Press Release

Green cars save the wallet

16 October 2008

Greener cars aren’t just better for the environment, they can also save you money, says the Which? Complete Guide to Greener Driving, available on the high street* today.

The consumer organisation’s tests, more stringent than EU official inspections**, reveal the ten best cars for fuel economy. Fiat, Toyota and VW have produced models that break the 60 miles per gallon (mpg) barrier.

>               =1 Fiat Panda 1.3 Multijet, Toyota Yaris 1.4 D-4D, VW Polo BlueMotion 1: 60.1 mpg

>               4 Mini Clubman 1.6D Cooper: 58.8mpg

>               =5 Audi A3 1.9 TDIe, Mazda2 1.4D, VW Golf BlueMotion: 57.7mpg

>               8 Vauxhall Corsa 1.3 CDTi 90: 57.6mpg

>               9 Fiat 500 1.3 Multijet: 56.5mpg

>               10 Renault Modus 1.5 dci 86: 55.3mpg


The top ten are all diesel cars - the easiest way to go green and cut down on bills is to switch fuels from petrol to diesel. Although diesel cars cost more than petrol cars, they will save drivers a packet if they cover lots of miles. A Peugeot 207 driver, for example, could save £247*** on fuel over 10,000 miles by switching from a petrol engine to the HDi diesel alternative.

Green car drivers will also save money on tax as the government overhauls road tax in 2009 to encourage motorists to drive cars with lower carbon emissions. A car which emits less than 100g/km – such as the VW Polo BlueMotion 1 – will not be liable for road tax.

Richard Headland, editor, Which? Complete Guide to Greener Driving, says:

“It’s a win-win situation. Choosing a greener car will reduce your carbon tyreprint, cost less in road tax and you’ll save money every time you fill up your car.”

Notes to editors

*The Which? Complete Guide to Greener Driving, published Thursday, 16 October 2008, is available in selected WH Smith, Borders, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Asda stores for £6.99. The Guide reviews the top 100 eco cars and is packed with practical advice on greener driving.

**Official economy and CO2 emissions figures – those stated by carmakers in brochures, and which dictate how much road tax is paid – are based on results from the EU fuel-test scheme, which stimulates two types of driving: ‘urban’ (slow speed, start-stop driving) and ‘extra-urban’ (faster speeds, out of town). After a test car has been run in for 1,800 miles, it’s put through a series of acceleration, steady speed, deceleration and idling exercises. Economy and emissions figures are taken from an average of the two parts, weighted according to the distance covered. The Which? test includes both these EU runs, but crucially adds a simulated 15.5-mile motorway drive, with acceleration and deceleration, and an average speed of around 68mph. This can have a marked effect on fuel economy and CO2 output, which is measured by collecting and analysing all the exhaust gases. That’s why the Which? average test figures are often poorer, but more realistic, than the official statistics.

***Over 10,000 miles, the driver of a 1.4-litre petrol-engined Peugeot 207 will spend £1,211 on fuel, whereas fuelling the HDi diesel alternative will cost £964, as it averages 62.7mpg rather than 44.8mpg. (Official EU fuel test mpg figures. Prices correct in July 2008). This means the diesel driver will save £247, despite the higher cost of diesel fuel. However, this does not take into account the extra £900 the diesel-engined car costs. Despite owners recouping some of this when they sell the car – thanks to the stronger retained values on the diesel car – the real financial benefits of choosing a diesel model come only if motorists cover higher mileages. Someone averaging 20,000 miles annually, for example, would recoup the 207’s diesel’s extra cost in two years.

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