Which small car offers better fuel economy than the 1.6-litre Golf?

My mother recently had her reliable old Ford Fiesta written off after a car hit her. She has replaced it with an S-reg 1.6 Volkswagen Golf, but is only getting 26mpg. She bought it from a recommended local...

Should our Skoda Fabia return lower MPG than our Octavia?

For nine years we drove a Skoda Octavia 1.9TDIs. We downsized to a Fabia 1.6TDI expecting to get increased mpg but have been sadly disappointed. The Octavia usually averaged 52-54mpg and sometimes almost...

Are manufacturer's quoted mpg figures accurate?

I recently bought a 1.4 Vauxhall Meriva which ticked all my boxes, including a miles per gallon claim of 47. Having tested it over the first 1500 miles of mixed journeys I only achieved 37mpg. I went to...

Are engines becoming more efficient or not?

I recently bought a Hyundai i10 1.2 for my wife. It is an excellent car but only returns 42mpg compared to the stated 61mpg, less than my old Triumph Spitfire (47mpg) and early Ford Fiesta (44mpg). The...

Should I coast downhills to save fuel or leave the car in gear?

With my road tax renewal letter came a DoT leaflet on petrol saving. I was surprised by one of the tips: "Don't coast downhill or towards lights in neutral as this uses more fuel. Stay in gear and ease...

What do you think of the Honda Civic 1.8?

It’s time to change my 2002 Ford Focus 1.8 petrol Ghia estate which I've had since May 2006. Whatever I buy is likely to be my last car so I want something mildly exciting and reliable. I have in mind...

Is the Subaru Legacy too good to be true?

I'm on the hunt for an economical diesel estate with good performance. Is there anything that comes close to the performance/mpg/tax band/insurance group combination that one appears to get from the pre-2010...

Which small car to replace my wife's Volkswagen Polo C?

My wife drives a 1990 Volkswagen Polo C with 88,000 miles on the clock. It has no servo, no power steering, a stiff clutch and a grinding gearbox. It still keeps passing the MoT, however. She is coming...

What's the catch with the Lexus IS250?

What's the catch with the Lexus IS250? Servicing cost? Realistic MPG?

Which car to replace my BMW 1 Series?

My BMW 116i SE is now five years old and I am looking to replace it. Before I look at another BMW 1 Series, which I have no complaints of, is there something else to consider? I do about 8000 miles a year...