Consumption Guide for Cars, Pick Ups and 4x4's

It was impossible for us to keep our consumption data tables up to date so we have replaced them with links to other independent resources. Please be sure to use you "back" button to return - or place a "bookmark" / "favorite".

• Canada Natural Resources Canada - Fuel Consumption Guide
• U.S. Dept. of Energy / Environmental Protection Agency
• UK Vehicle Certification Agency 2006 consumption data
• France - Agence de l'Environnement et de la Maîtrise de l'Energie

Many of the models we can supply have much more economical diesel engines as sold in Europe and many other parts of the world.  To check the consumption levels of these models you will need to visit the links to the British or French pages

Other Valuable Tips about Conserving Fuel

Fuel consumption is taken more seriously in some countries than in others.  Just how seriously, is a measure of the local cost of fuel.  In the Americas and the Middle East prices are relatively low, but in Europe and many other parts of the world, it can cost double or more. Whatever your destination, fuel economy makes sense and will save you money.  You will also be doing your bit to reduce air pollution, acid rain and global warming. If you want to know more about this you could pay a visit to the Friends of the Earth site or the Greenpeace site.

There are many other factors which affect the amount of fuel you use :

• Larger more powerful engine options use more fuel than smaller ones. Do you need 6 or 8 cylinders ?
• Transmissions :  As a rule manual gearboxes are more efficient than automatics.
• Overdrive gears help to reduce consumption on Highways / Motorways.
• Many of the very large and powerful engines available, offer power and acceleration levels well in excess of that required, even when the vehicle is fully laden.
• The weight of your vehicle will affect consumption, so if you are carrying goods around that you don't need, remove them.
• Airconditioning used in traffic can increase consumption by upto 10%.  (3 to 4% at speed).
• Power windows / power seats and other options like bush bars etc, all add weight and therefore increase fuel usage.
• Driving with the sunroof or windows open increases aerodynamic drag (and consumption).
• Tinted glass keeps your vehicle cooler and therefore reduces the need to use aircon / fuel.
• A light coloured car will also reduce the temperature inside the car (and use of A/C - fuel).
• A luggage rack may enable you to settle for a smaller car, but a loaded rack can increase consumption by 5%.  Even an empty rack causes drag and slightly increases fuel use.  The ideal rack is one which can be fitted and then removed when not required.
• Generally speaking front-wheel drive cars weigh less and therefore consume less fuel.
• Electronically controlled fuel-injection (EFI) petrol engines are becoming the standard fit for many manufacturers.  These offer lower consumption, lower emissions and also, (for countries where cold starts are a problem), easier starting.
• A "Turbo" uses hot exhaust gases to drive a compressor which forces extra air into the engine. The turbo only operates when the engine is called upon to deliver extra power.  A turbo engine will offer better fuel economy than a larger naturally aspirated engine.
• Diesel engines offer much greater fuel efficiency (around 25-30% for the same cc) and should be considered even if the initial vehicle purchase price is higher (normally around 10%).
• It is very important to make sure that your engine is properly tuned.  A poorly tuned engine can increase fuel consumption by 50%.  
• If your engine is idling / ticking over it will consume more fuel in one minute than restarting it. If you have to wait for someone for a few minutes switch off your engine.
• Accelerate and decelerate smoothly.  Heavy acceleration and braking in town will use more fuel, wear out your brakes and your tires, and rarely get you to your destination more than a minute sooner.
• Driving at 90 kph instead of 100 kph can reduce your consumption by about 10%.  Driving at 90 kph instead of 110 kph can reduce your consumption by around 20% !
• Check your tire pressures regularly.  If they are slightly under-inflated they could increase your consumption by 5%.

Finally on the question of choosing between the Premium and Regular grades of Gas/Petrol it is worth mentioning that less than 10% of the cars on North American roads actually need to run on Premium. It does not provide more power or give higher performance. Nor does it improve mileage or reduce engine wear.  Over a period of time you could save a lot by checking your owner's manual for the minimum recommended grade for your car.

The data and other tips in this section have been kindly supplied with the compliments of Natural Resources Canada & Transport Canada.   We shall be adding the figures for other vehicles as and when we receive them.

Copyright © Mission and Project Support / Société d'appui aux missions et projets - 1996 - 2007