Make your next car more efficient
Posted by DavidM in Driving | 28 November 2006
When buying a car people have different requirements – some want performance, others want aesthetics or a badge and some choose purely on a practical basis.
Whatever you look for, start your search by setting a minimum fuel efficiency – say 20% better than your current car – and only look at cars that meet it. Also, think about going diesel. The fuel efficiency is much greater and it gives the potential for you to move to biodiesel, reducing your impact further.
Below are a few comparisons showing you can make a difference to the environment without diluting your driving pleasure. The data is for 2 year old cars from What Car? magazine. It's UK based so if anyone has comparisons for the US or other countries, send it in and I'll add it on.
A Ford Fiesta 1.4 petrol will do 44.1 miles per gallon and has CO2 emissions of 153 grams per kilometre. But a Citroen C3 1.4 HDi does 65.7 mpg with only 112 g/km.
Why not the Ford Fiesta 1.4 diesel? Because the Citroen has faster acceleration and a higher top speed than both the petrol and diesel Fiestas so you don't need to give up the fun to be green.
For the sales rep, trade in that Ford Mondeo 2.0i with 35.3 mpg and 192 g/km and sprint ahead with a Honda Accord 2.2i CDTi improving consumption to 52.3 mpg, reducing emissions to 143 g/km and improving your acceleration.
Instead of an Audi A4 2.0 giving 34.8 mpg and with CO2 emissions of 192g/km, try a BMW 320d - you'd get 49.6 mpg and 153g/km. The BMW does 0-60 mph in 9.3 seconds, the same as the standard petrol Audi A4!
Even the Chelsea tractors can be better, though only relatively. A Landrover Discovery V8 does a pitiful 18.8 mpg and pumps out 354 g/km! The BMW X5 3.0i is a bit better at 22.2 mpg and 307 g/km though you'll give up some aceleration. In the last year or so, though, the real contender is the Lexus 400h - a hybrid and rather beautiful 4x4 with almost normal-car consumption (34.9 mpg) and emissions (192 g/km).
And finally, the privileged few who can afford supercars can still make a difference. Don't buy a Ferrari 575 Maranello. It achieves only 13 mpg and emits a whopping 499 g/km. And it takes 4.3 seconds to go from 0-60 mph.
Why not get something a little faster like the Porsche 996 GT2. It is 0.2 seconds quicker than the lethargic Ferrari yet gets 21.9 mpg and has a surprising CO2 of only 309 g/km.
So whatever level your budget and need for speed, you can still make decisions that minimise your impact on the environment. And the more people include efficiency in their buying criteria, the more efficient manufacturers will make their vehicles.
