I looking at changing the wifes car to something that is VERY good on fuel.
The main car is a XC70, which is not so good on fuel, but I am looking at using the car for my daily drive to work, which is a 60 mile round trip.
My budget is not great, between 3-4k, but really looking at something that can do 50mpg+ easily, sitting on the motorway at 60ish.
The overall look of the car is not important, just that it can do decent mpg - does anyone have any suggestions, as sometimes going by the
manufactures mpg figures, is not always true 
Spend £2k and get a vw bora/golf with the 110bhp engine. I do 40 miles each way to work and get a genuine 54mpg average over a year. That includes short runs too.
Fiesta 1.4 diesel. Small car feel but sits at 70 all day, uses very little fuel and £30 road tax.My wife has one and loves it.
No the Fiesta is rubbish, you have to rev it to death to get anywhere and it does about 45mpg nothing close to the stated figures. Were getting rid of our one in favor of a golf.
My Transit Connect! 1.8 TDCi on an 07 plate for the stunning bargain price of £4400 not VAT and no offers!
It does a genuine 56 mpg on a daily basis around here which is full of hills, and includeds pottering around town. I've done a few long runs and
it's returned over 62mpg.
My wife's C3 diesel gets close to 60 MPG on a run. We're about to put it up for sale. 54 plate. 53,000 miles. £4k
quote:
Originally posted by franky
Spend £2k and get a vw bora/golf with the 110bhp engine. I do 40 miles each way to work and get a genuine 54mpg average over a year. That includes short runs too.
Skoda Octavia 1.9tdi every time. My 90bhp one got to 100K miles and seemed to go from 55 to 60mpg overnight.
Thinking of buying another.
ford focus 1.6 diesel. 2008 onwards. i tested one on motorway 71 MPG.
Its also £30 road tax :O)
dave
My megane 1.5dci does 60ish. I got it up to 77mpg by going 60ish but it's a bit boring.
Only issue with them is the headlight change is a PITA and the fuel filter change is a ball ache.
Toyota yaris 1.0 petrol
Our does 52 mpg that's at 75 and town driving great car and petrol is cheaper too
I hope I'm not teaching anyone to suck eggs here, but do you realise you don't have to change the car to get a better MPG?
A lot (and its really surprising really how much) of fuel economy is how you drive. A few sensible changes to driving style can help a great deal. ie
don't rev the nuts off it, lees unnecessary braking, coasting in gear when slowing. Windows closed, no air-con, no roof rack, check tyres
pressures, no heavy loads in the boot etc etc. And driving with a full tank means you are carrying extra fuel if you keep 'brimming' instead
of full to empty.
Or are you using the fuel economy issue for just wanting a new car? There's nothing wrong with that, but don't expect to make huge savings
from going for better mpg.
Its like the people that say 'I'm only paying £35 road tax with my new car, isn't that a good saving'. My reply is usually
'Yeah, you sold a perfectly good car, spend another 12 grand to save about £80 a year. Well done' 
[Edited on 21/2/11 by balidey]
Prius? My parents have one and they manage a good 55mpg, during the crawl in traffic jams even better