There seems to be no respite for motorists as the price of fuel has once again found an upward trajectory, with the increase compensating for oil prices and a weaker rand. In addition to everyday household expenditure, the pricing of new vehicles has also gone up - further stretching already thin budgets.
The increase has forced many people to either use an alternative method of travelling (public transport, lift club) or downsize to something more frugal. A big plus point about compact cars are that they have the modern basics and small capacity engine that does the job of getting from point A to B, while saving fuel.
Fuel consumption figures quoted by the manufacturer are used in this article and these figures should be used as a guide only, as real-world consumption figures will vary, depending on a number of factors such as driving style and road conditions. While it might be nice driving a Golf GTI or Mercedes-AMG, a couple of hard pulls later the tank will be thirsty again.
While the price of petrol doesn't seem to be going down anytime soon, Gumtree lists five of the most fuel efficient cars to help minimise your time at the pumps:
Suzuki Celerio - Suzuki has become the kings of putting together a compelling package by offering customers frugal and value for money offerings. The model in the spotlight here is the recently-launched Celerio that is powered by a 1.0-litre DualJet engine with power figures of 49kW and 89Nm, while registering a fuel consumption reading of 4.2-litres/100km. Pricing starts from R174 900.
Toyota Agya - Toyota says the Agya is directly aimed at first-time car buyers. It's definitely not the fastest thing on four wheels, but it's not supposed to be. Under the bonnet is a 998cc engine with figures of 49kW and 89Nm, all of which results in a fuel economy reading on 4.8-litres/100km. The fuel tank capacity is a 33-litres and pricing starts from R192 300.
Hyundai Atos - Hyundai's local lineup is pretty much stocked up in every department. The Atos competes in South Africa's A-segment with the likes of the Toyota Agya, Suzuki S-Presso and Renault Kwid. Powering the nimble hatchback is a four-cylinder 1.1-litre petrol engine that produces 50kW and 99Nm. Hyundai claims a fuel return of 5.7-litres/100km and pricing starts from R183 500.
Renault Kwid - It continues to be Renault's best-seller and that's because it offers customers what they want - in being affordable and uses little fuel. With a 1.0 litre sce engine that produces 50kW and 91Nm, the Kwid offers best in class fuel efficiency with a claimed figure 4.4litres/100km. Pricing for the range starts from R170 400.
Suzuki S-Presso - It's no surprise that another Suzuki model finds itself on this list. This time it's the ever-popular S-Presso and comes in as the brand's cheapest model in the range with a starting price of R156 900. It comes with a 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine with outputs of 50kW and 90Nm. Suzuki claims an average fuel consumption of 4.9-litres/100km and also has one of the smallest tanks - being 27-litres - making it quick to fill up.
It might not fit the bill entirely, but a special mention goes to:
Fiat 500 - Just like Volkswagen has the Polo and Toyota has the Corolla - the 500 is Fiat's household model and also happens to be a fuel-sipper of note. The model in DolceVita trim, claims a fuel consumption figure of 3.8-litres/100km from its turbocharged 0.9-litre petrol engine and draws fuel from a 35-litre tank. Pricing for the range starts from R223 900.
Now that you’ve got the knowledge, it’s time to shop! Head to gumtree.co.za or your Gumtree app (click for Apple & Android) and don’t forget to use your location settings to find local automotive vehicle information close to home.
The increase has forced many people to either use an alternative method of travelling (public transport, lift club) or downsize to something more frugal. A big plus point about compact cars are that they have the modern basics and small capacity engine that does the job of getting from point A to B, while saving fuel.
Fuel consumption figures quoted by the manufacturer are used in this article and these figures should be used as a guide only, as real-world consumption figures will vary, depending on a number of factors such as driving style and road conditions. While it might be nice driving a Golf GTI or Mercedes-AMG, a couple of hard pulls later the tank will be thirsty again.
While the price of petrol doesn't seem to be going down anytime soon, Gumtree lists five of the most fuel efficient cars to help minimise your time at the pumps:
Suzuki Celerio - Suzuki has become the kings of putting together a compelling package by offering customers frugal and value for money offerings. The model in the spotlight here is the recently-launched Celerio that is powered by a 1.0-litre DualJet engine with power figures of 49kW and 89Nm, while registering a fuel consumption reading of 4.2-litres/100km. Pricing starts from R174 900.
Toyota Agya - Toyota says the Agya is directly aimed at first-time car buyers. It's definitely not the fastest thing on four wheels, but it's not supposed to be. Under the bonnet is a 998cc engine with figures of 49kW and 89Nm, all of which results in a fuel economy reading on 4.8-litres/100km. The fuel tank capacity is a 33-litres and pricing starts from R192 300.
Hyundai Atos - Hyundai's local lineup is pretty much stocked up in every department. The Atos competes in South Africa's A-segment with the likes of the Toyota Agya, Suzuki S-Presso and Renault Kwid. Powering the nimble hatchback is a four-cylinder 1.1-litre petrol engine that produces 50kW and 99Nm. Hyundai claims a fuel return of 5.7-litres/100km and pricing starts from R183 500.
Renault Kwid - It continues to be Renault's best-seller and that's because it offers customers what they want - in being affordable and uses little fuel. With a 1.0 litre sce engine that produces 50kW and 91Nm, the Kwid offers best in class fuel efficiency with a claimed figure 4.4litres/100km. Pricing for the range starts from R170 400.
Suzuki S-Presso - It's no surprise that another Suzuki model finds itself on this list. This time it's the ever-popular S-Presso and comes in as the brand's cheapest model in the range with a starting price of R156 900. It comes with a 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine with outputs of 50kW and 90Nm. Suzuki claims an average fuel consumption of 4.9-litres/100km and also has one of the smallest tanks - being 27-litres - making it quick to fill up.
It might not fit the bill entirely, but a special mention goes to:
Fiat 500 - Just like Volkswagen has the Polo and Toyota has the Corolla - the 500 is Fiat's household model and also happens to be a fuel-sipper of note. The model in DolceVita trim, claims a fuel consumption figure of 3.8-litres/100km from its turbocharged 0.9-litre petrol engine and draws fuel from a 35-litre tank. Pricing for the range starts from R223 900.
Now that you’ve got the knowledge, it’s time to shop! Head to gumtree.co.za or your Gumtree app (click for Apple & Android) and don’t forget to use your location settings to find local automotive vehicle information close to home.
