VW Polo beats the UK’s other best-selling cars for running costs: Tesla Model Y comes last
We run the rule over running costs of the UK’s favourite cars
Last year’s top-10 list of best-selling cars was topped by the Ford Puma, Kia Sportage and Nissan Qashqai in first, second and third respectively, while Tesla’s Model Y was the nation’s favourite EV, so it’s a fair bet that some readers are looking at one wearing March’s new 25 plate.
Before you buy, which of the top 10 is cheapest to run? Thanks to the total cost of ownership (TCO) database from expert Cap HPI, we can reveal all. This calculates the pence-per-mile of each car, and includes fuel, depreciation, servicing/maintenance and vehicle excise duty.
Bottom of the pack is the Model Y. The long-range RWD is the most affordable variant in the line-up, setting owners back 88.7 pence per mile – almost 37p per mile more expensive 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 tyres quicker than rival combustion-engined crossovers. But it’s an EV, so it’s the cheapest to fuel.
Ninth is the Volvo XC40 B3 Core: it loses 54 per cent of its value, and 42.8mpg makes it the thirstiest car (a £4,437 bill over three years/30,000 miles). Next up is Hyundai’s Tucson Advance plug-in hybrid, aided by a 70-mile EV range if charged, while the Nissan Qashqai is seventh, at 71.1p a mile.
The Volkswagen Golf 1.5-litre Match comes in sixth, benefiting from the lowest servicing/maintenance cost (£841.21 over three years), just behind the Kia Sportage 2, which costs 64.9p per mile. Ranked fourth is Nissan’s Juke, which shares the highest VED road tax fee with the Volvo and Kia.
Ford’s Puma comes third at 60p a mile. Interestingly, the all-new electric variant is the cheapest Puma to run, thanks to low home charging costs, good-value servicing, and the lowest VED (£380, the same as the Tesla and the plug-in hybrids). But Cap HPI reckons it will shed more value over three years than the Tesla (52 vs 48 per cent).
In second place is MG’s HS SE plug-in hybrid, at 53.7ppm. It retains its value well (shedding only 44 per cent) and with its 75-mile pure electric range, has strong efficiency. However, Cap HPI projects maintenance to cost £1,642 over three years.
So the car in 10th on 2024 registrations – the Volkswagen Polo – is top for running costs, at 51.8ppm. The 1.0 Life is the cheapest car here at £21,210, has the lowest depreciation (£10,365), is fuel efficient and servicing costs little more than the Golf. No wonder humble hatchbacks remain among Britain’s best-loved cars.
| Description | TCO | TCO p/Mile | TCO £/Month | Depreciation | Depreciation p/Mile | Fuel Cost | Fuel p/Mile | SMR Total | SMR p/Mile | VED | VED p/Mile |
| Volkswagen Polo Hatchback 1.0 Life 5dr | £15,527.26 | 51.8 | £431.31 | £10,365.00 | 34.55 | £3,571.00 | 11.90 | £991.26 | 3.30 | £600.00 | 2.00 |
| MG Motor UK HS Hatchback 1.5 T-GDI PHEV SE 5dr Auto | £16,104.79 | 53.7 | £447.36 | £13,745.00 | 45.82 | £337.00 | 1.12 | £1,642.79 | 5.48 | £380.00 | 1.27 |
| Ford Puma Gen-E Electric Hatchback 123kW Select 43kWh 5dr Auto | £17,991.12 | 60.0 | £499.75 | £15,645.00 | 52.15 | £1,124.00 | 3.75 | £842.12 | 2.81 | £380.00 | 1.27 |
| Nissan Juke Hatchback 1.0 DiG-T Acenta Premium 5dr | £18,643.37 | 62.1 | £517.87 | £12,730.00 | 42.43 | £3,835.00 | 12.78 | £1,428.37 | 4.76 | £650.00 | 2.17 |
| Kia Sportage Estate 1.6T GDi 157 48V ISG 2 5dr | £19,457.47 | 64.9 | £540.49 | £13,405.00 | 44.68 | £4,294.00 | 14.31 | £1,118.47 | 3.73 | £640.00 | 2.13 |
| Volkswagen Golf Hatchback 1.5 TSI Match 5dr | £19,935.21 | 66.5 | £553.76 | £14,990.00 | 49.97 | £3,504.00 | 11.68 | £841.21 | 2.80 | £600.00 | 2.00 |
| Nissan Qashqai Hatchback 1.3 DiG-T MH Acenta Premium 5dr | £21,328.99 | 71.1 | £592.47 | £15,000.00 | 50.00 | £4,169.00 | 13.90 | £1,519.99 | 5.07 | £640.00 | 2.13 |
| Hyundai Tucson Estate 1.6T Plug-in Hybrid Advance 5dr Auto | £22,729.74 | 75.8 | £631.38 | £20,400.00 | 68.00 | £674.00 | 2.25 | £1,275.74 | 4.25 | £380.00 | 1.27 |
| Volvo Xc40 Estate 2.0 B3P Core 5dr Auto | £25,884.88 | 86.3 | £719.02 | £18,925.00 | 63.08 | £4,437.00 | 14.79 | £1,882.88 | 6.28 | £640.00 | 2.13 |
| Tesla Model Y Hatchback Long Range RWD 5dr Auto | £26,612.32 | 88.7 | £739.23 | £23,240.00 | 77.47 | £1,272.00 | 4.24 | £1,720.32 | 5.73 | £380.00 |
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