The stats make it official – Australia is falling out of love with its big sixes. But can you save fuel without compromising space and power? Bill McKinnon sizes up the market for smaller, safer, greener, fuel misers
Rising fuel prices and our desire to act on global warming are creating a fundamental change in the Australian car market – the half-yearly new car sales results prove it.
The first six months of 2008 saw the Toyota Corolla become our biggest-selling new car, knocking off the Holden Commodore. The Corolla has done this on the occasional month before, but has never before beaten the big Aussie six over a full half year.
Despite the FG Falcon’s arrival, sales in the large car class – in which it competes with the Commodore – continue to slide. The class now occupies 11.1 per cent of the passenger car market.
The ‘big car for a big country’ era is over.
The small car class, dominated by the Corolla but with nearly 30 models on offer, comprises 22.7 per cent, a share that’s growing.
The light car class, where the Toyota Yaris leads, is now also doing higher sales volumes than the Falcon/Commodore category, with 12.4 per cent.
And while there is now a big gap between petrol and diesel prices, sales of diesel cars to private buyers are up by more than 34 per cent compared with the first six months of 2007.
If you’re among the growing number of Australians thinking about downsizing to a more fuel efficient, environmentally friendly car, here are some worth test-driving. Ranging from tiddlers like the Citroën C3 to family wagons like the Skoda Octavia, all average less than 10L/100km. A couple average less than 5.0L/100km!
They also have a Green Vehicle Guide score of at least 3.5 stars and an NCAP crash test score of at least 4 stars.
You can also find more detailed road tests of these cars at mynrma.com.au.
The A3 shares its architecture and most of its components with the VW Golf. The five door Sportback works well as family transport if you have a couple of young kids.
The 1.8-litre TFSi Ambition, priced from $44,900, is probably the best version. The 118kW 1.8 turbo is smooth and responsive, and averages 7.5-7.6L/100km, with CO2 emissions of 179-181gkm and a 3.5 star rating in the Green Vehicle Guide. However, 98 octane premium is recommended.
Audi’s new 1.9-litre turbo-diesel TDie, priced at $38,900, has 77kW of power and 250Nm of torque. It is matched with a five-speed manual geared tall for economy. It averages just 4.5L/100km – comparable to a Prius hybrid – and produces 119gkm of CO2. The Green Vehicle Guide has not yet rated it.
If you want more performance, the 125kW, 2.0-litre turbo-diesel, matched with a six-speed sequential auto, is priced from $48,500. It averages 6L/100 km, produces 161gkm of CO2 and scores 3.5 stars.
The A3 is solid, safe and refined, with taut, confident dynamics.
The big load area is almost equivalent to a compact wagon and the back seat has plenty of space.
BMW’s frugal, clean and bargain-priced 520d, from $79,990, shows that 21st century luxury cars don’t have to be ostentatious or wasteful.
All car companies make a lot of noise about fuel efficiency and low emissions. BMW is one of the few that actually demonstrates both as core engineering principles.
The 520d’s kerb weight of 1520kg is 170kg less than a base model Commodore. Its 125kW 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel is 20kg lighter than its predecessor, yet it produces 10kW more power while using 10 per cent less fuel. In fact, a Corolla uses more fuel than the 520d.
If you think a 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel is going to struggle in a luxury car, think again.
The 520d is no rocket, but it can still reach 100 km/h from rest in a respectable 9.3 seconds. Matched with a six-speed sequential automatic, it delivers strong, refined performance that’s well suited to daily use.
And how about this: It averages 5.0L/100km on the highway, 8.1L/100km in town, scores 3.5 stars and emits just 162gkm of CO2. Outstanding for a full-size luxury car.
Small cars are usually easy on fuel, but the Citroën C3 range has a couple of real fuel misers: the 83kW 1.6-litre petrol Exclusive, at $21,990 or $23,990 with a four-speed automatic, and a 66kW 1.6-litre turbo-diesel/five speed manual at $23,990.
The 1.6-litre petrol is among a select group of cars that scores the maximum 5 stars out of 5 in the Green Vehicle Guide. The others are the Toyota Prius, Fiat 500 and Fiat Punto.
The 1.6 goes well enough, averages 6.2L/100km running on 95 octane premium and emits 148gkm of CO2.
The 1.6 turbo-diesel averages just 4.4L/100km and emits 118gkm. It scores 3.5 stars.
Up front, the C3 is one of the most spacious small cars around – although the back seat is suitable only for kids. It also has a big-car feel in the way it sits securely on the bitumen at highway speeds, untroubled by bumps.
Mazda’s baby hatchback – the 2008 World Car of the Year – raises the standard for small cars priced under $20,000.
The base model Neo starts at $16,500, the Maxx is priced from $18,710 and the Genki costs $20,845.
All are powered by a 76kW, 1.5-litre four-cylinder engine. A five-speed manual is standard; a four-speed automatic adds $1650.
The 1.5 goes well enough, but the gearing in the five-speed manual is quite tall (to maximise economy and suit European driving) so you need to row it along and you won’t often see fifth in town. On the highway it’s pulling less than 3000rpm in fifth, which is unusual in a 1.5-litre small car.
The Mazda2 is now one of the most refined small cars on the road. It’s much smoother and quieter, for example, than the 1.5-litre Toyota Yaris. Occupant space is pretty good by class standards too.
It averages 6.4-6.8L/100km, running on 91 octane. CO2 emissions are 152-162gkm and it scores 3.5 stars.
If you think sports performance is incompatible with great fuel economy and low emissions, Fiat’s new Ritmo will change your mind.
The Fiat is one of the sportiest drives in the class, especially with the new 110kW 1.4-litre turbo-charged T-Jet petrol engine. It goes hard all the way from 2000-6000 rpm, the six-speed manual is light and smooth, and on the right road the Ritmo is huge fun to drive.
On 95 octane premium it averages 5.8L/100km on the highway and 9.3L/100km in town, and emits 167gkm of CO2. It scores 3.5 stars in the Green Vehicle Guide.
Fiat’s local importer isn’t shy about asking ambitious prices, but equipment levels are high.
The range kicks off with the Emotion T-Jet, at $29,990. A 1.9-litre turbo-diesel Emotion, also with 110kW, is $33,490. It averages just 4.5L/100km on the open road and 7.6L/100km in town, producing CO2 emissions of 149gkm and also scoring 3.5 stars.
Sport variants are an extra $3000.
The Hyundai i30’s has the cheapest turbo-diesel in this class, priced from $21,490 for the 85kW 1.6-litre/five-speed manual SX CRDi.
That’s $6500 cheaper than its closest diesel rivals, the Ford Focus TDCi and the 1.9-litre VW Golf TDi, both of which cost $27,990.
An SLX CRDi variant, with the same drivetrain but more equipment, is $25,990. A four-speed automatic adds $2000.
The 1.6 has the relaxed, punchy delivery of similar engines from European diesel specialists like Citroën and Peugeot.
It averages (man-auto) 4.1-4.9L/100 km on the highway and 5.7-7.9L/100km in the city. CO2 emissions are 125-159 gkm and it scores 3.5 stars.
If it’s petrol power you prefer, the Toyota Corolla is very difficult to go past. Prices start at $20,990 for the Ascent hatch and sedan, but the Conquest, priced from $25,500, is the pick for value as it includes worthwhile gear like seven airbags, cruise control and an in-dash six stacker CD player.
The 100kW 1.8-litre four-cylinder petrol engine is matched with a standard six-speed manual; a four-speed auto adds $2000.
It averages 7.3-7.7L/100km, running on 91 octane – so as well as being fuel efficient, you’re not paying extra for premium, like you are with most European engines. CO2 emissions are 172-180gkm and the Corolla scores 4.5 stars.
The Corolla is now big enough to work well as a family car, so if you’re on a tight budget but want an economical, safe, practical, no-grief machine, we strongly suggest you try it.
Volkswagen is arguably the market leader in four-cylinder engine technology. The Golf GT Sport offers two such powerplants.
A 1.4-litre turbo-charged and super-charged petrol engine is matched with a six-speed manual in the GT Sport TSi, at $34,990, or a six-speed automated manual DSG transmission for an extra $2300.
If diesel’s your thing, how about the 2.0-litre turbo-charged four in the TDi (and the A3 above), with 125kW of power and a whopping 350Nm of torque. It’s also available with the six-speed transmissions, at $37,490/$39,790.
‘Twincharger’ refers to the 1.4-litre petrol engine using both a super-charger and a turbo-charger. It’s the only production engine to employ both forms of forced induction. The idea is to get meaningful fuel economy and emissions improvements in petrol engines by making them smaller and then using forced induction to improve performance.
So the 1.4 TSi powers the GT to 100km/h in a handy 7.8 seconds, yet averages 7.7L/100km, on 98 octane, and emits 183gkm of CO2.
The 2.0 TDi takes 8.2 seconds, averages 6.3-6.6L/100km and emits 166-174gkm of CO2.
Both score 3.5 stars in the Green Vehicle Guide.
There are three engines in the Mercedes B Class range: a 100kW 2.0-litre petrol, an 80kW 2.0-litre turbo-diesel (both from $45,800) and a 142kW 2.0-litre turbo-petrol, priced from $52,400.
The naturally aspirated 2.0 petrol engine offers the best combination of performance, refinement, emissions and economy.
The 2.0-litre five-speed manual B200 makes the Green Vehicle Guide’s top ten list with a 4.5 star score. It averages 7.4L/100km on 98 octane premium and produces 177gkm of CO2.
The 2.0-litre is a nice fit with the optional ($2500) continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT), especially around town. However despite comparable economy and emissions to the manual version, it scores 3.5 stars in the Green Vehicle Guide, which does not appear to make sense.
The 1.8 turbo-diesel, with a six-speed manual or CVT, averages 5.8-6.2L/100km, emits 151-164gkm of CO2 and also scores 3.5 stars.
One of the most practical, versatile family wagons on the market is available with a 2.0-litre petrol/four-speed automatic at $39,990; a 2.0-litre turbo-diesel/six-speed auto costs $44,990. Seven seats are standard.
The latter’s torque-laden delivery, allied with the efficiency of a six-speed auto, is perfect for the people mover application. There’s little reason to choose the petrol engine. It would be slower with a load of people on board, has only a four-speed transmission, and it uses more fuel.
The 2.0 turbo-diesel averages just 5.1L/100km on the highway, 7.9L/100km in town, and produces 159gkm of CO2. Not bad for a seven-seater wagon. It scores 3.5 stars.
As a good value family car, the pick of the Skoda Octavia range is the 118kW 1.8-litre turbo-petrol Elegance wagon, priced at $32,990, and its 103kW, 2.0-litre turbo-diesel counterpart, from $35,990.
The 1.8 is available only with a six-speed manual at present.
It uses direct injection and other cutting edge petrol engine technology to generate serious torque from low revs. It is also exceptionally smooth for a four cylinder. As revs climb it takes on a mildly sporty character, yet it also has a frugal thirst – an average of 7.7L/100km, on 95 octane premium, with CO2 emissions of 814gkm and a green vehicle rating of 3.5 stars.
The 2.0-litre turbo-diesel averages 5.7L/100km with a six-speed manual, and 6.0L/100km with a six-speed automated manual (a $2300 option), with CO2 emissions of 150-159gkm. Both versions score 3.5 stars.
To read more about fuel consumption and the latest green car technologies, click here.
Open Road e-zine August 2008
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