Are 1.2-litre diesel engines economical?

Hi there,

What would be a typical mpg from a 2009 Polo 1.4 TDI if you're a steady and careful driver? What do you think about the 1.2 TDI engines? Are they too small to get good mpg? All the websites that deal with cars' mpg show 1.6 as being the most economical. Is this changing at all?

Regards David

David Taylor (Ennis)

Feb 2014 Filed under: fuel economy and emissions

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Expert answer

Hi David,

Depends on your driving style, but 55mpg should be a gimme, 60mpg if you're a bit careful and 70mpg if you're driving with baby kittens under the accelerator pedal.

You're quite right about 1.2 engines, at least for now. They usually have to be worked too hard to drive at normal speeds to get the best economy and, for now, 1.6 seems to be a displacement sweet spot. That will change though - just check out the economy you can get (with some effort) from Volkswagen's 1.2 TSI petrol unit.

Neil Briscoe - Complete Car Adviser
@neilmbriscoe