Subaru has beat its official CO2 ratings in real world driving.

Amid the recent controversy surrounding manufacturer claims on official mpg figures,  Subaru has been named one of the top car manufacturers for ‘real world’ fuel efficiency following independent testing. Subaru ranked second best among all brands for honest fuel economy claims in the tests carried out to establish how efficient cars are under normal driving compared to their official fuel consumption figures.

The programme, which took place over two years and saw around 600 cars independently tested, was conducted by German car magazine Auto Motor und Sport. The magazine sought to establish how models from all major car manufacturers performed against their official fuel economy and emissions ratings, established under lab conditions as part of the New European Drive Cycle (NEDC) fuel efficiency tests that every new car must undergo.

Subaru ranked second place in the test, and was one of only five manufacturers to beat its official NEDC CO2 emissions rating, with testers recording a 6 per cent average improvement over the official emissions ratings for cars across the Subaru range.

The majority of other car manufacturers fell short of their official fuel economy figures, with shortfalls of up to 14.4 per cent in some instances.

The tests were conducted by Auto Motor und Sport on a set 171-mile (275km) test course, which incorporated country roads, motorways and congested city traffic.