The iconic hot hatch held onto its crown having received the same award in 2008 thanks to BMW’s EfficientDynamics technology.

In keeping against the need to broadcast through each and every medium about green initiatives, BMW have gone about their eco friendly business almost under the radar.

Such features as Auto Start-Stop whereby the engine switches off when the car is stationary; electric power steering which only utilises energy when the wheel is in motion; and the Optimum Shift Indicator which lets you know the most fuel-efficient revs to change gear all help to make the MINI Cooper S be as eco friendly as any sports hatch on the market.

And of course, with no compromise in driveability and sex appeal, the Cooper S could not be toppled from the top of the chart.

With a combined fuel economy of just under 46 miles per gallon and with CO2 emission levels of just 149g/km, the MINI Cooper S encompasses all that is required in a hatchback – class, style, coolness, speed, handling and eco friendliness.