Surprising SUV New Car Fuel Consumption & CO2 Emission Figures

If you’ve been weighing up buying a new SUV, below we consider its impact on the environment and your pocket.

 

There’s a massive range of SUVs which include the Audi Allroad, BMW X3, Cadillac Escalade, Cadillac SRX, Citroen C-Crossover, Daihatsu Terios, Dodge Nitro, Honda CR-V, Honda HR-V, Hyundai Terracan, Hyundai Tuscon, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Jeep Commander, Jeep Compass, Jeep Patriot, Jeep Wrangler, Kia Sportage, Land Rover Defender, Land Rover Discovery, Nissan X-Trail, Porsche Cayenne, Ssangyong Kyron, Ssangyong Rexton, Suzuki Jimny, Suzuki Grand Vitara, Subaru Forester, Toyota Land Cruiser, Toyota Land Cruiser Amazon, Toyota Rav4, Volkswagen Touareg, Volvo XC70, The Chevrolet Captiva is a middle-weight contender.

 

The Captiva is not a gigantic SUV like the Audi Q7, BMW X5, Shogun, Range Rover, Merc GL and Patrol. These monsters can completely fill a UK parking space with no room to open the doors. And some say they’re far too large for UK roads.

The Chevrolet Captiva is around the same size as the Hyundai Santa Fe, Kia Sorrento, Jeep Cherokee, Land Rover Freelander, Lexus RX, Mercedes-Benz M-Class, Mitsubishi Outlander, Nissan Pathfinder, and Volvo XC90.

The models in the chart below are the above medium size SUVs with the smallest diesel engine option and manual transmission. This excludes the Outlander, M-Class and RX.

 

Make	Model	Engine	CO2	Mpg	£ per 12k
Hyundai	Santa Fe	2188	190	39.2	1573
Kia	Sorrento	2497	209	35.8	1722
Jeep	Cherokee 08MY	2776	228	32.8	1879
Land Rover	Freelander	2179	194	37.7	1635
Nissan	Pathfinder	2488	264	28.8	2140
Volvo	XC90	2400	219	34.0	1813
Chevrolet	Captiva LS	1991	195	38.7	1593

 

SUVs with CO2 emissions 186-225g/km are Band F and pay £210 for 12 months vehicle excise duty. 226g/km and above are Band G and pay £400.00 for their road fund licence.

 

The fuel cost of driving 12,000 miles was calculated by the VCA using the combined fuel consumption figure and an average fuel price of 113p/litre for diesel. Currently prices are some 20% higher with diesel costing 136p/litre increasing your fuel cost of driving 12,000 miles by the same percentage.

 

The data above was copied from tables compiled by the VCA www.vca.gov.uk Also see www.dft.gov.uk/ActOnCO2/ . Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy. The VCA and I cannot accept liability for its accuracy. Users who rely entirely on the information do so at their own risk. Importantly, wheel size and the number of driven wheels will make a difference to the above figures.

 

There’s not a massive difference in the above figures. Ignoring the cheapest and most expensive SUVs, there’s only about £300 difference over 12,000 miles. There’s a big difference in their cost new, levels of equipment and having a 7-seat option.

 

The Chevrolet Captiva has the huge advantage of fixed-price servicing for a one-off payment of £299 for 3 years/30,000 miles servicing.

 

What this chart highlights is the hype about car running costs. You saw yesterday –

Ford	Ka	1299	141	47.9	1207
VW	Fox	1198	144	46.3	1249

 

Just imagine buying a small car and discovering it didn’t suit your lifestyle and you were forced to change it. The cost of depreciation would cover fuel costs for years. A car must first suit your lifestyle. Then it must be affordable. Next it should be safe. Economy isn’t the big deal it’s made out to be. Let’s check it out again -

Chevrolet

Captiva LS

1991

195

38.7

1593

 

Even if we compare the Chevrolet Captiva with a Chevrolet Matiz, the fuel cost is not so great given the size difference, space and versatility, not to mention performance, comfort, style, and safety –

Chevrolet

Matiz S 5dr

796

119

54.3

1065

 

So if you want a SUV why not get one?

 

Regards

Ralph

www.chevroletreviewsandprices.co.uk

Small New Car Petrol Fuel Consumption & Emission Figures

If you’ve been shopping for the best small city/family car and considered a Citroen, Daihatsu, Fiat, Ford, Hyundai, Kia, Peugeot, Proton, Renault, Suzuki, Toyota, VW, or the Chevrolet Matiz, here are the VCA new car fuel consumption and emission figures. I’ve taken figures for the smallest petrol engine options. Others are available.

 

There are also larger small cars to be found in the super-mini class. The cars below are the smallest of small cars.

 

 

Make	Model	Engine	G’box	CO2	Mpg	£ per 12k
Citroen	C1	998	M5	108	61.4	942
Citroen	C2	1124	M5	138	48.7	1187
Daihatsu	Charade	989	M5	114	58.9	982
Daihatsu	Sirion	998	M5	118	56.5	1023
Fiat	500	1242	M5	119	55.4	1044
Fiat	Panda	1108	M5	135	49.6	1166
Ford	Ka	1299	M5	141	47.9	1207
Hyundai	i10	1086	M5	119	56.5	1023
Hyundai	Getz	1086	M5	130	51.4	1125
Kia	Picanto	999	M5	117	57.6	1004
Peugeot	107 68bhp	998	M5	108	61.4	942
Proton	Savvy	1149	5MT	134	49.6	1166
Renault	Twingo 60	1149	M5	130	51.4	1125
Toyota	Aygo	998	M5	109	61.4	942
VW	Fox	1198	M5	144	46.3	1249
Chevrolet	Matiz S 5dr	796	M5	119	54.3	1065

 

Cars with CO2 emissions 101-120g/km only pay £35 for 12 months vehicle excise duty. 121-150 pay £120.00 for their road fund licence.

 

The fuel cost of driving 12,000 miles was calculated by the VCA using the combined fuel consumption figure and an average fuel price of 106p/litre for petrol. Currently prices are more than 15% higher increasing your fuel cost of driving 12,000 miles by the same percentage.

 

The data above was copied from tables compiled by the VCA www.vca.gov.uk. Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy. The VCA and I cannot accept liability for its accuracy. Users who rely entirely on the information do so at their own risk. Importantly, wheel size will make a difference to the above figures.

 

There’s not a massive difference in the above figures. But the most expensive is 30% higher than the most economical cars. There’s a big difference in the cost new, levels of equipment and having 5-door access.

 

The C2, Panda, Ka, Getz, Savvy, Twingo and Fox have co2 emissions over 120 so cost more on vehicle excise duty. They’re also the most expensive on fuel.

 

That leaves the C1, Charade, Sirion, 500, i10, Picanto, 107, Aygo, and Matiz.

 

If you want 5-doors for less than £7,000.00 it’s down to the Picanto and Chevrolet Matiz 0.8 S 5-door.

 

The Chevrolet Matiz has the huge advantage of fixed-price servicing for a one-off payment of £199 for 3 years/30,000 miles servicing.

 

Regards

Ralph

www.chevroletreviewsandprices.co.uk

New car fuel consumption and emission figures

Searching online for the best in class cars with the lowest CO2 rankings?

 

Thinking about buying a new car? The VCA say you should take the time to think about the impact your likely purchase will have on the environment.

 

Buying a car that pollutes less could save you money.

 

For more information see the booklet  - New car fuel consumption and emission figures. There is a Welsh language version of this publication.

 

You can search online for “ACT ON CO2” for the best in class cars with the lowest CO2 rankings.

 

They have a searchable database at www.vca.gov.uk

 

If you tax your car online you may not link up and certainly won’t be picking the booklet from a DVLA office. Their guide contains:

 

INTRODUCTION

 

CARS AND CARBON DIOXIDE

 

ACT ON CO2 COMMUNICATIONS CAMPAIGN

 

CARS AND AIR POLLUTION

 

CARS AND NOISE

 

CARS AND FUEL OPTIONS

 

FURTHER HINTS FOR LESS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

 

HOW TO USE THE DATA TABLE

 

PETROL CARS WITH 129/KM CO2 OR LESS

 

DIESEL CARS WITH 129/KM CO2 OR LESS

 

DATA TABLE

 

THE FUEL CONSUMPTION TESTING SCHEME

 

WHAT ARE THE STANDARD TESTS?

 

HOW REPRESENTATIVE OF REAL LIFE DRIVING ARE THE STANDARD TESTS?

 

EXHAUST EMISSIONS TESTING

 

NOISE

 

VCA ask if the guide is useful and how it could be more user friendly. Certainly it’s useful.

 

The data table is obviously large and the problem is if you’re interested in a particular class of car you’ve first got to find the cars and the data isn’t side by side. It’s on different pages. So in following posts I’m going to have a go at grouping classes of cars together. And point out some interesting points in the booklet based on search queries I’ve received on websites.

 

As the VCA state the THE FUEL CONSUMPTION TESTING SCHEME is intended to give car buyers comparative information about the fuel consumption of different models in standard conditions.

 

In my next post I’ll compare the fuel consumptions for cars in the Chevrolet Matiz class of car – small city cars.

 

Regards

Ralph

www.chevroletreviewsandprices.co.uk

 

When a buyer refers to a friend there are only 2 questions

When a buyer refers to a friend there are only 2 questions to ask.

 

How does it perform?

What are the costs?

 

There are 9 features to any product or service

Performance

Versatility

Comfort

Durability

Reliability

Appearance

Prestige

Economy

Safety

 

= PVC DRAPES

 

You can forget reliability and durability because most if not all products have these qualities. With services it’s more difficult. You can remember the remainder as like a car and having SIDES

 

Size – versatility

Style – appearance

Standing – prestige

Inside – comfort or ease of use

Drive – performance

Economy – the cost to ownership

Safety

 

Size, style, standing and ease are matters for you. Safety is normally a standard. So you are left with:

1. How well does this thing perform – do the thing it promises to do, and
2. How much will it really cost me?

 

Let’s look at a car as an example.

 

Size is most important. Can you fit the objects of your lifestyle into this vehicle? They say a small car like a Chevy Matiz is all you need. Is this true for you?

 

Style is a matter of taste. The mentioned Matiz was designed by the renowned Giugiaro. It’s cheeky and cheerful.

 

Does cheerful mean cheap and cheerful to you? When it comes to standing – prestige – are you swayed by style or cheerful meaning cheap? It’s up to you.

 

The comfort or ease of an object are – to me – most important. It’s a matter of taste. It’s for you to decide. You can’t ask a friend. It is the aspects which causes most disappointment. Ask yourself are you comfortable with this product or service. If you FEEL you’re not – drop it.

 

As I say you’ve 2 questions. If you were interested in a Chevrolet Matiz it’s up to you whether it will do the job, if you like the looks and image.

 

You have to test comfort and ease of use.

 

Ask others about how it does the job – what it promises and what it’s really costing them.

 

As a salesman I can tell you these things!

 

Regards

Ralph

www.chevroletreviewsandprices.co.uk