Citroen Saxo — MPG & Fuel Costs 2025
A legendary lightweight city car. Simple, cheap to repair, and incredibly fuel-efficient due to low weight.
The Citroen Saxo was a staple of UK roads in the late 90s and early 2000s, serving as a popular first car for young drivers and city commuters.
Engine choices included simple 1.1-litre petrols and a bulletproof, non-turbo 1.5-litre diesel engine. The sporty VTR and VTS models offered hot hatch thrills on a budget.
Real-world fuel economy is very strong, with the basic petrol models easily returning 40-45 MPG, while the 1.5D diesel commonly exceeds 50 MPG due to the car's featherweight build.
TL;DR
39 MPG
Real-world petrol
48 MPG
Real-world diesel
45L
Tank capacity
£61.56
Full tank (petrol)
15.9p
Per mile (petrol)
Real-World Fuel Economy: The Citroen Saxo achieves an estimated 39 MPG (petrol) and 48 MPG (diesel) in real-world UK driving conditions, accounting for a 12% WLTP real-world penalty.
Forecourt Fuel Cost: Refueling the 45-litre tank completely costs approximately £61.56 (petrol) or £63.95 (diesel) at average UK fuel price rates.
Fuel economy at a glance
39
Real-world MPG
Petrol
43.5
Official WLTP
Petrol
48
Real-world MPG
Diesel
53.3
Official WLTP
Diesel
Annual fuel costs by mileage
| Annual mileage | Petrol | Diesel |
|---|---|---|
| 5,000 miles/yr | £797 | £673 |
| 7,400 miles/yr(UK average) | £1180 | £996 |
| 10,000 miles/yr | £1595 | £1346 |
| 15,000 miles/yr | £2392 | £2019 |
| 20,000 miles/yr | £3189 | £2692 |
| Full tank (45L) | £61.56 | £63.95 |
| Cost per mile | 15.9p | 13.5p |
Based on UK average fuel prices: petrol 136.8p/L · diesel 142.1p/L. Prices updated regularly.
How does the Saxo compare?
Tips to get better MPG from your Saxo
With a weight of only 800kg, progressive driving yields exceptional fuel economy.
For the naturally aspirated 1.5D diesel, maintain high tyre pressure to help rolling resistance.
Keep standard wheel sizes; fitting wider aftermarket alloys drastically reduces fuel economy.
Is the cheaper petrol station worth it?
In a Citroen Saxo achieving ~39 MPG real-world, if you fill 36 litres and the alternative station is 10p/litre cheaper:
£3.60
Gross saving on fuel
£0.48
Cost of 3-mile detour
£3.12
Net saving ✓
You could drive up to 23 miles round-trip before the saving disappears entirely.
Calculate for your exact situationPopular variants
Frequently asked questions
What is the real-world MPG of the Citroen Saxo?
The Citroen Saxo achieves approximately 39 MPG in real-world petrol driving — around 12% lower than the official WLTP figure of 43.5 MPG due to real driving conditions. Diesel variants achieve around 48 MPG real-world.
How much does it cost to fill a Citroen Saxo?
The Citroen Saxo has a fuel tank of 45 litres. At the UK average of 136.8p/litre for petrol, a full tank costs approximately £61.56. Diesel costs approximately £63.95 for a full tank.
What is the annual fuel cost for a Citroen Saxo?
At the UK average annual mileage of 7,400 miles and current petrol price of 136.8p/litre, a Citroen Saxo costs approximately £1180 per year in fuel. At 10,000 miles/year the cost rises to £1595. Actual costs vary with your driving style and mileage.
Is it worth driving to a cheaper petrol station in a Citroen Saxo?
In a Citroen Saxo doing ~39 MPG real-world, driving 3 miles round-trip to save 10p/litre on a 36-litre fill nets approximately £3.12 after the extra fuel cost. You could drive up to 23 miles before the saving is eaten up. Use the WorthThePump calculator for your exact situation.
How much does the Citroen Saxo cost per mile in fuel?
The Citroen Saxo costs approximately 15.9p per mile in petrol at current UK prices. Over a typical commute of 30 miles per day, that is approximately £4.77 per day in fuel.
What is the WLTP MPG figure for the Citroen Saxo?
The official WLTP fuel economy figure for the Citroen Saxo is 43.5 MPG. However, real-world MPG is typically 10–15% lower than WLTP due to cold starts, air conditioning, motorway speeds, and varying loads. WorthThePump uses a 12% real-world penalty to give a more accurate estimate.
Related guides
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