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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Clear filter- 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
MG MG4 Electric
429 hp · Electric · 1,878 kg (4,140 lb)
4.38 kg/hp
9.65 lb/hp
- 3
Volkswagen Golf
329 hp · Petrol · 1,567 kg (3,455 lb)
4.77 kg/hp
10.51 lb/hp
- 4
BMW M240I xDrive
369 hp · Petrol · 1,765 kg (3,891 lb)
4.79 kg/hp
10.55 lb/hp
- 5
Toyota GR Yaris
276 hp · Petrol · 1,366 kg (3,012 lb)
4.94 kg/hp
10.90 lb/hp
- 6
Cupra Leon SP
329 hp · Petrol · 1,651 kg (3,640 lb)
5.03 kg/hp
11.08 lb/hp
- 7
Hyundai i30 N
276 hp · Petrol · 1,496 kg (3,298 lb)
5.42 kg/hp
11.94 lb/hp
- 8
Mercedes-Benz AMG A 35 4MATIC
302 hp · Hybrid · 1,645 kg (3,627 lb)
5.45 kg/hp
12.02 lb/hp
- 9
BMW M135 xDrive
296 hp · Petrol · 1,625 kg (3,583 lb)
5.48 kg/hp
12.09 lb/hp
- 10
Ford Focus
276 hp · Petrol · 1,534 kg (3,382 lb)
5.55 kg/hp
12.24 lb/hp
- 11
Škoda Octavia RS
261 hp · Petrol · 1,535 kg (3,384 lb)
5.87 kg/hp
12.94 lb/hp
- 12
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
- 13
Volkswagen ID.3 GTX Perf. 240KW
322 hp · Electric · 1,994 kg (4,396 lb)
6.20 kg/hp
13.66 lb/hp
- 14
Cupra Born 240 kW 79 84 Kwh
322 hp · Electric · 1,999 kg (4,407 lb)
6.21 kg/hp
13.69 lb/hp
- 15
Hyundai i20 N
201 hp · Petrol · 1,265 kg (2,789 lb)
6.29 kg/hp
13.86 lb/hp
- 16
Audi A3 Sportback
201 hp · Petrol · 1,531 kg (3,375 lb)
7.61 kg/hp
16.78 lb/hp
- 17
Renault Megane E-Tech Electric
215 hp · Electric · 1,718 kg (3,788 lb)
8.01 kg/hp
17.65 lb/hp
- 18
Mazda Mazda3
184 hp · Hybrid · 1,478 kg (3,258 lb)
8.04 kg/hp
17.74 lb/hp
- 19
Nissan Leaf 62KWH
215 hp · Electric · 1,765 kg (3,891 lb)
8.23 kg/hp
18.14 lb/hp
- 20
Honda Civic
181 hp · Hybrid · 1,526 kg (3,364 lb)
8.43 kg/hp
18.58 lb/hp
- 21
Kia K4
177 hp · Petrol · 1,500 kg (3,307 lb)
8.47 kg/hp
18.68 lb/hp
- 22
Škoda Scala
148 hp · Petrol · 1,273 kg (2,806 lb)
8.63 kg/hp
19.03 lb/hp
- 23
BYD Dolphin
201 hp · Electric · 1,733 kg (3,821 lb)
8.62 kg/hp
18.99 lb/hp
- 24
Mercedes-Benz CLA 350 4MATIC With EQ Technology
241 hp · Electric · 2,150 kg (4,740 lb)
8.91 kg/hp
19.64 lb/hp
- 25
Peugeot 408
211 hp · Electric · 1,879 kg (4,142 lb)
8.92 kg/hp
19.68 lb/hp
- 26
Seat Leon
148 hp · Petrol · 1,348 kg (2,972 lb)
9.14 kg/hp
20.15 lb/hp
- 27
Škoda Octavia Combi 1.5 TSI
148 hp · Petrol · 1,370 kg (3,020 lb)
9.29 kg/hp
20.48 lb/hp
- 28
Kia EV4
201 hp · Electric · 1,901 kg (4,191 lb)
9.45 kg/hp
20.83 lb/hp
- 29
Opel Astra Sports Tourer
177 hp · Plug-in hybrid · 1,746 kg (3,849 lb)
9.86 kg/hp
21.75 lb/hp
- 30
Kia Ceed 1.5 T
138 hp · Petrol · 1,371 kg (3,023 lb)
9.93 kg/hp
21.88 lb/hp
- 31
Hyundai i30
138 hp · Plug-in hybrid · 1,392 kg (3,069 lb)
10.08 kg/hp
22.22 lb/hp
- 32
Toyota Corolla
150 hp · Hybrid · 1,522 kg (3,355 lb)
10.13 kg/hp
22.34 lb/hp
- 33
Citroën C4
129 hp · Petrol · 1,340 kg (2,954 lb)
10.41 kg/hp
22.95 lb/hp
- 34
Citroën C4X Hybrid 136 E-DSC6 Plus (solo Stock)
134 hp · Hybrid · 1,411 kg (3,111 lb)
10.52 kg/hp
23.20 lb/hp
- 35
Fiat Tipo
129 hp · Diesel · 1,376 kg (3,034 lb)
10.69 kg/hp
23.56 lb/hp
- 36
Peugeot 308
129 hp · Petrol · 1,380 kg (3,042 lb)
10.72 kg/hp
23.63 lb/hp
- 37
Citroën E-C4
154 hp · Electric · 1,645 kg (3,627 lb)
10.67 kg/hp
23.52 lb/hp
- 38
Citroën E-C4 X
154 hp · Electric · 1,653 kg (3,644 lb)
10.72 kg/hp
23.63 lb/hp
- 39
Opel Astra ST 1.2 Xht
129 hp · Petrol · 1,394 kg (3,073 lb)
10.83 kg/hp
23.87 lb/hp
- 40
Honda Civic E:hev 2.0 Adva
141 hp · Hybrid · 1,533 kg (3,380 lb)
10.89 kg/hp
24.00 lb/hp
- 41
Honda Civic 5 Vrat 2.0 HEV
141 hp · Hybrid · 1,539 kg (3,393 lb)
10.93 kg/hp
24.10 lb/hp
- 42
Toyota Prius PHEV
149 hp · Plug-in hybrid · 1,629 kg (3,591 lb)
10.94 kg/hp
24.13 lb/hp
- 43
Audi A3 40 Tfsie
148 hp · Plug-in hybrid · 1,625 kg (3,583 lb)
11.02 kg/hp
24.29 lb/hp
- 44
Peugeot 308 SW GT Hybrid 145 Edcs6
134 hp · Hybrid · 1,507 kg (3,322 lb)
11.24 kg/hp
24.77 lb/hp
- 45
Peugeot 408 GT Hybrid 145 Edcs6
134 hp · Hybrid · 1,544 kg (3,404 lb)
11.51 kg/hp
25.38 lb/hp
- 46
Peugeot 308 Break 1.2 Aut.
134 hp · Hybrid · 1,550 kg (3,417 lb)
11.56 kg/hp
25.48 lb/hp
- 47
Ford Focus Tit
123 hp · Hybrid · 1,441 kg (3,177 lb)
11.68 kg/hp
25.75 lb/hp
- 48
Mercedes-Benz CLA 250+ With EQ Technology
168 hp · Electric · 2,070 kg (4,564 lb)
12.35 kg/hp
27.22 lb/hp
- 49
Subaru Impreza
134 hp · Hybrid · 1,674 kg (3,691 lb)
12.48 kg/hp
27.52 lb/hp
- 50
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.