- More real-world fuel consumption figures exposed
- VW Golf SV 2.0 TDI best of the latest cars to be scrutinised
Car buyers should look to the VW Golf SV 2.0 TDI if they want a car capable of getting close to its official claimed MPG figure, according to the latest batch of What Car? True MPG test results.
The Volkswagen achieved more than 83% of its claimed fuel consumption of 58.9 MPG.
The BMW 218d Active Tourer is the next most likely not to disappoint when it comes to fulfilling official figures in the real world, on 56.2mpg
Since launching True MPG two years ago, What Car? has tested almost 400 cars in real-world conditions, using cutting-edge test equipment, achieving economy figures that are an average of 19% lower than the Government figures.
At the other end of the scale, the Volvo V40 2.0 T5 R-Design was only capable of delivering 67.9% of its claimed 47.9 MPG – achieving a measly 32.5mpg.
Latest cars tested for True MPG
| Model | Official | True MPG | Percentage (%) of official |
| Audi A3 Saloon 1.6 TDI Sport | 72.4 | 52.7 | 72.8 |
| Audi A3 Cabriolet 2.0 TDI | 67.3 | 46.3 | 68.8 |
| Audi A6 2.0 TDI S line | 61.4 | 47.8 | 77.9 |
| BMW 218d Active Tourer | 68.9 | 56.2 | 81.6 |
| Mini Cooper 1.5 D | 78.5 | 58.7 | 74.8 |
| Toyota Yaris 1.33 VVT-I | 78.5 | 57.8 | 73.6 |
| Volvo V40 2.0 T5 R-Design | 47.9 | 32.5 | 67.8 |
| Volvo V40 2.0 D4 X-Country | 70.6 | 55.9 | 79.2 |
| VW Golf SV 2.0 TDI | 58.9 | 49 | 83.2 |
The official figures are achieved under laboratory conditions and can rarely be replicated in the real world.
What Car? True MPG data is scientifically calculated by experienced engineers, who drive test vehicles over a variety of real roads, including motorway, A and B roads and through towns and villages.
What Car? editor Jim Holder said: “What Car?’s True MPG test figures are genuinely reliable and achievable. Drivers, unfortunately, cannot trust the Government-sanctioned data because the tests are carried out in a laboratory.
“However, most buyers consider fuel consumption to be among the most important attributes of a car; that is why motorists should visit the website to check how well the car they intend to buy really performs.”
