In the first part of this series (see
Fuel Sippers – Part One) we examined the most
fuel-efficient hybrid and diesel-powered vehicles available new in Australia.
The benchmark Toyota Prius hybrid achieves 4.4 litres per 100km consumption
while the best of the diesel hatches returns 4.7 litres per 100km.
So what’s the best you can get from a
petrol-engined car? We find out and also take a look at factory LPG options for
larger cars...
Fuel-Efficient Petrol Vehicles
Without the ‘magic’ of hybrid drivelines or modern
diesel injection, it’s inevitable that the most fuel-efficient petrol-engined
cars are also amongst the smallest. As you’ll see, the following cars employ
engines ranging from well under a litre to a maximum of 1.6 litres – it’s time
to get compact!
One of the most intriguing vehicles to arrive in
Australia in recent years is the Smart fortwo. The fortwo, as its
name suggests, is strictly a two-seater which means it is severely limited from
a practicality point of view. But it’s not without appeal! At just 2.5 metres
long, the micro fortwo is a breeze to park and is widely trumpeted as the answer
to city congestion. The fortwo also features interchangeable body panels which
are available in a variety of colours and a wind-in-your-hair cabriolet version
is available. Sure, it’s tiny in stature but the fortwo doesn’t miss out on
equipment – there’s a glass roof, front airbags, brake assist, stability
control, a CD/tuner, air conditioning, power windows and a leather steering
wheel. And, yes, all of this can be squeezed inside - just...
Under the bonnet, the fortwo uses a vibrant 698cc
three-cylinder petrol engine - with a turbocharger! Output is 45kW/95Nm and
drive is through a sequential six-speed auto transmission. At 730kg, the fortwo
takes over 15 seconds to reach 100 km/h (making it the slowest so far in this
series) but we reckon some more boost would quickly fix that situation. Fuel
consumption is listed at 4.8 litres per 100km but note that expensive premium
unleaded (95+ RON) is recommended.
Selling brand new, a Smart fortwo hardtop coupe
can be bought for just under AUD$20,000 while the cabrio fetches AUD$22,990.
Second-hand examples (from 2003) can be picked up from about AUD$15,000.
The most fuel-efficient conventional hatch is the
much underrated Mitsubishi Colt. At 5.6 litres per 100km, the Colt
returns fuel consumption not far behind the ‘awesome’ hybrid and diesel
vehicles. Under the bonnet is an ultra-efficient 1.5-litre petrol four-cylinder
with MIVEC variable inlet cam timing, low friction pistons and tubular
extractors to help generate 77kW/141Nm. Drive is put through an efficient
continuously variable transmission (CVT). Consider its relatively light weight
(just over 1000kg) and excellent aerodynamics (0.31 Cd) and you can see why it’s
so frugal. Accelerative performance is respectable – expect 0 – 100 km/h in the
mid 12 second range.
The Colt uses a five-door hatchback body (which
shares 40 percent of components with the Smart forfour) and offers excellent
practicality. The rear seating arrangement is extremely flexible, there are
plenty of small storage facilities and there’s no lack of passenger space.
Standard equipment in the base Colt LS includes power windows, four-speaker
CD/tuner and dual airbags.
A new Colt LS retails for AUD$18,990. Not cheap in
the small hatch segment, but a bargain in the context of hybrids and diesels
that give similar fuel consumption.
Another car that has slipped under the radar is
the Citroen C3. Released in Australia in late ’02, the C3 hatch was voted
most beautiful small car in the world - but we’re not so sure about that... Its
visual appeal is up to you but with 6.2 litres per 100km fuel consumption, the C3
certainly appeals as one of the most fuel-efficient hatches in the country.
Early versions and the current base model come
powered by a 1.4-litre four-cylinder petrol engine that generates 57kW. In
manual guise, the C3 reaches 100 km/h in 14.2 seconds and delivers combined fuel
consumption of 6.2 litres per 100km. An automatic version drinks almost one
extra litre per 100km so make sure you give that a wide berth. Note that, like the
Smart fortwo, 95+ RON fuel is recommended.
Interestingly, a 1.6-litre version has been
included in the C3 line-up since 2003. The bigger engine gives 80kW for
noticeably improved performance but, curiously, claimed fuel consumption remains
identical to the 1.4... Walk into a dealership and you can expect to pay
AUD$19,990 for a Citroen C3 1.4 or an extra AUD$3000 for the 1.6.
The nearest rivals for these petrol-engined
machines are the Honda Jazz, Proton Savvy, Toyota Yaris, Peugeot 206 and
Mercedes-Benz A150 - all offer consumption of 6.7 litres per 100km or better.
Factory LPG Alternatives
A couple of full-size Australian vehicles are
currently available with factory developed gas systems. Switching to LPG does
little to reduce the consumption of fuel (in fact, consumption is often
increased) but given LPG costs around half as much as normal unleaded, it
is an attractive option.
The leading purveyor of factory LPG systems in
Australia is Ford. The current BF Falcon XT and Futura (sedan and wagon),
Falcon SR and Fairmont sedan and XR6 ute models are offered with a dedicated
E-Gas system which eliminates the conventional fuel system – but note that it’s
available only on auto trans versions.
Interestingly, the AUD$1400 optional E-Gas system
(which must be specified at the time of purchase) comprises a revised high
compression version of the in-line 4-litre engine which generates 156kW/372Nm
(down from 190kW/383Nm in the petrol version). Boot space is also reduced by the
introduction of a LPG tank but there’s no denying the reduced running costs –
Ford claims fuel savings of around 47 percent. Given the base-spec Falcon XT
auto is listed at 10.9 litres per 100km, that should equate to a comparable (dollars basis) fuel
consumption figure of less than 6 litres per 100km. Very impressive for a big
six!
The still-running-out-the-door Holden VZ
Commodore doesn’t come with the option of a ‘single fuel’ LPG system like
the Ford, but there is a factory option dual-fuel system. We believe that this
is available on Executive sedan and wagon only. The Sequential Vapour Gas
Injection (SVGI) system injects gas into each air intake runner and the gas tank
is mounted behind the rear seat (or in the spare wheel well, depending if the
vehicle is a sedan or wagon). The claimed fuel consumption is around 15 litres
per 100km which, given the price of LPG, equates to a comparable fuel
consumption figure of around 7.5 litres per 100km. Fuel consumption is unchanged
from factory when running on normal petrol.
At the time of writing, details of the new VE Commodore LPG system are yet to
be released.
One thing is for sure. While hybrid and diesel
powered cars are the topic of conversation, the good ‘ol petrol engine still has
some life left – especially when fitted with cheap-on-your-pocket LPG.
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