of an A1.

What do they like? Most likely the fact that the interior feels just as well made as that of a £130,000 R8. It’s also a good looking little hatchback, which stands out from the Fords, Hyundais, Kias and Renaults of this world.

But most of all, they’re attracted by the A1’s numbers. The three-cylinder, turbocharged petrol model is claimed to comeback up to 67mpg, and it’s so clean it’s exempt from road tax – until April, at least.

The best eco-friendly petrol-powered family hatchbacks

2017 Volkswagen Golf S 1.Four TSI 125PS 5dr, £19,320

• Fuel economy 54.3mpg
• CO2 120g/km
• Road tax before April 1, 2017 Free for very first year, £30 thereafter
• Road tax after April 1, 2017 £160 for very first year, then £140

JEREMY Clarkson summed up the universal appeal of the Volkswagen Golf when reviewing it for Driving. “The Golf is a byword for everything you indeed need from a car. It’s the response to every motoring question that’s been asked. You’re a youthful tearaway and you want something joy? Buy a Golf GTI. You’re a family man who needs a sensible 2nd car? Buy a Golf diesel. You need to carry big explosions? Buy a Golf estate. You’re a teacher and you want something cheap and reliable to get you to the classroom every morning? Buy a second-hand Golf. You indeed, truly want to get cracking and you live in Zermatt? Buy a Golf R.”

You get the picture. It indeed is a Jack of all trades, and when fitted with the 1.4-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, it manages to stir at more than a snail’s enough tempo when the family is aboard while sipping puny amounts of petrol. An updated model will be in showrooms imminently, but even so, the Golf is a class-leading car.

2017 Audi A3 1.Four TFSI SE Sportback, £22,595

IF A Golf is something of a common glance in your eyes, attempt the Audi A3 Sportback. The five-door hatchback is identically practical, feels upmarket when you’re sitting in it and drives almost as well as the Golf. Its 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine will comeback up to 61mpg, and has a useful helping of pulling power low in the rev range – peaking at just 1,500rpm – to make for effortless progress.

As with the Golf, there are all sorts of engines, gearboxes and trim levels to pick from. But to our mind, the 1.Four SE in the five-door figure makes for an ideal everyday car that should be a pleasure to live with.

Driving recently ran an extended test of an Audi A3 e-tron, and you can read all about our practices here. It’s a lot more expensive than a diesel or, for that matter, a regular petrol-engined model. But when driven in EV (electrified vehicle) mode, there are no local emissions, which may be appealing to some drivers.

2017 Mini Cooper Clubman, £20,205

• Fuel economy 55.4mpg
• CO2 118g/km
• Road tax before April 1, 2017 Free for very first year, £30 thereafter
• Road tax after April 1, 2017 £160 for very first year, then £140

IF YOU subscribe to the view that most modern cars are boring, take a test drive of a Mini Cooper Clubman. It’s joy to drive, packed with personality, the interior design is positively daring compared with most family hatchbacks and it’s got as much back seat space as an Audi A3 Sportback or VW Golf.

The three-cylinder turbocharged engine puts a skip in the Clubman’s step, and the steering and roadholding and better than Minis of old, which tended to be too hyperactive for some drivers’ tastes.

The boot doors, which open outwards like barn doors, are controversial, but once you’ve attempted them you’ll get the drape of them. And they make loading the weekly shop a entire lot more interesting.

2017 Toyota Auris Active 1.8 VVT-I HybridSynergy Drive 5dr, £20,895

WE WON’T attempt and kid you: the Toyota Auris is not the most titillating car in the world to look at, sit in or drive. But just look at that claimed fuel economy figure: 80.7mpg! It’s better than most diesel-powered hatchbacks. As ever, achieving such feats of frugality is no mean feat, but own an Auris and you’d have time to practice.

The hybrid powertrain consists of a 1.8-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine and a battery-powered electrified motor that can propel the car up to 44mph before the petrol engine lends a mitt.

It’s no niche model, either. In Europe, it has accounted for more than half the Auris models sold. And eventually, it’s built in Britain, if that matters to you.

The best eco-friendly petrol-powered SUVs

2017 Peugeot three thousand eight 1.Two PureTech one hundred thirty Stop/Embark Active, £23,195

• Fuel economy 55.4mpg
• CO2 117g/km
• Road tax before April 1, 2017 Free for very first year, £30 thereafter
• Road tax after April 1, 2017 £160 for very first year, then £140

AFTER TESTING the latest generation 3008, we concluded that Peugeot was right to have morphed it from a people carrier (MPV) to a faux-by-four, or SUV. It brings the car type du jour to the French car maker’s showrooms, and of its kind, this is a good ‘un.

The big surprise is its 1.2-litre petrol engine. In a five seat family SUV, you’d be forgiven for expecting it to fight to pull the skin off a rice pudding. But the three-cylinder motor is impatient as a puppy and brimming with character, yet refined, too. More importantly, its peak pulling power is developed at a low 1,750rpm, so it doesn’t need to be worked hard to make progress, meaning you’l stand a better chance of getting somewhere near its 55mpg combined fuel economy figure.

The rail is exceedingly comfy in the tradition of the best French cars, and its cabin and notably its boot are much more accommodating than a Nissan Qashqai. Give it a attempt.

2017 Mazda CX-5 Two.0 SE-L Nav 5dr, £23,195

DRIVING likes the CX-5 for a elementary reason: it feels good to drive. There’s a lot more to the family SUV than that, but when you distil everything down, that’s what makes one car stand head and shoulders above the rest.

There are four-wheel drive models available, but you know what? You most likely don’t need it. Stick with a 2-litre, two-wheel drive petrol and you’ll have a sweet-handling car that is capable of returning up to 47mpg. Mazda’s Skyactive weight-reducing technology is the key here, with this 1,345kg SUV returning the kind of petrol economy that would have been unheard of a few years ago.

An all-new model will be coming to showrooms soon, so drive a hard bargain and we’re pretty sure you’ll love the drive.

Top ten petrol cars to buy instead of a diesel

Top ten petrol cars to buy instead of a diesel (updated)

FOR YEARS it’s been said that the “greenest” cars are diesel-powered. More fuel efficient and emitting less CO2, they are also fitted with special filters that trap harmful emissions from their engines.

But diesel’s reputation has plummeted. Research, very first exposed in The Sunday Times, found that the fuel is responsible for most of the pollution that can be attributed to 40,000 deaths per year in Britain.

The initial report, commissioned by Defra, the environment ministry, blamed diesel vehicles for a rise in nitrogen dioxide emissions and high levels of little toxic particulates that can pass through the lungs to inject every organ in the bod. Albeit much of the pollution is down to buses, lorries and taxis, David Carslaw, of King’s College London, a co-author of the report, also blamed European legislators for failing to put in place sturdy and realistic emissions testing.

Browse Fresh or USED cars for sale on driving.co.uk

“The key failure is that the European testing regime is too lenient and does not measure how vehicles perform when driven on real roads,” said Carslaw. “They all pass the test but our research shows that when driven on real roads they typically emit 4-5 times more than the tests suggest.”

Since the report’s release, Volkswagen has been caught cheating emissions tests in order to sell diesel cars in America. London is about to introduce a toxicity “T-charge” of £10 a day for older vehicles, which pollute far more than modern, cleaner engines, and other cities are to go after its lead.

Medical professionals have called for the government to liquidate diesel cars from Britain’s roads. And scientists have found that little particles in air pollution can significantly worsen infections and make them stiffer to treat with antibiotics.

All the while, improvements in technology have seen petrol-powered cars catch up diesels for cost-effectiveness.

“From an air quality point of view it is hard to find a major disadvantage with modern petrol cars”

Carslaw told Driving that air quality could still be improved if motorists switched from diesel to petrol-powered cars. “From an air quality point of view it is hard to find a major disadvantage with modern petrol cars. What most people would say is that petrol is worse than diesel for CO2 emissions. This is still true but even here, a petite, modern petrol vehicle can be very low emitting, and will give diesel a run for its money.”

The higher purchase cost of some diesel cars menaces to make them redundant against a fresh generation of puny, efficient, turbocharged petrol models. For example, the petrol-powered Ford Fiesta 1.0 Zetec costs £14,295 and comebacks 65.7mpg. A 1.Five TDCi diesel version of the Fiesta emerges much more economical at 88.3mpg but it costs £2,000 more. It would take a staggering twelve years to make up the difference in the money you save on fuel, based on the UK average of 7,900 miles per year.

Depreciation is toughly the same, whichever type of engine you choose, according to Cap, a vehicle pricing company. So if now is the time to switch to petrol cars (assuming plug-in electrified vehicles are not a realistic option for you yet), here are ten that will give you just as much for your money as a diesel.

The best eco-friendly petrol-powered puny cars

2017 Fiat Panda Effortless 0.9 TwinAir 5dr, £11,245

THE PANDA is, arguably, Fiat’s best car. It’s as unpretentious as an Italian mother’s homemade pasta and devoid of the retro dress sense of its five hundred sibling. It also happens to be good to drive, can seat five at a pinch and parking this petite package is a doddle.

Of the fresh generation of small-capacity, turbocharged petrol engines, the Twin Air has received most criticism for failing to get close to its official fuel consumption figure. That’s because, with just two cylinders under the bonnet, it needs to be worked hard to make meaningful progress. All the same, it is economical and brimful of character, and proves cheap to insure and service.

There are some jaw-dropping deals to be had on fresh Pandas, too, so it’s likely to prove even better value than its price suggests.

2017 Ford Fiesta Zetec 1.0 80PS Embark/Stop 3dr, £14,295

Very first, a word of warning. The Fiesta will be substituted by a fresh generation model, which goes on sale in July. But you know what? Don’t worry about it; the current model is such a cracking little thing that so long as you drive a hard bargain you’ll not be disappointed.

Some cars are more spacious inwards, others have more up-to-date technology, some are safer – but none drive as well as the Fiesta, as Jeremy Clarkson finds with the Zetec S Crimson Edition. It’s impatient and responsive, composed on long drives yet as a quick and agile as a motorcycle courier around town.

The three-cylinder, 80PS (79bhp) engine is no ball of fire. But it sounds pleasant enough and if need be you can opt for the more expensive, turbocharged EcoBoost version. But when the regular motor makes the car so cheap to buy and frugal to run, why bother?

2017 Renault Clio Play TCe ninety Eco 5dr, £14,265

WITH ITS chic dress sense and affordable prices, the Clio is as tempting as pavement table outside one of those utterly brilliant Parisian bistros that the locals never tell anyone else about.

Recently facelifted, this version of the Clio achieves its exceptional fuel economy with the addition of the ECO pack, which brings taller gearing, low rolling resistance tyres and a lighter plastic tailgate. The turbocharged, three-cylinder engine is positively brimming with character compared to a hum-drum diesel, and the car rails, steers and treats with a remarkably grow-up feel.

There’s also a healthy amount of space in the cabin, and the boot will hold more than a baguette or two. All in all, it’s a good package. Read our utter review, here.

2017 Audi A1 1.0 TFSI Sport 95PS Sportback, £17,465

IF YOU want a puny, affordable car that trickles big-car build quality and has a posh badge on its nose, look no further than the Audi A1. This pint-size Audi has brought thousands of fresh drivers to the German car maker’s showrooms, and the majority have left as owners of an A1.

What do they like? Very likely the fact that the interior feels just as well made as that of a £130,000 R8. It’s also a good looking little hatchback, which stands out from the Fords, Hyundais, Kias and Renaults of this world.

But most of all, they’re attracted by the A1’s numbers. The three-cylinder, turbocharged petrol model is claimed to comeback up to 67mpg, and it’s so clean it’s exempt from road tax – until April, at least.

The best eco-friendly petrol-powered family hatchbacks

2017 Volkswagen Golf S 1.Four TSI 125PS 5dr, £19,320

• Fuel economy 54.3mpg
• CO2 120g/km
• Road tax before April 1, 2017 Free for very first year, £30 thereafter
• Road tax after April 1, 2017 £160 for very first year, then £140

JEREMY Clarkson summed up the universal appeal of the Volkswagen Golf when reviewing it for Driving. “The Golf is a byword for everything you indeed need from a car. It’s the response to every motoring question that’s been asked. You’re a youthful tearaway and you want something joy? Buy a Golf GTI. You’re a family man who needs a sensible 2nd car? Buy a Golf diesel. You need to carry big geysers? Buy a Golf estate. You’re a teacher and you want something cheap and reliable to get you to the classroom every morning? Buy a second-hand Golf. You indeed, truly want to get cracking and you live in Zermatt? Buy a Golf R.”

You get the picture. It truly is a Jack of all trades, and when fitted with the 1.4-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, it manages to budge at more than a snail’s enough rhythm when the family is aboard while sipping puny amounts of petrol. An updated model will be in showrooms imminently, but even so, the Golf is a class-leading car.

2017 Audi A3 1.Four TFSI SE Sportback, £22,595

IF A Golf is something of a common glance in your eyes, attempt the Audi A3 Sportback. The five-door hatchback is identically practical, feels upmarket when you’re sitting in it and drives almost as well as the Golf. Its 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine will comeback up to 61mpg, and has a useful helping of pulling power low in the rev range – peaking at just 1,500rpm – to make for effortless progress.

As with the Golf, there are all sorts of engines, gearboxes and trim levels to pick from. But to our mind, the 1.Four SE in the five-door bod makes for an ideal everyday car that should be a pleasure to live with.

Driving recently ran an extended test of an Audi A3 e-tron, and you can read all about our practices here. It’s a lot more expensive than a diesel or, for that matter, a regular petrol-engined model. But when driven in EV (electrical vehicle) mode, there are no local emissions, which may be appealing to some drivers.

2017 Mini Cooper Clubman, £20,205

• Fuel economy 55.4mpg
• CO2 118g/km
• Road tax before April 1, 2017 Free for very first year, £30 thereafter
• Road tax after April 1, 2017 £160 for very first year, then £140

IF YOU subscribe to the view that most modern cars are boring, take a test drive of a Mini Cooper Clubman. It’s joy to drive, packed with personality, the interior design is positively daring compared with most family hatchbacks and it’s got as much back seat space as an Audi A3 Sportback or VW Golf.

The three-cylinder turbocharged engine puts a skip in the Clubman’s step, and the steering and roadholding and better than Minis of old, which tended to be too hyperactive for some drivers’ tastes.

The boot doors, which open outwards like barn doors, are controversial, but once you’ve attempted them you’ll get the dangle of them. And they make loading the weekly shop a entire lot more interesting.

2017 Toyota Auris Active 1.8 VVT-I HybridSynergy Drive 5dr, £20,895

WE WON’T attempt and kid you: the Toyota Auris is not the most arousing car in the world to look at, sit in or drive. But just look at that claimed fuel economy figure: 80.7mpg! It’s better than most diesel-powered hatchbacks. As ever, achieving such feats of frugality is no mean feat, but own an Auris and you’d have time to practice.

The hybrid powertrain consists of a 1.8-litre, four-cylinder petrol engine and a battery-powered electrical motor that can propel the car up to 44mph before the petrol engine lends a palm.

It’s no niche model, either. In Europe, it has accounted for more than half the Auris models sold. And ultimately, it’s built in Britain, if that matters to you.

The best eco-friendly petrol-powered SUVs

2017 Peugeot three thousand eight 1.Two PureTech one hundred thirty Stop/Begin Active, £23,195

• Fuel economy 55.4mpg
• CO2 117g/km
• Road tax before April 1, 2017 Free for very first year, £30 thereafter
• Road tax after April 1, 2017 £160 for very first year, then £140

AFTER TESTING the latest generation 3008, we concluded that Peugeot was right to have morphed it from a people carrier (MPV) to a faux-by-four, or SUV. It brings the car type du jour to the French car maker’s showrooms, and of its kind, this is a good ‘un.

The big surprise is its 1.2-litre petrol engine. In a five seat family SUV, you’d be forgiven for expecting it to fight to pull the skin off a rice pudding. But the three-cylinder motor is anxious as a puppy and brimming with character, yet refined, too. More importantly, its peak pulling power is developed at a low 1,750rpm, so it doesn’t need to be worked hard to make progress, meaning you’l stand a better chance of getting somewhere near its 55mpg combined fuel economy figure.

The rail is exceedingly convenient in the tradition of the best French cars, and its cabin and notably its boot are much more accommodating than a Nissan Qashqai. Give it a attempt.

2017 Mazda CX-5 Two.0 SE-L Nav 5dr, £23,195

DRIVING likes the CX-5 for a plain reason: it feels good to drive. There’s a lot more to the family SUV than that, but when you distil everything down, that’s what makes one car stand head and shoulders above the rest.

There are four-wheel drive models available, but you know what? You very likely don’t need it. Stick with a 2-litre, two-wheel drive petrol and you’ll have a sweet-handling car that is capable of returning up to 47mpg. Mazda’s Skyactive weight-reducing technology is the key here, with this 1,345kg SUV returning the kind of petrol economy that would have been unheard of a few years ago.

An all-new model will be coming to showrooms soon, so drive a hard bargain and we’re pretty sure you’ll love the drive.

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