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Fuel efficient cars
When you need a new car purchase the most fuel efficient model that meets your needs and budget. You can get good information on fuel consumption of all new cars sold in New Zealand as well as most Japanese used cars imported and sold in New Zealand on the government’s fuel saver website (www.fuelsaver.govt.nz). Its well worth checking the fuel consumption figures or ratings of the cars you may be thinking of buying. Fuel consumption can vary from around 5 to well over 15 litres per 100 kilometres depending on make and model.
Diesel cars
You should also consider a diesel car when you next consider a new car. Modern diesel cars are greener than petrol cars because they burn their fuel 20-40% more efficiently. The new generation of common rail diesel engines are particularly efficient. In these engines a very high pressure pump feeds fuel into a tube or “common rail” that in turn feeds fuel to computer-controlled precision injector valves. This high pressure fuel injection system produces a fine mist of fuel than burns very efficiently and cleanly in the combustion chamber giving better engine performance.
Most European car makers have common rail diesels in their model lineups for light duty and even commercial vehicles. Some Japanese manufacturers, such as Toyota, Nissan and recently Honda, have also developed common rail diesel engines.
Diesels do emit higher levels of nitrogen oxides and particulates although modern car diesel engines are only marginally more dirty because of new technologies driven by stricter air quality emission standards. Common rail diesels are just starting to enter New Zealand in quantity and soon New Zealand drivers will have a wider range to choose from.
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