Most economical mild hybrid and non electrified cars

BrianD3 · 26-03-2025 11:44AM #1

Dur to poor career choices and personal circumstances, I may be going back to doing a stupidly long open road commute. It may be time to buy a car (new) to replace my diesel Megane - which I used for stupidly long commutes + driving for work for years and has nearly 600k kms on it as a result.

in 2025, what are the most economical ICE and MHEVs for long distances. I'm thinking Suzuki Swift petrol for about 22k and Skoda Octavia diesel which seems to be the cheapest new diesel available at about 35k. If Dacia sold the LPG Sandero here, that would be a very cheap to run car if one had a good value lpg supplier nearby. Anyway, the only lpg Dacia currently on sale in the Irish market is the Duster which is less economical than a petrol only Sandero.

Is there a list of WLTP ratings for every car on sale. The "extra high" WLTP figure is most relevant here. Some manufacturers state it in their brochures, others don't - just the combined figure.

User1998 · 26-03-2025 11:52AM

Well first of all, any fuel savings you make will be wiped out by the massive depreciation your going to suffer on a brand new car.

Second of all, hybrids will not be any more fuel efficient than a petrol car on the motorway. Especially a not mild hybrid, they don’t even generate enough power to drive the car without the engine. Suzuki Swift and Dacia Sandero are both terrible choices for a long commute

I think the smartest option here would be to buy a new or used long range EV. But you haven’t mentioned how long your daily commute is going to be.

Henry Ford III · 26-03-2025 12:11PM

I'd recommend a lightly used diesel in your circumstances.

BrianD3 · 26-03-2025 12:12PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123299485#Comment_123299485

What is terrible about the Sandero for a long commute? It is a brilliant car and space is comparable to my Megane. I've done long journeys in the old model Sandero (well the Logan MCV DCi) and it was decent on the motorway but bad on a bog road. The new one should be leagues ahead.

Depreciation - the Sandero costs 19k new. It would need the oil changed frequently to avoid potential timing chain issues but oil for the car is cheap and I can do an oil and filter change myself in a few minutes. Tyres etc. are also cheap. i would need to spend over 40k to get a new EV to do the sort of driving i'm talking about and it would be out of battery warranty within a couple of years, tyres would likely be twice the price of Sandero tyres.

I haven't driven the Swift, and it is an ugly car but the WLTP figure is better than the Sandero.

ELM327 · 26-03-2025 12:23PM

Buying a new car to do high kms is a waste in depreciation. Buying a small car to do that is worse again.

I did ridiculous commutes for years, what you need is an auto diesel with (adaptive)cruise control and comfy seats. And I would suggest buying a 2-4 year old version as they have already done most depreciation.

Alternatively a used tesla long range would be an option if you wanted EV (if not then the above holds, not looking for a pro vs anti EV debate)

User1998 · 26-03-2025 12:26PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123299558#Comment_123299558

If your happy to commute in a Sandero then by all means go for it. I was more comparing a €40k EV to a €35k Octavia. I wouldn’t even compare a decent EV to a Sandero.

GPoint · 26-03-2025 12:51PM

Suzuki swift for commute is only if you are young and fit!

Road noise on Irish coarse asphalt motorways and bumpy ride combined with the seats will wreck you before you start your working day and top it up with more pain when you return home.

techie · 26-03-2025 01:05PM

Wow, that is some mileage from the Megane, and that is coming from a fellow Renault owner and fan,

Why not get a fresher Megane with the same or newer engine and do the same again?

BrianD3 · 26-03-2025 01:23PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123299779#Comment_123299779

Megane is family owned from new, I looked after it from new and then inherited it when it was about 3 years old. Fuel economy does not seem to be as good as it was when new though. The NEDC combined for the car is 4.5 l/100 km which I used to match/beat often but not much now. I'd say a new Sandero petrol (5.3 l/100 km WLTP) may be a more economical car.

Yes I am considering used cars but it has been my strategy to buy new, and keep for a long time. With used cars I have various hangups about how previous owners will have maintained and driven them. I have heard that the later Blue DCi Euro 6 versions of the 1.5 are more problematic than the ones like mine which doesn't have a DPF at all.

BrianD3 · 26-03-2025 01:31PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123299724#Comment_123299724

I'll have to test drive it so. My main issue with the Swift at the moment is the front of it looks like a toilet seat.

Some opinions about small cars being small, noisy and sh1t are outdated. Things get better over time. Now maybe the Swift is indeed sh1t but the Sandero isn't. It has a decent length wheelbase and is wider than a Renault Laguna III

techie · 26-03-2025 01:51PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123299853#Comment_123299853

You are in luck, my wife has a 2024 Dacia Sandero TCE90, so fire away with any questions, I think its very economical as she is not complaining any longer about putting petrol in it :)

I drive a 2017 Kadjar 1.5 with the DPF, and do regular mileage, short runs and motorway runs regularly too, and no issues with it

BrianD3 · 26-03-2025 03:11PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123299937#Comment_123299937

Yeah your Kadjar has a DPF but I think Blue DCI only came in in 2018 and that added more complication to the venerable 1.5. which has been around and evolving for nearly 25 years.

GPoint · 26-03-2025 03:39PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123299871#Comment_123299871

I was test driving brand new swift in 2020 and I did not bother going out to m50 as it was obvious at 80kmh that insulation is non existent like many Japanese cars that are not Lexus or jeeps.

Maybe it improved but so as everything.

Some medium saloon cars now have double glazed acoustic glass.

BrianD3 · 26-03-2025 08:04PM

It's a real pity that Dacia have stopped selling the LPG Sandero here. Still on sale in the UK. Same price as the petrol one.

Petrol - 5.3 l/100 km WLTP

Dual Fuel - 5.4 l/100 km WLTP on petrol and 6.5 l/100 km WLTP on LPG. Over 1500 km WLTP range with both tanks filled

LPG prices in Ireland vary wildly, currently range from 0.9 to 1.8 euro per litre. Anything under about 1.4 euro per litre and you'd be saving money running on LPG.

Mild Hybrid Sandero supposed to be coming next year.

Nigzcurran · 26-03-2025 08:32PM

Mild hybrid is a waste of time if your looking for an economical car, I drove a mhev puma for 3 years and it was fairly thirsty

Henry Ford III · 26-03-2025 11:02PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123301384#Comment_123301384

I had 2 155bhp Puma's and they both averaged 50+mpg, with decent performance included.

colm reilly · 27-03-2025 01:15AM

i just bought a 2021 megane dci est 70,000 km .I do 170 km a day all motorway ,very happy with it .Coming out off a mk 5 mondeo 2.0 tdci .

Nigzcurran · 27-03-2025 08:20AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123301970#Comment_123301970

Mine was the 115bhp. Did an average of 35mpg. Great little car to drive in sport mode

Darwin · 27-03-2025 08:38AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123302447#Comment_123302447

I think you mean 125bhp version? I have that one and I average about 5.2km/100L (54mpg). Most of my driving is on R roads but with lots of gradient changes and two long motorway stints every month. The missus has the diesel version and she has averaged 3.7km/100L since 2021 (the fuel calculator has not been reset since new lol), unfortunately they don't offer them with the diesel engine anymore.

Nigzcurran · 27-03-2025 09:20AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123302466#Comment_123302466

Yeah sorry 125, puma was bought from new, 30k Kms over 3 years and never once went below 7l/100kms. That included daily driving around Dublin and monthly motorway trips to Kerry

Garzard · 27-03-2025 06:19PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123299597#Comment_123299597

Couldn't agree more. I regularly do a 250km commute - 500km when you include driving back again.

When replacing the Leaf last year, I was mostly looking at basic manual, petrol 2021~ Octavias - something in me was missing manual a bit. The brother convinced me to stick to larger, higher specced autos. In the end I bought a 2.0 Passat estate, a 2018 diesel Highline which had low miles and several thousands cheaper than even a base Octavia. I'm still relieved I took his advice, even though it was blunt.

Looking back, I was nuts to be aiming for smaller and lower spec for that kind of drive.

BrianD3 · 27-03-2025 08:01PM

I don't get why people think automatic transmission is so important. If you're on a motorway or N road, you're rarely changing gear. I'd be more likely to get an auto for doing a 30 km rush hour commute in Dublin than a 300 km open road commute.

A centre armrest is important as is a great heater which all ICE cars have.

Large cars - yes they are generally better, more planted, longer wheelbase and wider track. But as I said, the current Dacia Sandeo is wider than a Renault Laguna Mk3.

Bigger cars not necessarily better either. C segment car can be worse than a B segment in some ways. I found the Logan MCV more comfortable on most roads than several C segment cars - but on a bog road the Logan was very bouncy.

Nigzcurran · 27-03-2025 08:16PM

Adaptive cruise control needs an automatic to work which is a necessity for a relaxed long drive

BrianD3 · 27-03-2025 09:14PM

Fair enough, I've never had ACC on a car. I don't like normal CC.

techie · 27-03-2025 10:14PM

ACC does not need auto to work, we had a Seat Arona with it, and that was manual

techie · 27-03-2025 10:19PM

The Sandero Stepway we have is fine on all roads, once I adjusted the tyre pressures down from the 35psi on the doors,

The 1 litre 90bhp engine is also very willing, and fuel efficient,

Also due to a change in my job now, where I will not be driving as much, when I go to change, I will be looking for another Renault/Dacia with that engine too.

kirving · 27-03-2025 10:33PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123304982#Comment_123304982

ACC needs an auto to work to it's full potential.

Secondly, an Auto generally has more room for your left leg vs the manual equivalent which I find makes a big differnce on long drives.

@BrianD3 What's the commute distance and road? I'd be a major proponent of a larger car. I did Dublin-Galway weekly, and sometimes 2/3 times weekly for 10 years.

A car which is a few hundred kg heavier is only marginally less efficient (rolling resistance is far less than air resistance), but will bounce around far less. Seats will be comfier, noise isolation will be better, etc. It's not until you go from an E segment car back to a B-C segment do you realise what you're missing.

Flinty997 · 27-03-2025 10:41PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123304784#Comment_123304784

I've only had ACC on a EV. Love it. I use it also in crawling traffic.

Had CC on an auto diesel and it was useful but ACC is a much better.

PukkaStukka · 28-03-2025 12:53AM

I was seriously considering buying a new Sandero Stepway that was both petrol and LPG. It was a lovely car and offered very good bang for the buck. What dissuaded me in the end was the LPG itself: actually buying the stuff as it's not commonly available here, and being able to repair the system if it became faulty. There's not a lot of LPG specialist's out there, and I know from maintaining my own stuff that main dealers are unlikely to offer much support either once the warranty is finished

BrianD3 · 28-03-2025 09:01AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123305046#Comment_123305046

The length of the commute is uncertain - it would be a minimum of 200 km round trip but it could be 320 km round trip on mostly motorway.

There could be occasional 250 km of driving for work on top of the 200 km commute scenario.

Re: weight, my current C segment car weighs only 1215 kg and I've always found it excellent on long mway journeys and doesn't bounce on bog roads either. I've tried heavier cars and didn't find them much better if at all. E.g. I got a loan of an E Class when mine was in the garage and it was disappointing.

Flinty997 · 28-03-2025 09:11AM

The bounce is really about how it's damped (suspension) and set up. Some cars are good and some are bad.

Most economical mild hybrid and non electrified cars

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