What Are the Most Fuel-Efficient Campervans?

This useful guide explores the most fuel-efficient campervans by MPG (miles per gallon), and shares practical tips to boost your campervan’s fuel economy.

For people looking to switch to a campervan, or make their campervan a daily driver, fuel economy is often a concern. Fuel economy refers to how efficiently a vehicle uses fuel, and is usually shown in MPG.

Heavier campervans tend to decrease fuel efficiency, and the often-smaller petrol engines don’t help. However, some campervans are more fuel-efficient than others, and there are always things you can do to increase your fuel efficiency, too. Read on to learn more.

Fuel Efficiency by Type

With VW campervans, the MPG (miles per gallon) does vary across the different types. This is especially because the original T2s on the road are from c.1960 and modern Californias come with TDI engines that are designed for modern emissions and MPG tests.

Finding concrete MPG stats for earlier campervans is tricky, as MPG wasn’t regulated by law then through the WLTP tests (Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure), so no one had to release road test MPG. Similarly, customers reported MPG is also tricky to obtain, as dashboards didn’t display MPG until recent years in the VW Transporters.

Miles per gallon also varies incredibly in older models, as many owners have mapped their engine to deliver a higher BHP (Brake Horsepower), which will affect MPG.

We’ve collated reported MPGs and applied urban and rural driving (city vs motorway driving) to understand which VW Transporter has the best MPG. For the T2-T4 we used data from drivers on Fuelly across a variety of manufacturing years to obtain a fair average.

How many miles per gallon does the VW T2 get?

The first VW campervan, the T2, now has a variety of MPGs recorded, thanks to extensive modifications and remapping for modern drivers.

What is the urban/city MPG for the T2?

An average taken from multiple owners rather than manufacturer figures.

Mean Average: 20.8 MPG

Lowest data point: 16.11 MPG

Highest data point: 24.9 MPG

What is the rural/motorway MPG for the T2?

An average taken from multiple owners rather than manufacturer figures.

Mean Average: 27.27 MPG

Lowest data point: 18.31 MPG

Highest data point: 36.71 MPG

How many miles per gallon does the VW T25/T3 get?

Similarly, the T25/T3 has a variety of reported MPGs like the T2, thanks to extensive aftermarket modification and upgrades to keep these vintage campervans on the road for longer.

What is the urban/city MPG for the T25/T3?

An average taken from multiple owners rather than manufacturer figures.

Mean Average: 18.73 MPG

Lowest data point: 10.81 MPG

Highest data point: 23.1 MPG

What is the rural/motorway MPG for the T25/T3?

An average taken from multiple owners rather than manufacturer figures.

Mean Average: 31.3 MPG

Lowest data point: 23.01 MPG

Highest data point: 36.53 MPG

How many miles per gallon does the VW T4 get?

The T4 came out in 1990 and was a more powerful model compared to older ones. Some drivers fitted aftermarket Subaru engines for extra power and economy, but most stuck with the 1.9-2.4 engines that came as standard.

What is the urban/city MPG for the T4?

An average taken from multiple owners rather than manufacturer figures.

Mean Average: 25.22 MPG

Lowest data point: 14.28 MPG

Highest data point: 30.74 MPG

What is the rural/motorway MPG for the T4?

An average taken from multiple owners rather than manufacturer figures.

Mean Average: 32.33 MPG

Lowest data point: 29.2 MPG

Highest data point: 38.01

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How many miles per gallon does the VW T5 get?

The T5 finished production in 2015, so it is a newer model, and therefore comes with a modern engine that produces a higher average MPG than that of earlier models. It’s also diesel, so the engine will be more powerful than earlier petrol counterparts.

Data here is taken from Real MPG on Honest John and Parkers

A good average to aim for with the T5 would be mid 30s MPG, but this will vary more depending on what model you are driving.

How many miles per gallon does the VW T6 get?

Being the newest model, the T6 is up to Euro 6 standards. It can accept AdBlue, which helps the performance, and is most prepared for modern roads and driving standards. Made from 2015 on, the T6 is the current model available on the market, with the 6.1 now available to purchase from new.

Data here is taken from Real MPG on Honest John and Parkers

For the T6, a good MPG would be 35 as an average, however bigger engines or Sportline models will have a lower MPG if driven harder.

Non-VW Campervan MPG’s

Let’s look at the average miles per gallon for some non-VW campers now, and see how they compare.

What’s the MPG for a Fiat Ducato?

Fiat Ducatos are a popular van for converting. They also have one of the best MPGs out there for vans, with a listed MPG on the current available model of 47.9mpg for the entry-level 115bhp model!

What’s the MPG for a Peugeot Boxer?

Made in the same factory as the Fiat Ducato and Citroën Relay, the difference between the three is the engine and marketing. Where the Boxer matches the Relay is on MPG, with the WLTP figures coming in for both at 34.9 MPG.

What’s the MPG for a Citroën Relay?

The final in the trio of Relay, Ducato, and Boxer, the Citroën Relay shares an engine with the Peugeot Boxer so has the same listed WLTP MPG, although its Real MPG from Honest John is considerably higher than either the Boxer or the Ducato.

What’s the MPG for a Ford Transit?

The Ford Transit is a much larger van and is preferred by those who are going longer distances or need more space. However, the 2021 updates have a combined MPG of 37.7 in WLTP tests so it’s definitely a good van for MPG. And, if you choose the mild hybrid version, then you do get a boost of MPG as well.

What does the future hold for VWs in the face of stricter standards?

While only just announced, a new Hybrid T7 is on the way, which should improve MPG for greater fuel economy. In early 2022, a new electric VW Buzz with an estimated range of 250 miles is also expected, also boosting the reach into modern motoring.

Which is the most fuel-efficient VW campervan?

Based on our research, the VW T6 comes out on top of all Volkswagen campervans.

However, there’s nothing to say that a driver of a newly mapped and upgraded T25/T3 couldn’t achieve a higher daily MPG based on driving style, route, and attention to detail.

What is the most fuel-efficient campervan overall?

Based on WLTP MPGs alone, the Fiat Ducato comes out top with 47.9mpg. However, Honest John’s Real MPG data shows that the Citroën Relay is actually the best with a 32.4 Real MPG, which is quite impressive!

A Quick Summary – The best ways to improve your campervan’s fuel economy

• Remove excess weight when not needed. If you’re using the van as a daily driver as well as a family holiday van, then take out what’s not needed. Excess weight increases fuel consumption, which means you’ll be topping up more often than you’d like.
• Regularly service and check all your campervan parts are up-to-date. A broken or older part will not work at its best performance, which can affect the overall fuel economy.
• Use the best tyres. While those large alloys may look great in photos, they could be negatively impacting your MPG. The correct wheel size for your campervan will help, thanks to rolling resistance.

Being the specialist supplier of parts and accessories for all VWs and a wide range of campervan conversions, we can help you find the parts you need to improve your fuel economy. Speak to one of our team today.

For more information about tailoring insurance policies to your campervan or motorhome, whether you’re after affordable premiums, or something with that little bit more protection, consider coverage from the experts at Just Kampers Insurance.