Ford Ka+ — MPG & Fuel Costs 2025
A spacious and practical five-door budget city car, offering excellent value and very low running costs.
The Ford Ka+ replaced the smaller three-door Ka in the UK market, offering five doors and surprising interior headroom for five occupants. It was built as a budget-friendly supermini.
Engine choices are simple and economical: a 1.2-litre petrol engine or the highly efficient 1.5-litre TDCi diesel engine. Both offer low tax bands and high MPG.
Real-world fuel economy is excellent, with the 1.2 petrol averaging 48 MPG in mixed driving, and the diesel version easily exceeding 65 MPG on longer motorway runs.
TL;DR
48 MPG
Real-world petrol
65 MPG
Real-world diesel
42L
Tank capacity
£57.46
Full tank (petrol)
13.0p
Per mile (petrol)
Real-World Fuel Economy: The Ford Ka+ achieves an estimated 48 MPG (petrol) and 65 MPG (diesel) in real-world UK driving conditions, accounting for a 12% WLTP real-world penalty.
Forecourt Fuel Cost: Refueling the 42-litre tank completely costs approximately £57.46 (petrol) or £59.68 (diesel) at average UK fuel price rates.
Fuel economy at a glance
48
Real-world MPG
Petrol
56.5
Official WLTP
Petrol
65
Real-world MPG
Diesel
76.3
Official WLTP
Diesel
Annual fuel costs by mileage
| Annual mileage | Petrol | Diesel |
|---|---|---|
| 5,000 miles/yr | £648 | £497 |
| 7,400 miles/yr(UK average) | £959 | £735 |
| 10,000 miles/yr | £1296 | £994 |
| 15,000 miles/yr | £1943 | £1491 |
| 20,000 miles/yr | £2591 | £1988 |
| Full tank (42L) | £57.46 | £59.68 |
| Cost per mile | 13.0p | 9.9p |
Based on UK average fuel prices: petrol 136.8p/L · diesel 142.1p/L. Prices updated regularly.
How does the Ka+ compare?
Tips to get better MPG from your Ka+
The 1.2 petrol engine is non-turbocharged; shift gears early to keep RPMs low.
Use the cruise control on dual carriageways to maintain a steady speed and optimize fuel.
Ensure the tyres are inflated to the eco-load setting to save up to 2% fuel.
Is the cheaper petrol station worth it?
In a Ford Ka+ achieving ~48 MPG real-world, if you fill 34 litres and the alternative station is 10p/litre cheaper:
£3.40
Gross saving on fuel
£0.39
Cost of 3-mile detour
£3.01
Net saving ✓
You could drive up to 26 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 Ford Ka+?
The Ford Ka+ achieves approximately 48 MPG in real-world petrol driving — around 12% lower than the official WLTP figure of 56.5 MPG due to real driving conditions. Diesel variants achieve around 65 MPG real-world.
How much does it cost to fill a Ford Ka+?
The Ford Ka+ has a fuel tank of 42 litres. At the UK average of 136.8p/litre for petrol, a full tank costs approximately £57.46. Diesel costs approximately £59.68 for a full tank.
What is the annual fuel cost for a Ford Ka+?
At the UK average annual mileage of 7,400 miles and current petrol price of 136.8p/litre, a Ford Ka+ costs approximately £959 per year in fuel. At 10,000 miles/year the cost rises to £1296. Actual costs vary with your driving style and mileage.
Is it worth driving to a cheaper petrol station in a Ford Ka+?
In a Ford Ka+ doing ~48 MPG real-world, driving 3 miles round-trip to save 10p/litre on a 34-litre fill nets approximately £3.01 after the extra fuel cost. You could drive up to 26 miles before the saving is eaten up. Use the WorthThePump calculator for your exact situation.
How much does the Ford Ka+ cost per mile in fuel?
The Ford Ka+ costs approximately 13.0p per mile in petrol at current UK prices. Over a typical commute of 30 miles per day, that is approximately £3.90 per day in fuel.
What is the WLTP MPG figure for the Ford Ka+?
The official WLTP fuel economy figure for the Ford Ka+ is 56.5 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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