Combustion cars with the best power-to-weight ratio: Compact cars 2025

The less weight each horsepower has to move, the faster a car accelerates. These are the new cars registered in the EU in 2025 with the best power-to-weight ratio.

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1
Mercedes-Benz AMG CLA 45 S 4Matic+
416 hp · Petrol · 1,728 kg (3,810 lb)
4.16 kg/hp
9.16 lb/hp
2
Volkswagen Golf
329 hp · Petrol · 1,567 kg (3,455 lb)
4.77 kg/hp
10.51 lb/hp
3
BMW M240I xDrive
369 hp · Petrol · 1,765 kg (3,891 lb)
4.79 kg/hp
10.55 lb/hp
4
Toyota GR Yaris
276 hp · Petrol · 1,366 kg (3,012 lb)
4.94 kg/hp
10.90 lb/hp
5
Cupra Leon SP
329 hp · Petrol · 1,651 kg (3,640 lb)
5.03 kg/hp
11.08 lb/hp
6
Hyundai i30 N
276 hp · Petrol · 1,496 kg (3,298 lb)
5.42 kg/hp
11.94 lb/hp
7
BMW M135 xDrive
296 hp · Petrol · 1,625 kg (3,583 lb)
5.48 kg/hp
12.09 lb/hp
8
Ford Focus
276 hp · Petrol · 1,534 kg (3,382 lb)
5.55 kg/hp
12.24 lb/hp
9
Škoda Octavia RS
261 hp · Petrol · 1,535 kg (3,384 lb)
5.87 kg/hp
12.94 lb/hp
10
Škoda Octavia RS Combi 2.0 TSI Aut.
261 hp · Petrol · 1,535 kg (3,384 lb)
5.87 kg/hp
12.94 lb/hp
11
Hyundai i20 N
201 hp · Petrol · 1,265 kg (2,789 lb)
6.29 kg/hp
13.86 lb/hp
12
Audi A3 Sportback
201 hp · Petrol · 1,531 kg (3,375 lb)
7.61 kg/hp
16.78 lb/hp
13
Mercedes-Benz A 220 D
188 hp · Diesel · 1,561 kg (3,441 lb)
8.31 kg/hp
18.33 lb/hp
14
Kia K4
177 hp · Petrol · 1,500 kg (3,307 lb)
8.47 kg/hp
18.68 lb/hp
15
Škoda Scala
148 hp · Petrol · 1,273 kg (2,806 lb)
8.63 kg/hp
19.03 lb/hp
16
Seat Leon
148 hp · Petrol · 1,348 kg (2,972 lb)
9.14 kg/hp
20.15 lb/hp
17
Škoda Octavia Combi 1.5 TSI
148 hp · Petrol · 1,370 kg (3,020 lb)
9.29 kg/hp
20.48 lb/hp
18
Renault Megane
138 hp · Petrol · 1,365 kg (3,009 lb)
9.88 kg/hp
21.79 lb/hp
19
Kia Ceed 1.5 T
138 hp · Petrol · 1,371 kg (3,023 lb)
9.93 kg/hp
21.88 lb/hp
20
Toyota Corolla
150 hp · Petrol · 1,522 kg (3,355 lb)
10.13 kg/hp
22.34 lb/hp
21
Citroën C4
129 hp · Petrol · 1,340 kg (2,954 lb)
10.41 kg/hp
22.95 lb/hp
22
Opel Astra
129 hp · Petrol · 1,357 kg (2,992 lb)
10.54 kg/hp
23.24 lb/hp
23
Citroën C4X
129 hp · Petrol · 1,365 kg (3,009 lb)
10.60 kg/hp
23.38 lb/hp
24
Fiat Tipo
129 hp · Diesel · 1,376 kg (3,034 lb)
10.69 kg/hp
23.56 lb/hp
25
Peugeot 308
129 hp · Petrol · 1,380 kg (3,042 lb)
10.72 kg/hp
23.63 lb/hp
26
Opel Astra ST 1.2 Xht
129 hp · Petrol · 1,394 kg (3,073 lb)
10.83 kg/hp
23.87 lb/hp
27
Honda Civic
141 hp · Petrol · 1,533 kg (3,380 lb)
10.89 kg/hp
24.00 lb/hp
28
Honda Civic E:hev
141 hp · Petrol · 1,545 kg (3,406 lb)
10.97 kg/hp
24.19 lb/hp
29
Peugeot 408
129 hp · Petrol · 1,467 kg (3,234 lb)
11.40 kg/hp
25.12 lb/hp
30
Peugeot 308 SW GT Bluehdi 130 SS EAT8
129 hp · Diesel · 1,475 kg (3,252 lb)
11.46 kg/hp
25.26 lb/hp
31
Peugeot 308 Break 1.5 HDI Aut.
129 hp · Diesel · 1,517 kg (3,344 lb)
11.78 kg/hp
25.98 lb/hp
32
Hyundai i30
95 hp · Petrol · 1,267 kg (2,793 lb)
13.31 kg/hp
29.34 lb/hp
33
Hyundai i30 Stc.
99 hp · Petrol · 1,401 kg (3,089 lb)
14.12 kg/hp
31.12 lb/hp

How it's calculated

Official type-approval data for the new passenger cars registered in the European Union, published by the European Environment Agency. One spot per model (its best version), and only versions with at least 30 registrations, to rule out errors in the records. Ratio = mass in running order (kg) divided by power (hp).

By powertrain, based on each version's official type approval: “Combustion” covers petrol, diesel, LPG, CNG and ethanol; “Hybrids”, both regular and plug-in hybrids; “Electric”, fully electric cars. With a powertrain selected, each model appears with its best version of that powertrain.

Each model's body type (SUV, hatchback, sedan…) and size come from its Wikidata classification and our own review of the best-sellers; models without a type yet only appear under “All”.

Source: European Environment Agency (EEA), “Monitoring of CO2 emissions from passenger cars”, CC BY 4.0 licence. 2025 data (provisional), imported on September 24, 2026. We automatically check for new data every 6 hours (last check: September 25, 2026 at 02:17 PM GMT+2). This is the type-approval data declared by manufacturers and it may contain errors.