As fuel prices rise to record levels, August, new car registrations saw a sharp rise in small vehicle demand as more Kiwis looked to smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles.

The price of a brand new full-electric or hybrid is still out of reach for most, and when you look at what's happening in Europe, the diesel engines' future looks limited, too.

So we’re left with petrol, and the question becomes what are the most efficient cars on sale right now? So today in Driven News, we count down the top five most fuel-efficient petrol-powered cars on sale in New Zealand.

5 - Peugeot 2008 SUV 

Fuel rating - 4.9 litres/100km

The only SUV to make our list comes by the way of France. This small Peugeot 2008 SUV weighs in at 1280kg and it's little 81kW, 205Nm 1.2-litre three-cylinder turbo will sip 4.9 litres of fuel every 100km.

Read more: Peugeot 2008 road test

4 - Mazda2

Fuel rating - 4.9 litres/100km 

Mazda’s smallest new model is also one of the most economical in New Zealand. With an aerodynamic design, kurb weight of just over 1 tonne (1035kg) and modern 1.5-litre engine, the little Mazda 2 can travel 100km with less than 5-litres of fuel.

Read more: Mazda2 road test

3 - 2018 Mini Cooper three-door hatch

Fuel rating - Manual 4.5 litres/100km, Automatic 4.7 litres/100km

The quintessential British hatch is just as handy now as it was when launched in the 1959s. The Mini Cooper 3-door with a 1.5-litre, 100kw engine will happily sip fuel at a moderate 4.7 litres/100km with an automatic transmission. But if you opt for the manual, you’ll not only save some money on the sticker price, you'll use less fuel as well.

Read more: 2018 Mini Cooper range preview

2 - 2018 Suzuki Swift GL

Fuel rating - 4.6 litres /100 km

There’s a reason you see so many Suzuki Swifts on our roads. They’re safe, surprisingly spacious and very economical on gas.

The base Suzuki GL has a 1.2-litre four-cylinder that sips fuel at 4.6 litres per 100km, and all models in the 2018 range - including the turbocharged Swift Sport - are in dealerships with a fuel rating of 6.1 litres per 100km or less.

Read more: Suzuki Swift RS road test

1 - 2018 Skoda Fabia TSI

Fuel rating - Manual 4.4 litres/100km, Automatic  4.6 litres/100km    

The most efficient petrol-powered car you can buy new in New Zealand is the Skoda Fabia.

Powered by a zippy little 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo engine, the five-door hatch has the lowest advertised fuel economy rating of 4.4 litres per 100km with a manual transmission.

Read more: Skoda Fabia road test