Key facts
- Covers 5 body types: Car, Small SUV, SUV/4x4, Bakkie, MPV — across 6 five-year eras from 1995 to 2025
- All figures are manufacturer combined-cycle data for SA-specification vehicles
- Pre-2008 figures use NEDC testing; 2017 onward use WLTP (typically 10–15% higher than NEDC)
- Small SUV segment did not exist in SA before 2001
- Bakkie figures are for single-cab variants unless otherwise noted
- At current July 2026 prices (~R27/l), a 1 L/100km difference over 20,000 km/year costs ~R5,400/year
At current pump prices, fuel efficiency matters more than it ever has. A vehicle that uses 1 L/100km more than its closest rival costs you an extra R5,400 per year at 20,000 km annually and R27/litre — before servicing, tyres, or insurance.
This guide covers the top 5 most fuel-efficient vehicles sold in South Africa across five body types and six five-year eras from 1995 to 2025. Use the tabs to navigate by era.
Testing methodologyPre-2008 figures use the NEDC (New European Driving Cycle) test. From 2017 onward, figures are WLTP (Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicles Test Procedure), which is typically 10–15% higher than NEDC. This means a direct comparison between eras will slightly overstate the improvement in modern vehicles. All figures are manufacturer combined-cycle data for SA-specification vehicles.
Browse by era
Petrol
CarPetrol
| #1 | VW Polo 1.6 Classic | 7.8 L/100km |
| 2 | Toyota Corolla 160i | 8.1 L/100km |
| 3 | Honda Ballade 1.5 | 8.2 L/100km |
| 4 | Ford Fiesta 1.3 | 8.4 L/100km |
| 5 | Opel Kadett 1.4 | 8.6 L/100km |
SUV / 4x4Petrol
| #1 | Toyota RAV4 2.0 | 9.8 L/100km |
| 2 | Suzuki Vitara 1.6 | 10.2 L/100km |
| 3 | Daihatsu Feroza 1.6 | 10.5 L/100km |
| 4 | Honda CR-V 2.0 | 10.8 L/100km |
| 5 | Land Rover Freelander 1.8 | 11.2 L/100km |
BakkiePetrol
| #1 | Toyota Hilux 2.0 s/c | 9.5 L/100km |
| 2 | Ford Ranger 2.5 Courier | 10.2 L/100km |
| 3 | Mazda B2500 2.5 | 10.5 L/100km |
| 4 | Nissan Hardbody 2.0 | 10.8 L/100km |
| 5 | Mitsubishi Colt 2.0 | 11.0 L/100km |
MPVPetrol
| #1 | Toyota Condor 2.0 | 10.2 L/100km |
| 2 | VW Caravelle 2.5 | 11.5 L/100km |
| 3 | Nissan Serena 2.0 | 11.8 L/100km |
| 4 | Toyota HiAce 2.4 | 12.0 L/100km |
| 5 | Mitsubishi Space Wagon 2.0 | 12.2 L/100km |
Diesel
CarDiesel
| #1 | VW Golf III 1.9 TDI | 6.2 L/100km |
| 2 | Peugeot 306 1.9 TD | 6.5 L/100km |
| 3 | BMW 318tds E36 | 6.8 L/100km |
| 4 | Mercedes C220 D | 7.0 L/100km |
| 5 | Opel Astra 1.7 DTiC | 7.2 L/100km |
SUV / 4x4Diesel
| #1 | Mitsubishi Pajero 2.5 TDI | 10.5 L/100km |
| 2 | Land Rover Discovery TDI | 11.2 L/100km |
| 3 | Land Rover Defender 300 TDI | 11.8 L/100km |
| 4 | Nissan Patrol 2.8 TD | 13.0 L/100km |
| 5 | Toyota Land Cruiser 4.2 D | 13.5 L/100km |
BakkieDiesel
| #1 | Toyota Hilux 2.4 D s/c | 8.8 L/100km |
| 2 | Nissan Hardbody 2.7 D | 9.2 L/100km |
| 3 | Isuzu KB 2.5 D | 9.5 L/100km |
| 4 | Mitsubishi Colt 2.5 D | 9.8 L/100km |
| 5 | Ford Ranger 2.5 D | 10.0 L/100km |
MPVDiesel
| #1 | Toyota HiAce 2.4 D | 11.0 L/100km |
| 2 | Mercedes-Benz Vito 2.3 TD | 10.8 L/100km |
| 3 | VW Caravelle 2.4 D | 11.5 L/100km |
| 4 | Nissan Serena 2.3 D | 12.0 L/100km |
| 5 | Mitsubishi Space Gear 2.5 TD | 12.5 L/100km |
Petrol
CarPetrol
| #1 | Toyota Yaris 1.3 T3 | 6.8 L/100km |
| 2 | VW Polo 1.4 9N | 7.0 L/100km |
| 3 | Hyundai Getz 1.3 | 7.2 L/100km |
| 4 | Toyota Corolla 1.4 120i | 7.5 L/100km |
| 5 | Honda Civic 1.5 | 7.8 L/100km |
Small SUVPetrol
| #1 | Suzuki Grand Vitara 1.6 | 9.5 L/100km |
| 2 | Honda CR-V 2.0 | 9.8 L/100km |
| 3 | Toyota RAV4 2.0 | 10.0 L/100km |
| 4 | Hyundai Tucson 2.0 | 10.5 L/100km |
| 5 | Ford Escape 2.3 | 11.0 L/100km |
SUV / 4x4Petrol
| #1 | Toyota Fortuner 4.0 V6 | 13.5 L/100km |
| 2 | Nissan Pathfinder 3.5 V6 | 13.8 L/100km |
| 3 | Mitsubishi Pajero 3.5 V6 | 14.0 L/100km |
| 4 | Land Rover Discovery 3 V8 | 16.0 L/100km |
| 5 | Toyota Land Cruiser 100 4.7 V8 | 17.5 L/100km |
BakkiePetrol
| #1 | Toyota Hilux 2.0 s/c | 9.2 L/100km |
| 2 | Ford Ranger 2.3 | 10.0 L/100km |
| 3 | Nissan Hardbody 2.4 | 10.5 L/100km |
| 4 | Isuzu KB 240 LE | 10.8 L/100km |
| 5 | Mitsubishi Colt 2.4 | 11.0 L/100km |
MPVPetrol
| #1 | Toyota Avanza 1.5 | 9.5 L/100km |
| 2 | Nissan Livina 1.6 | 9.8 L/100km |
| 3 | Kia Carnival 2.5 | 12.0 L/100km |
| 4 | Toyota HiAce 2.7 | 12.5 L/100km |
| 5 | Chevrolet Venture 3.4 | 14.0 L/100km |
Diesel
CarDiesel
| #1 | VW Polo 1.9 TDI | 5.5 L/100km |
| 2 | VW Golf IV 1.9 TDI | 5.8 L/100km |
| 3 | Mercedes C220 CDI | 6.0 L/100km |
| 4 | BMW 320d E46 | 6.2 L/100km |
| 5 | Audi A4 1.9 TDI | 6.5 L/100km |
Small SUVDiesel
| #1 | Honda CR-V 2.0 CTDi | 8.2 L/100km |
| 2 | Hyundai Tucson 2.0 CRDi | 8.5 L/100km |
| 3 | Kia Sportage 2.0 CRDi | 8.8 L/100km |
| 4 | Toyota RAV4 2.0 D-4D | 9.0 L/100km |
| 5 | Suzuki Grand Vitara 1.9 DDiS | 9.2 L/100km |
SUV / 4x4Diesel
| #1 | Toyota Fortuner 3.0 D-4D | 9.8 L/100km |
| 2 | Nissan Pathfinder 2.5 dCi | 10.2 L/100km |
| 3 | Mitsubishi Pajero 3.2 DID | 10.5 L/100km |
| 4 | Land Rover Discovery 2.7 TDV6 | 11.0 L/100km |
| 5 | Toyota Land Cruiser 100 4.2 D | 13.0 L/100km |
BakkieDiesel
| #1 | Toyota Hilux 2.5 D-4D s/c | 7.8 L/100km |
| 2 | Isuzu KB 250 D-TEC | 8.2 L/100km |
| 3 | Ford Ranger 2.5 TDCi | 8.5 L/100km |
| 4 | Nissan Hardbody 2.5 D | 9.0 L/100km |
| 5 | Mitsubishi Colt 2.5 TD | 9.2 L/100km |
MPVDiesel
| #1 | Nissan Primastar 1.9 dCi | 9.8 L/100km |
| 2 | Mercedes-Benz Vito 2.2 CDI | 9.5 L/100km |
| 3 | Toyota HiAce 2.5 D-4D | 10.5 L/100km |
| 4 | VW Caravelle 2.5 TDI | 10.8 L/100km |
| 5 | Mitsubishi Delica 2.8 TD | 12.0 L/100km |
Petrol
CarPetrol
| #1 | Toyota Yaris 1.0 XP90 | 6.2 L/100km |
| 2 | Chevrolet Spark 1.0 | 6.5 L/100km |
| 3 | Hyundai i10 1.1 | 6.8 L/100km |
| 4 | VW Polo Vivo 1.4 | 7.0 L/100km |
| 5 | Toyota Corolla 1.4 Quest | 7.5 L/100km |
Small SUVPetrol
| #1 | Ford EcoSport 1.6 | 9.0 L/100km |
| 2 | Suzuki Grand Vitara 1.6 | 9.2 L/100km |
| 3 | Honda CR-V 2.0 | 9.5 L/100km |
| 4 | Hyundai Tucson 2.0 | 10.0 L/100km |
| 5 | Kia Sportage 2.0 | 10.2 L/100km |
SUV / 4x4Petrol
| #1 | Nissan X-Trail 2.0 | 11.5 L/100km |
| 2 | Mitsubishi Outlander 2.4 | 11.8 L/100km |
| 3 | Toyota Fortuner 2.7 VVT-i | 12.0 L/100km |
| 4 | Land Rover Discovery 3 V6 | 14.5 L/100km |
| 5 | Toyota Land Cruiser 200 4.0 V6 | 14.8 L/100km |
BakkiePetrol
| #1 | Toyota Hilux 2.0 VVT-i s/c | 8.8 L/100km |
| 2 | Ford Ranger 2.3 | 9.5 L/100km |
| 3 | Nissan NP300 2.0 | 9.8 L/100km |
| 4 | Isuzu KB 240 LE | 10.5 L/100km |
| 5 | Mitsubishi Triton 2.4 MIVEC | 10.8 L/100km |
MPVPetrol
| #1 | Toyota Avanza 1.5 | 9.0 L/100km |
| 2 | Nissan Livina 1.6 | 9.5 L/100km |
| 3 | Toyota HiAce 2.7 | 12.0 L/100km |
| 4 | Hyundai H-1 2.4 | 12.5 L/100km |
| 5 | Kia Grand Carnival 2.7 | 13.0 L/100km |
Diesel
CarDiesel
| #1 | VW Polo 1.9 TDI 9N3 | 5.2 L/100km |
| 2 | VW Golf V 1.9 TDI | 5.5 L/100km |
| 3 | BMW 320d E90 | 5.8 L/100km |
| 4 | Mercedes C200 CDI | 5.9 L/100km |
| 5 | Audi A4 2.0 TDI | 6.2 L/100km |
Small SUVDiesel
| #1 | Hyundai Tucson 2.0 CRDi | 7.8 L/100km |
| 2 | Kia Sportage 2.0 CRDi | 8.0 L/100km |
| 3 | Honda CR-V 2.2 CDTi | 8.2 L/100km |
| 4 | Suzuki Grand Vitara 1.9 DDiS | 8.5 L/100km |
| 5 | Ford EcoSport 1.6 TDCi | 8.8 L/100km |
SUV / 4x4Diesel
| #1 | Nissan X-Trail 2.2 dCi | 9.0 L/100km |
| 2 | Toyota Fortuner 3.0 D-4D | 9.2 L/100km |
| 3 | Mitsubishi Outlander 2.0 DI-D | 9.5 L/100km |
| 4 | Mitsubishi Pajero 3.2 DID | 10.0 L/100km |
| 5 | Land Rover Discovery 3 2.7 TDV6 | 10.5 L/100km |
BakkieDiesel
| #1 | Toyota Hilux 2.5 D-4D s/c | 7.5 L/100km |
| 2 | Ford Ranger 2.5 TDCi s/c | 7.8 L/100km |
| 3 | Isuzu KB 250 D-TEC | 8.0 L/100km |
| 4 | Nissan Navara 2.5 dCi | 8.5 L/100km |
| 5 | Mitsubishi Triton 2.5 TD | 9.0 L/100km |
MPVDiesel
| #1 | Nissan NV200 1.5 dCi | 8.8 L/100km |
| 2 | Mercedes-Benz Vito 2.2 CDI | 9.0 L/100km |
| 3 | Hyundai H-1 2.5 CRDi | 9.8 L/100km |
| 4 | VW Caravelle 2.5 TDI | 10.0 L/100km |
| 5 | Toyota HiAce 2.5 D-4D | 10.2 L/100km |
Petrol
CarPetrol
| #1 | VW Polo 1.2 TSI BlueMotion | 5.8 L/100km |
| 2 | Toyota Yaris 1.0 XP130 | 6.0 L/100km |
| 3 | Chevrolet Spark 1.0 | 6.2 L/100km |
| 4 | Hyundai i10 1.0 | 6.3 L/100km |
| 5 | Ford Fiesta 1.0 EcoBoost | 6.5 L/100km |
Small SUVPetrol
| #1 | Ford EcoSport 1.0 EcoBoost | 7.8 L/100km |
| 2 | Hyundai Creta 1.6 | 8.2 L/100km |
| 3 | Kia Sportage 1.6 GDi | 8.5 L/100km |
| 4 | Renault Duster 1.6 | 8.8 L/100km |
| 5 | Nissan Qashqai 1.2 DIG-T | 9.0 L/100km |
SUV / 4x4Petrol
| #1 | Mitsubishi Outlander 2.0 | 10.8 L/100km |
| 2 | Nissan X-Trail 2.0 | 11.0 L/100km |
| 3 | Toyota Fortuner 2.7 VVT-i | 11.5 L/100km |
| 4 | Toyota Land Cruiser 200 4.0 V6 | 14.2 L/100km |
| 5 | Land Rover Discovery 4 V6 | 14.5 L/100km |
BakkiePetrol
| #1 | Toyota Hilux 2.0 VVT-i s/c | 8.5 L/100km |
| 2 | Ford Ranger 2.2 | 9.0 L/100km |
| 3 | Nissan NP300 2.0 | 9.2 L/100km |
| 4 | Isuzu KB 240 | 10.0 L/100km |
| 5 | Mitsubishi Triton 2.4 MIVEC | 10.2 L/100km |
MPVPetrol
| #1 | Toyota Avanza 1.5 | 8.8 L/100km |
| 2 | Nissan NV200 1.6 | 9.0 L/100km |
| 3 | Kia Sportage 2.0 | 10.5 L/100km |
| 4 | Toyota HiAce 2.7 | 12.0 L/100km |
| 5 | Hyundai H-1 2.4 | 12.2 L/100km |
Diesel
CarDiesel
| #1 | VW Polo 1.6 TDI | 4.5 L/100km |
| 2 | VW Golf VI 2.0 TDI | 4.8 L/100km |
| 3 | Audi A3 2.0 TDI | 5.0 L/100km |
| 4 | BMW 320d F30 | 5.0 L/100km |
| 5 | Mercedes C220 CDI | 5.2 L/100km |
Small SUVDiesel
| #1 | Ford EcoSport 1.5 TDCi | 6.5 L/100km |
| 2 | Renault Duster 1.5 dCi | 6.5 L/100km |
| 3 | Nissan Qashqai 1.5 dCi | 6.7 L/100km |
| 4 | Hyundai Creta 1.4 CRDi | 6.8 L/100km |
| 5 | Kia Sportage 1.7 CRDi | 6.9 L/100km |
SUV / 4x4Diesel
| #1 | Nissan X-Trail 2.0 dCi | 8.2 L/100km |
| 2 | Toyota Fortuner 3.0 D-4D | 8.8 L/100km |
| 3 | Mitsubishi Pajero 3.2 DID | 9.5 L/100km |
| 4 | Land Rover Discovery 4 3.0 TDV6 | 10.2 L/100km |
| 5 | Toyota Prado 3.0 D-4D | 10.5 L/100km |
BakkieDiesel
| #1 | Toyota Hilux 2.5 D-4D s/c | 7.2 L/100km |
| 2 | Ford Ranger 2.2 TDCi s/c | 7.5 L/100km |
| 3 | Isuzu KB 250 D-TEC | 7.8 L/100km |
| 4 | Nissan Navara 2.5 dCi | 8.0 L/100km |
| 5 | Mitsubishi Triton 2.5 DI-D | 8.5 L/100km |
MPVDiesel
| #1 | Nissan NV200 1.5 dCi | 8.0 L/100km |
| 2 | Mercedes-Benz Vito 2.1 CDI | 8.2 L/100km |
| 3 | Hyundai H-1 2.5 CRDi | 9.0 L/100km |
| 4 | VW Caravelle 2.0 TDI | 9.2 L/100km |
| 5 | Toyota HiAce 2.5 D-4D | 9.8 L/100km |
Petrol
CarPetrol
| #1 | VW Polo 1.0 TSI | 5.5 L/100km |
| 2 | Ford Fiesta 1.0 EcoBoost | 5.8 L/100km |
| 3 | Suzuki Swift 1.2 DualJet | 5.9 L/100km |
| 4 | Toyota Yaris 1.5 | 6.2 L/100km |
| 5 | Toyota Corolla Quest 1.6 | 7.2 L/100km |
Small SUVPetrol
| #1 | Ford EcoSport 1.0 EcoBoost | 7.0 L/100km |
| 2 | Hyundai Creta 1.4 | 7.2 L/100km |
| 3 | Suzuki Vitara 1.4 BoosterJet | 7.5 L/100km |
| 4 | Kia Sportage 1.6 T-GDi | 8.0 L/100km |
| 5 | Renault Duster 1.5 turbo | 8.2 L/100km |
SUV / 4x4Petrol
| #1 | Mitsubishi Outlander 2.0 MIVEC | 10.2 L/100km |
| 2 | Nissan X-Trail 2.0 | 10.5 L/100km |
| 3 | Toyota Fortuner 2.7 VVT-i | 12.0 L/100km |
| 4 | Land Rover Discovery 5 Si4 | 13.5 L/100km |
| 5 | Toyota Prado 4.0 V6 | 14.0 L/100km |
BakkiePetrol
| #1 | Toyota Hilux 2.0 VVT-i s/c | 8.2 L/100km |
| 2 | Nissan NP300 2.0 | 8.8 L/100km |
| 3 | Ford Ranger 2.3 EcoBoost | 9.5 L/100km |
| 4 | Isuzu D-Max 1.9 | 9.8 L/100km |
| 5 | Mitsubishi Triton 2.4 MIVEC | 10.0 L/100km |
MPVPetrol
| #1 | Toyota Avanza 1.5 | 8.5 L/100km |
| 2 | Suzuki Ertiga 1.4 | 8.8 L/100km |
| 3 | Kia Grand Carnival 2.2 | 11.5 L/100km |
| 4 | Toyota HiAce 2.7 | 12.0 L/100km |
| 5 | Hyundai H-1 2.4 | 12.5 L/100km |
Diesel
CarDiesel
| #1 | VW Polo 1.6 TDI | 4.2 L/100km |
| 2 | VW Golf VII 2.0 TDI | 4.5 L/100km |
| 3 | BMW 320d G20 | 4.8 L/100km |
| 4 | Mercedes C200d | 5.0 L/100km |
| 5 | Audi A4 2.0 TDI | 5.2 L/100km |
Small SUVDiesel
| #1 | Renault Duster 1.5 dCi | 5.8 L/100km |
| 2 | Ford EcoSport 1.5 TDCi | 6.0 L/100km |
| 3 | Hyundai Creta 1.6 CRDi | 6.2 L/100km |
| 4 | Kia Sportage 1.7 CRDi | 6.5 L/100km |
| 5 | Suzuki Vitara 1.6 DDiS | 6.8 L/100km |
SUV / 4x4Diesel
| #1 | Toyota Fortuner 2.8 GD-6 | 8.5 L/100km |
| 2 | Ford Everest 2.2 TDCi | 8.8 L/100km |
| 3 | Nissan Pathfinder 2.5 dCi | 9.2 L/100km |
| 4 | Mitsubishi Pajero Sport 2.4 MIVEC | 9.5 L/100km |
| 5 | Land Rover Discovery 5 3.0 TD6 | 10.5 L/100km |
BakkieDiesel
| #1 | Toyota Hilux 2.4 GD s/c | 7.0 L/100km |
| 2 | Ford Ranger 2.2 TDCi s/c | 7.2 L/100km |
| 3 | Isuzu D-Max 1.9 DDi | 7.5 L/100km |
| 4 | Nissan Navara 2.3 dCi | 7.8 L/100km |
| 5 | Mitsubishi Triton 2.4 MIVEC-D | 8.0 L/100km |
MPVDiesel
| #1 | Nissan NV200 1.5 dCi | 7.8 L/100km |
| 2 | Mercedes-Benz Vito 2.1 CDI | 8.0 L/100km |
| 3 | VW Caravelle 2.0 TDI | 8.5 L/100km |
| 4 | Hyundai H-1 2.5 CRDi | 8.8 L/100km |
| 5 | Toyota HiAce 2.8 D-4D | 9.5 L/100km |
Petrol
CarPetrol
| #1 | Suzuki Swift 1.2 DualJet | 5.5 L/100km |
| 2 | VW Polo 1.0 TSI | 5.8 L/100km |
| 3 | Toyota Starlet 1.5 | 6.2 L/100km |
| 4 | Kia Picanto 1.2 | 6.5 L/100km |
| 5 | Toyota Corolla Quest 1.8 | 7.5 L/100km |
Small SUVPetrol
| #1 | Suzuki Vitara 1.4 BoosterJet | 6.8 L/100km |
| 2 | Ford EcoSport 1.0 EcoBoost | 7.0 L/100km |
| 3 | Hyundai Venue 1.0 T-GDi | 7.2 L/100km |
| 4 | Kia Stonic 1.0 T-GDi | 7.5 L/100km |
| 5 | Nissan Magnite 1.0 Turbo | 7.8 L/100km |
SUV / 4x4Petrol
| #1 | Nissan X-Trail 1.5 e-Power | 7.5 L/100km |
| 2 | Mitsubishi Outlander 2.5 | 10.5 L/100km |
| 3 | Toyota Fortuner 2.7 VVT-i | 11.8 L/100km |
| 4 | Land Rover Defender 2.0 Si4 | 12.5 L/100km |
| 5 | Isuzu MU-X 3.0 | 13.0 L/100km |
BakkiePetrol
| #1 | Toyota Hilux 2.0 VVT-i s/c | 8.0 L/100km |
| 2 | Nissan NP200 1.6 | 8.5 L/100km |
| 3 | Ford Ranger 2.0 EcoBoost | 9.2 L/100km |
| 4 | Isuzu D-Max 1.9 | 9.8 L/100km |
| 5 | Mitsubishi Triton 2.4 MIVEC | 10.0 L/100km |
MPVPetrol
| #1 | Suzuki Ertiga 1.5 | 8.0 L/100km |
| 2 | Toyota Avanza 1.5 | 8.5 L/100km |
| 3 | Kia Carnival 2.0 | 10.5 L/100km |
| 4 | Toyota HiAce 2.8 petrol | 12.0 L/100km |
| 5 | Hyundai Staria 2.2 | 12.5 L/100km |
Diesel
CarDiesel
| #1 | VW Polo 1.6 TDI | 4.0 L/100km |
| 2 | VW Golf VIII 2.0 TDI | 4.5 L/100km |
| 3 | BMW 320d | 4.8 L/100km |
| 4 | Mercedes C220d | 5.0 L/100km |
| 5 | Audi A3 35 TDI | 5.2 L/100km |
Small SUVDiesel
| #1 | Renault Duster 1.5 dCi | 5.5 L/100km |
| 2 | Hyundai Creta 1.5 CRDi | 5.8 L/100km |
| 3 | Kia Sportage 1.6 CRDi | 6.0 L/100km |
| 4 | Ford EcoSport 1.5 TDCi | 6.2 L/100km |
| 5 | Suzuki S-Cross 1.6 DDiS | 6.5 L/100km |
SUV / 4x4Diesel
| #1 | Ford Everest 2.0 Bi-Turbo | 8.0 L/100km |
| 2 | Toyota Fortuner 2.8 GD-6 Legend | 8.2 L/100km |
| 3 | Isuzu MU-X 3.0 4x4 | 9.0 L/100km |
| 4 | Toyota Land Cruiser 300 3.3 D | 9.5 L/100km |
| 5 | Land Rover Defender 2.0 D | 10.0 L/100km |
BakkieDiesel
| #1 | Toyota Hilux 2.4 GD-6 s/c | 6.8 L/100km |
| 2 | Ford Ranger 2.0 TDCi s/c | 7.0 L/100km |
| 3 | Isuzu D-Max 1.9 DDi | 7.2 L/100km |
| 4 | Nissan Navara 2.3 dCi | 7.5 L/100km |
| 5 | Mitsubishi Triton 2.4 MIVEC-D | 7.8 L/100km |
MPVDiesel
| #1 | Nissan NV200 1.5 dCi | 7.5 L/100km |
| 2 | Mercedes-Benz Vito 2.0 CDI | 7.8 L/100km |
| 3 | VW Caravelle 2.0 TDI | 8.2 L/100km |
| 4 | Toyota HiAce 2.8 D-4D | 9.0 L/100km |
| 5 | Hyundai Staria 2.2 CRDi | 9.2 L/100km |
30-Year trends worth knowing
Looking across all six eras, three structural trends stand out:
- Diesel car efficiency improved more than any other segment — from 6.2 L/100km best-in-class in 1995–2000 to 4.0 L/100km in 2021–2025, a 35% improvement. The VW Polo TDI has topped the car diesel rankings in every single era it appeared.
- Petrol cars closed the gap with early-era diesels — the 2021–2025 petrol car leader (Suzuki Swift 1.2 DualJet at 5.5 L/100km) is more efficient than every diesel car in the 1995–2000 era except the VW Golf III TDI.
- Bakkies improved dramatically on diesel — the single-cab bakkie diesel category dropped from 8.8 L/100km (Toyota Hilux 2.4 D in 1995–2000) to 6.8 L/100km (Toyota Hilux 2.4 GD-6 in 2021–2025). That 23% improvement translates to roughly 2,400 litres saved per 100,000 km at today's prices.
- SUV/4x4 petrol remains the least efficient segment by far — the best petrol SUV in 2021–2025 (Nissan X-Trail 1.5 e-Power, 7.5 L/100km) barely matches the best petrol car from 2001–2005.
All figures are manufacturer combined-cycle (city + highway) data for SA-specification vehicles sold through franchised dealers. Pre-2008 figures use NEDC testing; 2017 onward use WLTP. Bakkie figures are for single-cab variants unless otherwise noted. Small SUV segment did not exist in SA before 2001. Figures should be used as a comparative reference — real-world consumption varies significantly with driving style, load, and road conditions.