Fuel Test

The real cost of fuel

Ever wondered what a trip to the shops costs? Worried how much money you burn in traffic? And do you know your car's real fuel economy figures?

You might know your own car’s fuel efficiency figures. You will have noticed that one figure told you the efficiency in litres per 100km (l/100km) on an urban cycle, another l/100km on an extra-urban cycle (whatever that means) and a third telling you your combined l/100km.

But what do those figures actually tell you? Those figures are conducted indoors on a rolling road within defined temperatures and controlled speeds. It’s all very scientific but it doesn’t say much about your real-world fuel use.

So, armed with a sensible supermini* and an electronic device that reads data from the engine’s fuel management system, we set our own real world tests. We filled up on fuel and asked the gadget to tell us how much each of our ordinary journeys cost.

Real-world scenarios

1) A round-trip to the supermarket
If you don’t drive to and from work then, chances are, the trip to the supermarket is the most regular journey you take. We drove a round-trip to a supermarket 4km away, a total of 8km on relatively flat, urban roads. Fuel usage was a surprisingly modest 0.2 litres - that's around S$ 0.35 at current prices.

2) Shopping around for fuel
Does it really make sense to shop around for fuel? Or should you just fill up whenever you get the chance? Our trip from one fuel station to another was 3.2km. Fuel usage was 0.087 litres, so a four-mile round-trip would use 0.174 litres - around S$ 0.31.

So, in other words, it cost us more than a sixth of a litre to get to a station that sold cheaper fuel. Then you have to factor in the time it takes you to drive out of your way. Unless you know a station that sells fuel at a price that’s considerably cheaper than average, it doesn’t often make very much economic sense.

3) Visiting a friend
We popped round to visit a friend who lives in the countryside. It’s an opportunity to drive on twisty roads, a 10.3km round-trip from the by-pass that takes in hills, bends and a few kilometres at speed.

You don’t get to use the throttle much, living in the city. So a country road can be a good excuse to drive a little faster.

We drove the same journey twice. First we drove it impatiently, getting high revs before changing up, braking at the last moment and driving purposefully.

Next then did the same drive but frugally, changing up as soon as possible, trying not to go beyond 2000rpm at any point, coasting downhill and anticipating the need to brake.

The difference was quite significant: Fuel usage was 0.21 litres, driven with economy in mind (that's S$ 0.38) but 0.33 litres when driving without heed to economy (S$ 0.59).

4) Idling at the drive-in
People in a hurry like to get their food quickly. But how much does it cost to queue at a drive-in restaurant? We tested our car on idle for five minutes. Fuel usage was 0.015 litres - that's S$ 0.03.

But beware of air-conditioning. It is said that air-con will cut your fuel economy when driving by 10 per cent. But when you’re idling it’s considerably more than that.

Fuel usage with air-con on was 0.028 litres (S$ 0.05), nearly double. So the lesson is: windows down, air-con off when idling or in heavy traffic!

How do you test your fuel economy?
If your car doesn’t have a fuel economy gauge, or you don’t have access to the kind of gizmo we used for this test, don’t worry – a little bit of simple maths is all you need to work out your fuel consumption.

Fill up your tank to the brim next time you need fuel. Set your trip meter to zero (it’s on your dashboard, usually next to the odometer). Next time you fill up, note down your trip computer reading and exactly how much fuel you needed to fill the tank.

Your average fuel economy in l/100km is found by dividing the fuel used by the distance driven and multiplying by 100. So if you’ve used 54 litres of fuel and driven 663 km, you divide 54 by 663 and times by 100 to get 8.145 l/100km.

* Notes on our test
Our test was conducted on real-road conditions using a 2008 Mazda 2 TS2 with a petrol engine

Fuel-saving tips

Experts reveal 11 fuel-saving tips

Want to know how to reduce your fuel bill? Who better to ask than the world record-breaking experts?

John and Helen Taylor look just like any ordinary couple yet, between them, they've amassed 46 world speed records and 38 for economical driving. Oh, and they once managed to go around the world in a VW Golf on just 24 tanks of Shell fuel (read more on thathere).

So what they don't know about the subject of eco-driving isn't worth knowing. And they think we can all save 10 per cent on our fuel bill with just a little effort.

Here, in their own words, are easy, practical tips to put money back in your pocket and help save the world at the same time.

1) Check your tyre pressures every week
'For every 1psi (pound per square inch) that your tyres are under-inflated, your fuel efficiency suffers by 3 per cent. If you don't know the right pressures then check inside the door or in the manual for the info. Don't over-inflate them, though - that's dangerous.'

2) Look after your car
'Your car is one of the most expensive things you'll buy in your lifetime, so look after it. Service it regularly. If you put it off you'll end up spending more at the pump because your engine won't run as efficiently and you'll use more fuel.'

3) Get rid of the dead weight
'Get rid of the unnecessary junk in your car. For every 45kg of weight, you lose about 2 per cent of the efficiency. We did a challenge with a radio DJ in Singapore and found a huge toolkit which he hadn't used in five years, two seats for his baby and three sets of golf clubs!

'By getting rid of 200g, and putting into practice a few other tips, he went from getting 350km per tank of fuel to 550km in the very first day!'

4) Drive safe
'Driving safely and economically go almost hand in hand. Make sure you look well ahead and read what's coming so you don't end up over-braking and then accelerating hard again.'

5) Get to the highest gear as soon as possible
'In city driving it's tempting to keep the car in a lower gear, but just by accelerating gently and smoothly and changing to the highest gear as fast as possible we can all make major savings.

'Don't bog the engine down by changing too early - that's counter productive. But change at less than 2000 revs and keep going all the way to top gear and you'll get much better fuel economy.'

6) Don't go too fast
'It sounds obvious, but perhaps not for the reason you think. Wind resistance increases dramatically as you go faster, we tend to go about 5-10mph less than the speed limit and it saves a massive amount of fuel. And we get there nice and relaxed and just as fast, really!

'If you have a long journey then cruise control can be a godsend, too. Personally we don't use it, but then it does have a real place in regulating the speed and preventing the driver losing concentration and slipping 10mph before accelerating again.'

7) Close the window
'Above about 50mph then you need to close the window, because that's when the aerodynamics start to kick in. An open window is a disaster for fuel economy and can cost as much as a third more fuel.

If you need cooling, use air conditioning, but sparingly! That can take a third more fuel too, so keep it on low.'

8) Don't idle
'A car sat for two minutes with the engine turning uses enough fuel to drive one mile. As a rule of thumb if you're parked for 10 seconds or more you shouldn't idle the car, but as a global average people are sat idling for 5-10 minutes.'

9) Plan your route carefully
'Sat-nav systems are wonderful because there's no more getting lost and wasting fuel. It will easily pay for itself just in saved fuel in the first year, and you'll save yourself the stress of getting lost!

Even if you have one, it could be time to update it. Newer systems come with 'eco' modes which help you avoid traffic jams.'

10) Don't drive angry
'A stressed driver is very rarely an efficient driver, so if the kids are screaming, you've had a row with your partner or you're just annoyed, then don't drive. Take 10 minutes, go for a walk, settle the kids down, do whatever you have to do to settle yourself down before you get in the car.'

11) Don't coast
'My grandfather used to talk about driving to the top of the mountain, switching off and coasting down. But if you do that in a modern car you'll lose the steering and it's dangerous.

'The modern equivalent is to leave the car in neutral wherever possible and coast, but actually we've found this doesn't work. In a modern car it's better to select the appropriate gear, keeping around 2000 revs, so the engine doesn't get stressed. Use the gearbox and don't just leave it in neutral because this will actually use more fuel.'

Top 10 best selling cars in Singapore

Singapore's top 10 best-selling cars

Fri Sep 25 18:39 by Raymond Lai

A four-door saloon is topping this year's sales chart, as usual, but it's not the Toyota Corolla Altis…

Four-door saloons have topped the sales charts in Singapore for as long as I can remember, so it's no surprise to find that a saloon tops this year's list.

But the perennial favourite, the Toyota Corolla Altis, has been ousted from the top spot by a new entrant. Let's count down the top ten best-selling cars here in Singapore so far this year…

10) Lancer GLX (from $52,988)
The GLX is basically a cut-price version of the previous generation Lancer. Despite its age, it's still a popular choice thanks to it's 'Made in Japan' appeal and attractive price tag. The engine is a little noisy though, and the CVT gearbox not the most efficient.

9) Honda Jazz (from $69,100) (HONDA FIT)
The Jazz is the island's most popular compact hatchback model, and it's not hard to see why. The little Honda is possibly the smartest packaged small car out there, offering acres of space on the inside. Another strong point of the Jazz is its fuel efficiency - the engines are absolute misers when drinking unleaded.

8) Nissan Latio (from $71,000)
The Latio's stable mate, the Sunny, used to be the biggest-selling car. Although popular, the Latio isn't as popular, perhaps due to the many cheaper models available these days. The compact Nissan comes in either a five-door hatch or four-door saloon to widen its appeal.

7) Honda Civic (from $83,300)
One of the hot favourites in recent years, Civic sales have fallen recently due to its premium pricing and age. There are a wide variety of variants available to suit almost every need, including a hybrid version and a hot Type R performance model.

6) Toyota Camry (from $96,988)
One of many Toyota models in the top ten - it seems that local car buyers can't seem to stay away from the Japanese brand. The Camry dominates the large saloon class even though there are plenty of talented competition in the form of the Nissan Teana, Mazda 6 and Honda Accord, among others.

5) Toyota Wish (from $72,000)
The Wish is Singapore's most popular MPV, by far. Just like the Toyota saloon models in the top ten, it's a logical choice for car buyers here. Despite its relatively compact exterior dimensions, the interior offers reasonable space for seven occupants. Fuel economy is another strong point thanks to the efficient 1.8-litre VVTi motor. A new generation model is due later this year.

4) Kia Cerato Forte (from $46,999)
The Cerato Forte has been the surprise of the year so far. Kia's latest compact saloon is a quantum leap in all areas over its predecessor. It's biggest draws are probably the sharp styling inside and out, and the amount of standard equipment it offers despite its budget price tag. If there's a car that ought to convince you that the Koreans have reached or even surpass the standard of the Japanese, the Cerato Forte will be it. I expect this to be an even more common sight on our roads by year's end.

3) Toyota Vios (from $56,888) (TOYOTA AXIO)
Yes, another Toyota - they're in a strong position to be the number one brand here by year's end. Just like the Altis (see below), the Thai-made Vios is a car designed and developed specifically for South-East Asian markets, catering to the needs of the region's drivers. The styling is a tad on the boring side, but its other virtues are more than enough to make up for this.

2) Toyota Corolla Altis (from $72,488) (TOYOTA ALLION)
Live with an Altis for a couple of days and you'll understand its appeal and popularity. There is just little to loathe about this car - the engines offer strong and efficient performance, the equipment list is long, and it looks inoffensive. Best of all, it offers Toyota dependability.

1) Hyundai Avante (from $47,999)
The Korean marque bounced back to the upper reaches of the sales charts after a rather quiet past few years. The Avante has been around for several years but recent price revisions (thanks to the weak Korean won), has made it really popular for those on a limited budget for a compact saloon. That said, there's hardly anything outstanding about the Avante other than its affordable price.

Note: prices correct as of 10 September, 2009.

Under water world for car lovers soon?

This may look like a Lotus Elise sinking to a watery grave, but it's actually a fully working underwater car and we've, er, dived in it

This wasn't a good idea. I'm sitting in an electric Lotus Elise that's semi-submerged in the middle of Lake Zurich, and we're about to dive. If I don't get frazzled then I'll probably drown. Maybe both – I'll be the world's first deep-fried journalist in the world's first underwater car. Welcome to the Rinspeed sQuba. And did I mention it's worth a million quid?

The creation of Frank Rinderknecht, the sQuba exists for two reasons. One, because Rinderknecht likes to be different, and two, to promote the abilities of his Swiss firm Rinspeed, which constructs one-off motor show concept cars for big-brand car manufacturers. So what better way to demonstrate Rinspeed's talents than to design and build a diving car – if it works?

Rinderknecht's beaming as he talks me round his baby, pointing out the (apparently waterproofed) lithium-ion batteries and 72bhp electric motor that have replaced the Toyota engine, assuring me that the first ‘sea trials' in Florida went off without a hitch. I want to make a clever 007-style pun (dip the headlights, perhaps?) but Rinderknecht's Q is in full flow and now all the stories I've heard about leaky Lotuses are coming back to me.

Yet Rinderknecht carries on as if letting a journalist pilot his one-off prototype down the nearest slipway and off across Lake Zurich is an everyday occurrence. Frankly I'm rather nervous about my maiden voyage; I've always believed that water and electricity don't mix.

We're off, moving silently (it's electric, remember) through the docks and down to the water's edge. We splash in, the nose goes light – made buoyant by all the foam sprayed into every nook and cranny – and our, er, car starts to float away from the shore.

With the press of a button the sQuba transforms from roadster to boat. Louvres in the front grille (or should that be gill?) open to direct water into the jets mounted on the wings and drive stops going to the rear wheels.

A hand throttle controls the propellers, so I open her up and we head towards the middle of the lake, the sQuba bobbing gently on the waves. I trail my fingers in the cool waters that surround us and look back to land where the other cars motor along, their drivers unaware that they're passing a paddling car. What a perfectly lovely day out.

It's time to dive, and to do so we have to effectively scuttle the sQuba. All that foam means it naturally floats, even with two big blokes on board, so to get this car to sink, sorry dive, we have to open the doors and let the water in…

It's not something I want to do, and Lake Zurich isn't helping either. The door barely opens under the weight of the water and it takes all my might just to create a tiny gap.

The water trickles in at first, but suddenly it's a torrent, welling up around my ankles, filling my shoes, seeping into my wetsuit, freezing my nether regions.

There's no time to think. Mask on, mouthpiece in and I'm breathing through the car's onboard air supply as the sQuba starts to submerge. But with all that foam the sQuba only sinks so far, settling just beneath the surface. Yet my lanky frame means my head remains like a periscope above the water. I feel alone in Lake Zurich. This was a bad idea.

To dive further down we have to force the sQuba against its natural buoyancy using the wing-mounted jets. They're angled by two levers that replace the gearstick, and driven by the clutch and accelerator pedals. Both are depressed and we begin to head downwards. Forget wind-in-your-hair motoring; this is water-in-your-wetsuit diving.

Ever been in a fast car when it's accelerated and your stomach's been squeezed as you've been pushed back into the seat? Like that sensation? Then try the sQuba. Your whole body is compressed with every inch that you dive deeper, your mask is pressed against your face with the entire force of Lake Zurich piling in on top of you.

Underwater it's eerily quiet except for my Darth Vader-esque breathing. If only the visibility wasn't so poor at 16-feet under. But diving in the sQuba is still an incredible and magical experience. Like a child discovering its limbs for the first time, I'm drawn towards my hands, studying them, intrigued by this alien feeling of weightlessness in the familiar surroundings of the sQuba's cabin. Perhaps it's the closest I'll get to driving on the moon.

This isn't my overriding memory of the sQuba though, and nor is it my first guilt-free wee in a car (but that's another story). What I will always recall will be free-diving around the sQuba once we resurface.

The sQuba, a car, floating in the middle of Lake Zurich is a mesmerising sight. Like a ship in a dry dock, it looks so different out of its natural habitat. It is magical, seductive and mysterious, a strange new type of car. It's a memory I shall always have, and thankfully one I didn't take to a watery grave.

By Ben Pulman

Related links

• Rinspeed - official website

This article originally appeared in issue seven of V-ZINE, the motoring magazine that is distributed in UK and Italy exclusively to the members of the Shell V-Power Club, Shell's premium loyalty scheme dedicated to Shell V-Power customers. Click here to find out more about Shell Escape, Shell's loyalty Programme in Singapore.

Photo courtesy of Rinspeed Inc.

A3 Cabriolet Review

Audi Q5 4x4 full review

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