Automotive Blog Automotive Blog brings you the latest news, car reviews and information on the automotive industry.
Looking for a reliable, economical second-hand car that won’t cost the earth? The Ford Fiesta ECOnetic should definitely be on your shortlist…
Research by Warranty Direct has highlighted the used cars aged three years or older which offer the best combination of reliability and economy.
Warranty Direct analysed its 50,000 live policies, using its unique Reliability Index to measure overall reliability by combining rate of failure, average mileage, age and repair cost.
The results revealed that the Ford Fiesta ECOnetic, with an impressive combined MPG figure of 85.6 had the best mix of fuel economy and reliability.
The Smart Fortwo was able to match the Fiesta’s MPG figure and is unlikely to let its owners down, though it suffered slightly more mechanical faults than the Ford.
Ranking cars based on fuel economy in this instance, here are the most reliable makes and models (aged three years or more)…
Top 10 rated used ‘eco’ cars*
| Make and model | Year | Most economical derivative | Combined MPG | VED band | Reliability Index Score* | Largest claim* |
| Ford Fiesta | (08 – ) | 1.6 TDCi (95bhp) Edge ECOnetic II | 85 | A | 24 | 1,698.85 |
| Smart Fortwo | (07 – ) | CDI Pure 2d Auto | 85 | A | 50 | 918.89 |
| Skoda Fabia | (07 – ) | 1.2 TDI CR Greenline II | 83 | A | 32 | 1,043.15 |
| Peugeot 3008 | (09 – ) | 2.0 e-HDi Allure Hybrid4 | 74 | A | 29 | 801.20 |
| SEAT Ibiza | (06 – 09) | 1.4 TDi Ecomotive | 74 | A | 30 | 628.00 |
| Volkswagen Polo | (05 – ) | 1.4 BlueMotion TDI (80ps) | 74 | A | 50 | 2,615.23 |
| Toyota Auris | (07 – ) | 1.8 VVTi Hybrid T Spirit 5d CVT Auto | 70 | A | 39 | 1,509.56 |
| Citroen C3 Picasso | (09 – ) | 1.6 Hdi 8v 90 VTR+ | 68 | B | 40 | 732.00 |
| Toyota Yaris | (06 – ) | 1.4 D-4D TR | 67 | B | 32 | 1,646.49 |
| Nissan Note | (06 – ) | 1.5 (90bhp) dCi Visia | 67 | B | 34 | 2,019.70 |
*A higher Reliability Index rating means the vehicle is less reliable and more expensive to run
