Volvo S40 diesel DRIVe saloon offers 74.3 mpg

Yesterday we asked a similar question about hatchbacks over 70mpg and the answer was 144. However for saloon cars returning in excess of 60 combined mpg the number is 100, and over 70mpg, only four models and they are all Volvos.

It’s really easy to find the most economical cars using our Vehicle Type Leasing Shopper. Just choose the body style i.e. saloon, tick “all manufacturers”, set your combined mpg range from “60mpg to upwards” and then click the business contract hire button. Results will be displayed with the least expensive car leasing rental first and all cars that offer 60mpg combined fuel cycle.

SEAT Ibiza Copa Ecomotive offers 80+mpg

The cost of fuel continues to hit everyone’s pocket and if you are looking to change your car soon and you want to know which are the most econonical cars then try our Vehicle Type Leasing Shopper. You can choose the bodystyle of the car or van you are looking for, tick “all manufacturers”, then on the “Combined mpg range”, select “70mpg-upwards”, then click “business contract hire”.

The data powering the site comes from CAP, the UK’s number one vehicle data provider and is updated on a regular basis. There are currently 144 hatchbacks that offer you a combined mpg of 70mpg or more, and even some offering over 80mpg like the SEAT Ibiza diesel Sport Coupe 1.2TDI CR Ecomotive S Copa 3-door, or the Vauxhall Corsa diesel 1.3 CDTi 95bhp ecoFLEX S 3-door Start/Stop.

CLICK for the details of this leasing offer

The BMW 1 Series is a quality hatchback and we have a BMW 116i (2.0-litre) ES 3-door petrol hatchback on offer on BMW business car leasing from only £211.83+VAT per month. This oval-badged hatchback returns 46.3 combined mpg and emits only 143g/km of CO2 as well, yet reaches 0-62mph in only 9.8 seconds.

The BMW car leasing offer is based over 4-years, 10,000 miles per annum, non-maintained car leasing, on a 3+47 rental profile and other terms are available on request. This car also inclues metallic paint as a free of charge option as well.

Peugeot 308

The Peugeot ECO CUP was designed to see if four different standard Peugeot HDi diesel models, in the hands of everyday drivers, could better the official government fuel economy figures for the vehicles. The cars were driven over 600 miles of French and Swiss roads in heavy wintery conditions.

The average fuel consumption achieved by the winning drivers is as follows;

1. Peugeot 308 HDi FAP 110 – 89.95 mpg
2. Peugeot 207 HDi 90 - 87.10 mpg
3. Peugeot 5008  HDi FAP 110 – 84.77 mpg
4. Peugeot 3008 HDi FAP 110 – 79.10 mpg

Jon Goodman, Managing Director of Peugeot UK said,”This project has proven two things; that there are a lot of people out there interested in doing their bit for the planet by stretching fuel economy to the max; and that this can be achieved in standard Peugeot diesel cars, with our new 5008 7-seater MPV nearly cracking 85mpg and our 308 5-door family hatch pushing 90 mpg”. Peugeot contract hire prices are available now and you can also search by combined mpg using the Super Shopper.

Avensis Tourer

Toyota has announced two new Optimal Drive engines for the Avensis range with a 1.6-litre Valvematic and 2.2-litre D-CAT 150 plus making the popular 1.8-litre Valvematic more widely available. The headlines of the three new additions are as follows.

1.6 Valvematic 

- 130bhp, 152g/km CO2 emissions(153g/km for the tourer), 43.5mpg on the combined cycle.

- Six-speed manual transmission and accelerates from 0-62mph in 10.4 seconds (tourer in 10.6)

- Available in T2 and TR grade saloon and tourer models.

1.8 Valvematic

- Now available in T2, TR and T4 grade saloons and tourer models with manual or Multidrive S transmissions

2.2 D-CAT 150 with automatic transmission

- CO2 emissions of 169g/km (174 for tourer) and 44.1mpg in combined cycle (42.8 tourer)

- The new six speed automatic transmission (as a standard option) helps the car accelerate from 0-62mph on 9.5 for the saloon and 9.8 seconds for the tourer.

- In addition T Spirit versions of the Avensis with this new engine can have the option of the “Pre-Crash Safety Pack” which uses minature radar to predict a collision and initiates warnings and safety systems to counter the occurence. The safety features are Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Keep Assist and Lane Departure warning.

New Peugeot 3008

Peugeot has released details of the new Peugeot 3008 which is targeted at the medium car segment. The new Peugeot 3008 can provide something a bit different and has the flexibility and space of an MPV, the rugged looks of an SUV and the vehicle dynamics of a family hatchback.  

New Peugeot 3008

The model range will consist of three trim levels, Active, Sport and Exclusive with six power trains on offer. There are eight exterior body colours and two standard interior trims, Sibayak black cloth (Active) and Ombrage black cloth (Sport and Exclusive) with Claudia black integral leather available as a cost option.

“Active” standard specification highlights include;

17-inch steel wheels with Michelin Energy Saver tyres, cloth interior trim, leather steering wheel, RD4 Radio/single CD player, front fog-lights, electric front windows, air-conditioning, Multiflex interior (flat folding rear seats), automatic parking brake with hill-assist, ESP, remote central locking, ABS brakes with EBFD (Electronic Brake Distribution Force).

The 3008 will have a range of competitors, such as.

The combined fuel economy consumption ranges from 38.2mpg to 57.7mpg and contract hire prices should be available shortly.

smart in police livery

Mercedes-Benz supplied a smart fortwo demonstrator for the Tayside Police to use at the T in the Park festival. The smart was decked out in full police livery and following its appearance, several other Scottish police forces are now going to give the car a trial, including Lothian and Borders, Strathclyde, Fife and Central Scotland constabularies.

Graham Strachan, Tayside’s Police Fleet Manager said;”The fuel consumption and carbon footprint of vehicles is now high on the agenda of every police force in the country. smart’s reputation for economy and low emissions is well-known so it was perfect for us to evaluate it at T in the Park.

The smart micro hybrid drive (mhd) incorporates a stop-start function which turns off the engine if idling at less than 5mph and instantly re-starting when the brake pedal is released. The smart mhd models emit only 103g/km of CO2. The recently launched smart fortwo cdi offers a staggering 85.6 miles per gallon on the combined fuel cycle and offers very low car CO2 emissions of 88g/km.

New BMW X1

BMW started a new segment ten years ago when they launched the X5, which has had critical acclaim worldwide with over 1.5 million units sold. BMW X3 and the BMW X6 then followed and now BMW is introducing a new model called the BMW X1.

Key styling has been taken from the X5 but the concept of a sports activity vehicle is now available in a much smaller and affordable package. Power comes from a choice of three diesel engines and for the first time on a BMW you also have the option of rear-wheel drive (sDrive) or four-wheel drive (xDrive).

The new range – key data

Most BMW X1′s come standard with a six-speed manual gearbox however the xDrive2.3d SE has a six-speed Sport automatic gearbox with gear change paddles on the steering wheel. Apart from the xDrive23d SE, all the models in the range sit nicely under the new tax threshold of CO2 emissions of160g/km. Fuel economy looks good with combined mpg ranging from 44.8 to 54.3 depending on which model you choose. 

As you would expect from BMW, all models have the highly recommended BMW EfficientDynamics technology incorporated into the package and for the first time on an X product, Auto Start-Stop has also been introduced (manual cars only). The rest of efficiency attributes include Brake Energy Regeneration, optimised aerodynamics, optimum shift indicator and on-demand use of ancillary units to name just a few.

New BMW X1

The styling of the new BMW X1 is sleek, stylish, sporting and practical and the profile of the car doesn’t do justice to the space inside, which comfortably seats five adults plus luggage. All the main controls and dashboard display inside the car are angled towards the driver, another nice touch. You also gets loads of storage space with large door pockets, trays and other storage areas to keep your personal effects.

The BMW X1 goes on sale in the UK on the 24th October 2009 however the sDrive18d and xDrive1.8d variants will not be out until December. Full BMW car leasing pricing is currently available on all other makes and models.

MX-5 celebrates 20 years

The world’s best selling sports car, the Mazda MX-5, has been upgraded for 2009 and also celebrates its 20th anniversary. Available in Open Top and Mazda MX-5 Roadster Coupe model line-up, the car gets an athletic new styling, enhanced specification levels, better fuel economy and lower CO2 emissions. There is also a new option for a PowerShift six-speed sequential paddle-shift transmission as well.

Outside the MX-5 gets a new five point lower air intake, new head-lights and tail-lights, rakish front foglamp housings, restyled front and rear bumpers and more prominent side sills. The flagship MX-5 Roadster Coupe enjoys additional items like a new mesh front grille surrounded by chrome look edge trim plus chrome around the headlamps and exterior door handles.

2009 Mazda MX-5

There are four power-trains to choose from, in the new 2009 MX-5 range, namely 126ps 1.8i, the 160ps 2.0i with five speed gearbox, the 160ps 2.0i with revised six-speed gearbox and the new 160ps 2.0i “PowerShift” six-speed sequential paddle-shift transmission with full-auto mode.

CO2 emissions for the MZR 1.8i engine have dropped from 174g/km to 167 g/km with combined fuel economy rising from 38.7 mpg to 40.4 mpg. The MZR 2.0i (with five-speed manual) returns a combined fuel economy of 38.2, up from 36.7 mpg, with emissions dropping from 183g/km to 177 g/km. The MZR 2.0i (with six-speed manual) climbs to 37.2 mpg from 36.7 mpg with CO2 emissions dropping fom 183 g/km to 181 g/km. 

Every 2009 Mazda MX-5 now comes with alloy wheels, a leather steering wheel, gear knob and handbrake, plus an MP3-compatible audio system with six speakers and a new auxillary (AUX) input jack for MP3 player and iPod connection.

Jeremy Thomson, Mazda UK’s managing director said “The 2009 MX-5 effectively builds on the qualities that have made Mazda’s two seater roadster the best-selling sportscar in the world. The unbridled dynamism and engagement of this 2009 model range can trace a clear and direct line to the 1990 original, a car that single-handledly resuscitated the small and afforbable roadster market”. Mazda car leasing prices are available on the whole range now.

BMW 316d ES Saloon

BMW has launched the cleanest and fuel efficient 3 series car with a new 316d ES Saloon. Powered by a 1,995cc four-cylinder diesel engine this car records 62.8mpg on the combined cycle which is enough to give the car a possible range of 800 miles plus. When you also look at the CO2 output of this new model at 118g/km this vehicle is bound to be a hit with company car drivers.

The car reaches 0-62mph in a respectable 10.9 seconds and has a top speed of 125mph where permitted. Standard specification  includes air-conditioning, multi-function leather steering wheel, front and rear ISOFIX child seat attachments, front foglights and BMW’s EfficientDynamics programme. Power is transmitted to the road by a six-speed manual gearbox and the car goes on sale in September when BMW car leasing prices on this model will be available.

The key facts