Be honest. What do you care more about when buying a car, appearance or fuel efficiency? Well, when you consider that the top selling car brands in Singapore are Mercedes Benz, BMW, and Toyota – I think the answer is pretty clear. It’s both.
Unfortunately, if you want to buy a VERY fuel efficient car, you’re going to have to sacrifice “looks” about 90% of the time. That’s just how it is. But if you’re dead on buying an incredibly fuel efficient car and want to know what’s available – you’re reading the right article.
Here are the 5 most fuel efficient cars on Singapore’s roads today:
1. Peugeot 208 1.6 e-HDI Allure
The Peugeot 208 won’t win any awards for attractiveness. In fact, you can call this car the anti-Porsche because it’s the complete opposite in almost every way – speed, looks, and handling. But that’s not a bad thing.
That’s because in this “Tortoise and Hare” story, it’s the Peugeot that’ll outlast the Porsche every time when it comes to fuel economy.
Price: $124,900
Fuel: Diesel
Fuel Efficiency: 3.8 l/100km
Annual Fuel Cost: $1,234.62
2. Citroen DS5 2.0
The Citroen DS5 delivers almost the same fuel economy as the Peugeot 208, but with greater performance, comfort, and yes… looks. Of course, all that good stuff comes with a price tag that’s about $70,000+ more than the Peugeot.
So if you’re looking for a car with premium features and fuel economy that costs $100,000-$200,000 less than more popular German models, it’s a car worth checking out.
Price: $196,988
Fuel: Diesel
Fuel Efficiency: 3.9 l/100km
Annual Fuel Cost: $1,267.11
3. Toyota Prius CVT
The Toyota Prius has been on the market for more than a decade as one of the first mass-produced hybrid vehicles. It’s also one of the most divisive cars among drivers today because of its “unique” appearance.
Whether you think the Prius is “ugly” or you can suppress your ego and vanity enough to not care about appearance, it’s a car that’s built for one thing – lower fuel consumption.
Price: $128,988
Fuel: Petrol
Fuel Efficiency: 4.0 l/100km
Annual Fuel Cost: $1,816.40 (98 Octane Fuel)
4. Peugeot 508 RXH Diesel Hybrid4
When you look at the Peugeot 508 RXH Diesel Hybrid4, it’s hard to imagine that it’s a hybrid. It’s a fairly attractive vehicle that looks somewhat rugged and fun to drive.
You’re right. It is rugged, has a strong engine, is quite roomy, and is capable of four-wheel drive (4WD). And of course, it’s one of the most fuel efficient vehicles you can buy.
Granted, the interior of the vehicle isn’t as luxurious as say, an Audi – but then again, you’re paying mostly for fuel economy, not comfort on this one.
Price: $217,900
Fuel: Diesel
Fuel Efficiency: 4.0 l/100km
Annual Fuel Cost: $1,299.60
5. Mercedes Benz E300 BT Hybrid Sedan
If you have the budget to purchase a car that’s both beautiful AND fuel efficient, then the Mercedes Benz E300 BT Hybrid Sedan is THE car to buy.
Seriously, it doesn’t even look like a hybrid. And it doesn’t drive like one either – because this baby can go from 0km-100km in about 7.5 seconds. Plus, it has plenty of high-tech safety features such as active lane keeping assist and radar cruise control.
As far as hybrids go, this is probably the only one car on this list you’d choose if price wasn’t an issue. Unfortunately, it costs twice as much as the Peugeot 208.
Price: $282,888
Fuel: Diesel
Fuel Efficiency: 4.1 l/100km
Annual Fuel Cost: $1,332.09
Data Sources: For this article, all fuel efficiency data was collected from LTA fuel economy data. Fuel costs were calculated from the Shell station price board based on 19,000 km per year total (LTA average).
Final Note: There are plenty of reasons to buy a car other than just fuel economy, but with oil being an unstable commodity that’s subject to rapid price changes, fuel savings definitely shouldn’t be ignored.
Thankfully, there are credit cards that offer very good petrol discounts – just read our article 3 Best Credit Cards for Drivers in Singapore to find out more.
If you’re looking to purchase a car, you can check out our Car Loan Wizard to finance your purchase at the best possible interest rate. Oh, and don’t forget about car insurance!
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Images:
M 93, Kārlis Dambrāns, Rob Heittman, M 93, Daniel Böswald