Time for a more fuel-efficient car?

Improvements in engine technology have seen the average fuel consumption of passenger cars decrease from over 10 litres per 100km in 1980 to less than 7 litres per 100km in the case of many of the latest high technology, highly fuel-efficient models, according to cars4women.co.za.

Vehicle manufacturers worldwide are committed to providing safer, high-tech, environmentally friendly and highly fuel-efficient new products. In South Africa, the concept of hybrid cars is still a new one and the Toyota Prius is currently the only hybrid car available (although this is about to change).

Diesel currently offers the most fuel for your money - the latest generation diesel vehicles, while offering all the refinements and performance of their petrol-engined counterparts, also offer significant fuel economy benefits.

According to cars4women.co.za*...

Some diesel models with great fuel consumption:

VW Polo 1.9 TDi Highline: 4.9 litres per 100km,
VW CrossPolo 1.9 TDi: 4.9 litres per 100km,
SEAT Ibiza 1.9 TDi: 5.3 litres per 100km,
Renault Megane 1.5 dCi Authentique: 4.5 litres per 100km,
Peugeot 307 HDi D-Sign: 4.8 litres per 100km,
Mercedes-Benz A180 CDi Classic: 5.2 litres per 100km,
VW Golf TDi Comfortline DSG: 5.6 litres per 100km,
BMW 120d five-door: 5.5 litres per 100km,
Mercedes-Benz B200 CDi: 5.8 litres per 100km.

Fuel-friendly convertibles

Most fuel-efficient convertible - Daihatsu's Copen is our favourite here. This little 1300cc uses only 6.0 litres per 100km. If you're looking for a more powerful topless ride, and can stretch the budget a bit further, the 2.0i BMW Z4 is pretty good, at 7.0 litres per 100km. The Peugeot 207cc 1.6 Sport only uses 6.5 litres per 100km and the Renault Megane cc 1.9 dCi Dynamique + has the best fuel consumption of all - 5.5 litres per 100km!

Double Cabs that won't guzzle the gas

For fans of double cabs, Chana has introduced a 1.0 litre double cab, the Chana Star, with a fuel index of 6.4 litres per 100km. In this category, it pays to go diesel; the Nissan Navara 2.5 dCi double cab only uses 8.4 litres per 100km.

Petrol-saving hatchbacks

Petrol-saving hatchbacks are flooding the market - the Daihatsu Charade 1.0 Classic and Celeb seem to have the best fuel consumption for a petrol hatch; only 4.4 litres per 100km!

The Peugeot 107 and Citroën C1 are 3.43m long and believe it or not these compact cars are very spacious inside. Both marques claim fuel consumption at 4.6 litres per 100km - great fuel-savers if you want a compact little car.

Toyota's baby Yaris, the 1.0 litre three-door and five-door T1, offer 5.4 litres per 100km, while the Toyota Yaris T3 1.3 five-door will use 6.0 litres to cover the same distance.

The Renault Clio 1.2, 16-valve 5-door Va-Va-Voom does 5.9 litres per 100km. The 1.3 Madza2 Original (baby sister of the 1.5 model, which was the recent Car of the Year winner) will let you do 100km on 5.4 litres of petrol.

If you want a compact car that offers great features at a great price, then the Kia Picanto 1.1 LX is an option. As for fuel consumption, according to Kia the little car's consumption figures in a combination of city and long distance driving is 6,2-litres per 100km in the five-speed manual guise.

Ford's Ka 1.3 Ambiente uses 6.5 litres per 100km, and the Mini Cooper 5.8 litres per 100km, great consumption for a 1600cc engine.

1.4 litre favourites

Citroen's 1.4i Furio offers 6.1 litres per 100km, while the diesel version the 1.4 HDi Furio does a phenomenal 4.4 litres per 100km,
Nissan Micra 1.4: 6.3 litres, (4.6 litres for the Dci version)
Honda Jazz 1.4: 6.7 litres per 100km,
Opel Corsa 1.4 Enjoy: 6.2 litres per 100km,
Peugeot 207 1.4 X-line five door: 6.4 litres per 100km.
Car of the Year winner, the Madza 2 1.5 Individual: 5.9 litres per 100km.

Good news for sedan fans

Fans of sedan motor cars will be happy to know that bigger boot space doesn't necessarily mean higher fuel bills. If you refuse to compromise on luxury and space, the Mercedes C220 CDi is powered by a 2.2-litre engine for just 6.1 litres per 100km.

Other sedans that are spacious but fuel-efficient

Kia Rio 1.4: 6.2 litres per 100km,
VW Polo Classic 1.4 Trendline: 6.9 litres per 100km, while the diesel version does 4.9 litres per 100km,
Volvo S40 2.0D: 5.7 litres per 100km,
BMW 320i: 7.4 litres per 100km (320D: 5.7 litres per 100km),
Audi A4 2.0 CVT: 7.9 litres per 100km (2.0 TDi: 5.8 litres per 100km).

MPVs that scored high in the fuel saving category

Renault's Scenic 1.6 models offer the best fuel consumption in this category: 7.2 litres per 100km if you stick to comparing petrol engines, while the diesel version does 5.8 litres per 100km.
VW Touran 2.0 TDi Highline: 6.0 litres per 100km,
Toyota Verso 160 SX: 7.5 litres per 100km,
Honda FR-V 1.8i: 7.5 litres per 100km,.
Citroen Picasso 1.6 HDi: 4.9 litres per 100km

The most fuel-savvy SUVs

Fiat Panda 1.1 Active: 5.7 litres per 100km,
Toyota Rav 2.0 D-4D GX 4X4: 6.6 litres per 100km,
BMW X3 2.0d: 7.2 litres per 100km,
BMW X5 3.0d (A): 8.7 litres per 100km,
Chev Captiva 2.0D LTZ: 7.7 litres per 100km,
Land Rover Freelander 2.2 TD4 S: 7.5 litres per 100km,
Daihatsu Terios ll 1.5 4X4: 8.9 litres per 100km,
Kia Sportage 2.0 4X2: 8.0 litres per 100km (7.1 litres per 100km for the CRDi version),
Jeep Patriot and Jeep Compass 2.4 LTD: 8.7 litres per 100km,
Subaru Forester 2.5 X: 8.7 litres per 100km.

For more information about some of the cars featured here, go to http://www.cars4women.co.za to read our in-depth reviews by some of the country's leading women motoring journalists.

*The consumption figures and opinions expressed in this article were supplied by cars4women.co.za.