When it comes to fuel efficiency, the Ford Mustang isn’t the first car that comes to mind, but it also isn’t the furthest from our thoughts either. This is doubly true since the introduction of the Mustang EcoBoost–which boasts 310 horsepower from a turbocharged 2.3-liter four-banger–and a 32 MPG highway rating here in the U.S. It’s the “practical” alternative to the thirsty 5.0-liter V8; an engine that’s amongst the largest available in places like the U.K.

Yet it was the Coyote engine that walked away with the award for “Most Improved” at the MPG Marathon in Brentwood, U.K.–netting a 58.2% improvement in fuel efficiency over its official road rating.

The Mustang, driven by Ex-Works rally team drivers Andy Dawson and Andrew Marriott, achieved an average of 30.5 MPG in the MPG Marathon, compared with its 17.4 MPG combined fuel economy figure. That 58.2% improvement blows away the previous record of 39%, which was set by a pair of Formula Ford drivers in a Fiesta ST. Seems as though Fords are good at this particular challenge.

“The Mustang was perfect for the MPG Marathon owing to brilliant steering, handling and road-holding,” Dawson and Marriott said in a joint statement. “We were able to let the ’Stang follow the road, with minimal brake use or wasted energy.”

Though the Mustang GT managed an impressive 30.5 MPG, the overall winner was a Mazda 2 1.6L Sport that netted an average of 76 MPG at the MPG Marathon. That’s even better than many hybrids, such as the Toyota Prius; proving that how you drive is just as important as what you drive.