High performance economy heroes 04 August 2011 Email this page Zoom We show you cars that don't trade performance for economy Ideal for those who want fast, yet frugal, enjoyable cars Use our Cost of Motoring tool to compare car running costs Tweet It used to be the case that owning a fast car meant nightmarish running costs and fuel consumption to rival that of Concorde. Nowadays, however, modern technology allows manufacturers to squeeze more power out of every single drop of fuel. This has led to an ever-increasing range of cars that deliver rapid performance without crippling fuel economy. We're going to show you just what some high-performance cars, that you can buy today, can manage in the economy stakes. You might be surprised as, after all, just because it's good on fuel doesn't mean it has to be boring... 1. BMW 5-Series Saloon (10 on) WHAT IS IT? The 5-Series is one of the most competent executive cars on the market. Not only is it refined and well-built but it also drives superbly. Its three-litre twin-turbo diesel engine - not 3.5-litre as the badge suggests - delivers 294bhp and 600Nm of pulling power. This allows the big saloon to hit the 60mph mark in 5.5 seconds and on to a limited 155mph. Economy is a sensible average of 46mpg. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: Model - 535d M Sport 4d Step Auto Price (new) - £47,225 Road tax - £165 a year Fuel economy - 46mpg 0-60mph - 5.5s Top speed - 155mph Rating - Five stars 2. Skoda Fabia vRS (10 on) WHAT IS IT? Skoda's latest Fabia vRS continues to cement the car's excellent reputation as a well-equipped hatchback that's great fun to drive. Its 1.4-litre petrol engine makes clever use of both turbocharging and supercharging, allowing for 177bhp and an average economy of 45mpg. The vRS even gets an automatic seven-speed DSG gearbox, making it feel even livelier. It's also available as an estate. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: Model - 1.4 TSI vRS Hatch 5d DSG Price (new) - £16,415 Road tax - £130 a year Fuel economy - 45mpg 0-60mph - 7.1s Top speed - 139mph Rating - Four and a half stars 3. Volkswagen Touareg (10 on) WHAT IS IT? If you're looking for a premium and upmarket 4x4 then it's well worth considering Volkswagen's Touareg. It's tough, agile, comfortable and quick. Its 3.0-litre diesel engine makes 240bhp and 550Nm of pulling power, which is delivered through an eight-speed automatic gearbox. This enables it to return an average 38mpg while 0-60mph is dispatched in less than eight seconds - not bad for something that weighs more than two tonnes. The only downside? Emissions of 195g/km of CO2 mean road tax of £245 a year. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: Model - 3.0 V6 TDI SE (240bhp) 5d Tip Auto Price (new) - £38,995 Road tax - £245 Fuel economy - 38mpg 0-60mph - 7.6s Top speed - 135mph Rating - Four and a half stars 4. Audi TT Quattro (11 on) WHAT IS IT? The TT's a sleek, classy and surefooted coupe. These days you can even buy a diesel model capable of 53mpg. The real eye-opener, however, is the petrol 2.0T FSI version. With a quick-shifting automatic DSG gearbox it's capable of an average 39mpg, despite the four-wheel drive powertrain, and can sprint to 60mph in 5.4 seconds. Don't forget that petrol's cheaper than diesel too, helping offset the lower economy a little. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: Model - 2.0T FSI Quattro Sport (2011) 2d S Tronic Price (new) - £30,150 Road tax - £190 Fuel economy - 39mpg 0-60mph - 5.4s Top speed - 150mph Rating - Four and a half stars 5. Ford Mondeo Estate (10 on) WHAT IS IT? Practically everyone knows what to expect from a Mondeo estate. It's big, practical, comfortable and good to drive. A 0-60mph time of eight seconds will keep you ahead of the majority of traffic while an average economy of 47mpg allows for stop-free long distance cruising. The 2.2-litre diesel also generates 420Nm of pulling power. This means that the Mondeo feels faster on the road than the figures suggest. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: Model - 2.2 TDCi Titanium X Sport 5d Price (new) - £29,195 Road tax - £165 Fuel economy - 47mpg 0-60mph - 8.0s Top speed - 140mph Rating - Four and a half stars 6. Porsche 911 Cabriolet (05 on) WHAT IS IT? The current generation of 911 has been around since 2004 and in that time it's been continually revised, making it faster than ever. The engines are powerful, the handling superb and the build quality excellent. A peak of 34mpg and an average of 24mpg might not sound like much to boast about, compared to others here, but consider this - it can accelerate to 60mph in 3.3 seconds. Given the available performance the economy is remarkably good. Many similar cars will struggle to average 18mpg. WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: Model - 911 (997) Turbo S PDK 2d Price (new) - £134,608 Road tax - £460 Fuel economy - 24mpg 0-60mph - 3.3s Top speed - 196mph Rating - Five stars Note: Fuel economy figures based on manufacturer claimed averages. Parkers Top Tip: You can compare new and used car running costs with our Cost of Motoring tool. Worried about fuel price increases? The Parkers fuel cost calculator can shows you how much money you could save by switching to a more economical car. More like this Road tax: First year losers 3p fuel duty rise may be scrapped Parkers DealWatch July: the best car offers available When's the best time to buy a car? The top 20 cheapest cars - part two