Which of the UK’s most popular cars costs least to run? Puma, Qashqai, Golf and more favourites ranked
The top 10 best-selling cars in the UK have very different day-to-day running costs, here’s how they rank…
The Ford Puma was the UK’s best-selling car in 2024, with the Kia Sportage and Nissan Qashqai rounding out the top three and Tesla’s Model Y coming in fifth as the nation’s favourite EV.
The top 10 best-sellers accounted for almost one in five of last year’s 1.95 million registrations and plenty of readers will be considering one right now. But before you buy, which models are cheapest to run?
Thanks to the TCO (total cost of ownership) database from automotive experts CAP HPi, Auto Express can reveal all. This calculates the pence per mile cost for each car including fuel, vehicle depreciation, servicing/maintenance and VED road tax over three years/30,000 miles. It doesn’t include insurance though, given how variable that is from person to person.
CAP HPi is renowned in the motor trade for its used car valuations, and has access to the invoicing costs of more than 1.5 million cars to help with its figures. So these informed estimates will give buyers useful insight.
Top 10 best-selling cars ranked by cheapest running costs
Counting down from ten to one, here are the UK’s best-selling cars ranked by the running costs of their cheapest variant.
10. Tesla Model Y
- Model: Model Y long-range RWD
- Total cost of ownership over three years/30,000 miles: £26,612.32
- Monthly: £739.23
- Per mile: 88.7p
- Ranking in UK best-seller list 2024: 5th
Bottom of the top 10 is the Tesla Model Y. Costing from around £47,000, the long-range RWD is the cheapest variant in the Model Y range, although the line-up is changing as the facelifted ‘Juniper’ model comes through with new Cybertruck-inspired looks and new tech features.
CAP HPi reckons the RWD will set owners back 88.7 pence per mile – almost 37p per mile more than our cheapest contender.
The Model Y has more depreciation to amortise given it’s the top 10’s most expensive car by £9k, and CAP HPi claims it wears out its relatively expensive Hankook tyres quicker than comparable combustion engined crossovers. But, like the other EV on this list, it’s cheap to fuel if you charge at home off peak.
The RWD Y covers 373 miles on the WLTP cycle, has quick direct steering and a lumpy ride on big wheels. And given it’s been on the UK market for almost five years, there are plenty of used examples out there.
9. Volvo XC40
- Model: XC40 2.0 B3 Core
- Total cost of ownership over three years/30,000 miles: £25,884.88
- Monthly: £719.02
- Per mile: 86.3p
- Ranking in UK best-seller list 2024: 9th
The Volvo XC40 ranks ninth; the range consists of a pure electric version and petrol-powered mild-hybrids. Costing around £35,000, it’s the entry-level Core trim and 2.0-litre ‘B3’ powerplant packing 163bhp (the B4 has 194bhp) that proves best value.
Fuel efficiency of 42.8mpg makes it the thirstiest car here (racking up a £4437 bill over three years/30,000 miles), but performance is adequate with 0-62mph in 8.6secs. The XC40 is more biased towards comfort than sportiness, which can make for a floating effect over sharp undulations.
CAP HPi calculates it loses 54 per cent of its value over the three-year period. Add in £650 on vehicle excise duty and this XC40 will cost you 86.2p a mile.
8. Hyundai Tucson
- Model: Tucson Advance plug-in hybrid
- Total cost of ownership over three years/30,000 miles: £22,729.74
- Monthly: £631.38
- Per mile: 75.8p
- Ranking in UK best-seller list 2024: 7th
Customers can choose from petrol, mild hybrid, hybrid and plug-in hybrid drivetrains and it’s the latter that’s the cheapest Hyundai Tucson to run – despite a list price a shade under £40,000.
As a result it loses the second biggest chunk of change (after the Tesla) in depreciation, but fuelling costs are at the other end of the spectrum. The Tucson has a decent 13.8kWh battery which is rated at covering 70 miles, bringing running costs and VED down.
The Tucson’s illuminated grille and creased bodysides create an eye-catching SUV that’s well equipped, with a big touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, dual-zone air-con, a rear camera and cruise control.
7. Nissan Qashqai
- Model: 1.3 DiG-T mild hybrid Acenta Premium
- Total cost of ownership over three years/30,000 miles: £21,328.99
- Monthly: £592.47
- Per mile: 71.1p
- Ranking in UK best-seller list 2024: 3rd
The UK-built Nissan Qashqai is one of the UK’s most popular SUVs, and if you want the cheapest version choose the 1.3-litre mild hybrid Acenta Premium for around £30,000.
That doesn’t get the Google-based infotainment available on upper trims (though Acenta Premium does support wireless CarPlay and Android Auto), but keyless entry, air-con and a rear parking camera are present.
The 138bhp mild hybrid engine returns a reasonable 44.8mpg on the WLTP cycle, but rival Korean SUVs on this list cost less to service/maintain.
6. Volkswagen Golf
- Model: Golf Match 1.5 TSi
- Total cost of ownership over three years/30,000 miles: £19,935.21
- Monthly: £553.76
- Per mile: 66.5p
- Ranking in UK best-seller list 2024: 6th
The first car to sneak under the 70p a mile barrier is Volkswagen’s Golf Match, costing around £28,000 to buy. This venerable hatchback runs the 1.5-litre TSi petrol engine, but thanks to its compact size it boasts the best fuel economy of any non-hybridised car on the list.
CAP HPi reckons it also benefits from the lowest servicing/maintenance cost (£841.21 over three years). But its depreciation – 54 per cent of list price – after three years is the joint worst of all 10 contenders.
The Golf remains a classy hatchback and the ergonomic own-goals that plagued the original Mk8 have largely been rectified on the 2024 facelift, with some of the digital controls pared back. This mid-ranking Match spec includes 17-inch alloys, rear view camera, Android/Apple phone integration and keyless access.
5. Kia Sportage
- Model: Sportage ‘2’ 1.6-litre mild hybrid
- Total cost of ownership over three years/30,000 miles: £19,457.47
- Monthly: £540.49
- Per mile: 64.9p
- Ranking in UK best-seller list 2024: 2nd
Kia boasts that the Sportage is the UK’s favourite mid-size SUV, and the cheapest version to run is the entry ‘2’ spec powered by the mild hybrid 1.6-litre engine. The SUV’s popularity helps it retain an impressive 45 per cent of its value keeping depreciation in check. Service/maintenance bills should also undercut its Nissan, Hyundai and Volvo competitors but fuel economy is a middling 43.5mpg.
The £30,000 ‘2’ trim includes a 12.3-inch touchscreen and parking sensors, and it’s backed by Kia’s seven-year/100,000-mile warranty. The Sportage has plenty of cabin space and a decent sized boot but the 157bhp engine is a bit noisy.
4. Nissan Juke
- Model: Juke 1.0 DiG-T Acenta Premium
- Total cost of ownership over three years/30,000 miles: £18,643.37
- Monthly: £517.87
- Per mile: 62.1p
- Ranking in UK best-seller list 2024: 4th
The Nissan Qashqai’s British-built baby brother may lose 54 per cent of its value over three years, but its low initial starting price (£23,000) helps keep overall running costs in check. Fuel economy is a decent 48.9mpg from the three-cylinder turbocharged engine but road tax is joint highest at £650 over three years (with the Volvo and Kia).
The Nissan Juke's ride feels fidgety on the base 17-inch wheels; standard equipment is good with wireless Android/Apple connectivity, manual air-con and a rear view camera.
3. Ford Puma
- Model: Gen-E Select
- Total cost of ownership over three years/30,000 miles: £17,991.12
- Monthly: £499.75
- Per mile: 60.0p
- Ranking in UK best-seller list 2024: 1st
Ford registered more than 48,000 Pumas in 2024, making it Britain’s best-selling car. But no customer collected the cheapest variant, according to CAP HPi’s calculations, which is the all-new electric variant Auto Express is yet to drive: deliveries begin in March 2025.
Known as the Gen E with the lower Select trim, the Ford Puma has a 43kWh battery good for a 234-mile range on the WLTP test cycle. The Puma’s economical TCO comes from low home-charging costs, good value servicing (only 91p more than the Golf’s bill) and the lowest VED (£380, currently the same as the Tesla and the plug-in hybrids). Interestingly though, CAP HPi reckons the Puma Gen E will shed more of its value over three years than the older Tesla (52 vs 48 per cent).
2. MG HS
- Model: SE 1.5 T-GDi plug-in hybrid
- Total cost of ownership over three years/30,000 miles: £16,104.79
- Monthly: £447.36
- Per mile: 53.7p
- Ranking in UK best-seller list 2024: 8th
MG is renowned for offering low cost motoring thanks to its Chinese production base – and the all-new MG HS delivers on that promise, especially with plug-in hybrid power.
It retains its value well (shedding only 44 per cent, the best on the list) and with its 75-mile pure electric range, delivers strong efficiency so long as you keep it charged. However CAP HPi projects maintenance to cost £1642 over three years (third highest) for a 53.7 pence per mile cost.
The MG HS is spacious, the plug-in car is more refined than the pure petrol version and there’s a good level of standard equipment: the base SE comes with Android/Apple phone integration, twin digital screens, a six-speaker sound system, a rear camera and MG’s level 2 automated driving assistance.
1. Volkswagen Polo
- Model: Life 1.0-litre petrol
- Total cost of ownership over three years/30,000 miles: £15,527.26
- Monthly: £431.31
- Per mile: 51.8p
- Ranking in UK best-seller list 2024: 10th
The car ranked tenth among 2024 registrations comes top on running costs, and it’s the Volkswagen Polo. The cheapest car here at £21,210, the 1.0 Life sheds the least money in depreciation (£10,365), its puny, non-turbocharged 79bhp engine is fuel efficient and servicing costs little more than the Golf’s.
The Polo packs lots of interior space, feels good quality and we reckon it’s the most comfortable and refined car in its class. Add in its 51.8p per mile running cost and it’s no wonder humble hatchbacks such as the Polo remain among Britain’s best loved cars.
But it’s not the cheapest overall. To find out which other supermini undercuts the Polo by 13p a mile, take a look at our list of the Cheapest cars to run.
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