When it comes to eco motoring, trying to capture the thoughts of your 'average Joe' can be tricky. As motoring reviewers we're accustom to driving myriad makes and models, which sometimes makes it difficult to see the impact of green technology through new eyes -- or the forest for the trees, you might say.
With that sentiment in mind, we decided to summon the assistance of a handful of Carsales Network staff not involved in the day-to-day testing of cars for an evaluation drive of some more economical models at our disposal this week, and gauge their opinion for your perusal.
Our hope is that the thoughts of the man on the street will mirror your own, and create a dialogue (through our comments section) that will enable you to provide us with some insight, pardon the pun, on the wider perception of eco-friendly motoring.
THE BRIEF, THE ROUTE, THE CARS
Five volunteers (all male, through no fault of our own) raised their hand for our one-hour challenge which saw a specific route followed with one instruction only: drive normally.
No hypermiling, no taping up panel gaps, use the air conditioning liberally. Generally, just go with the flow.
The day was a warm one (30-degrees) and slightly humid, and wanting to mimic the inner-urban environ as best as possible, we decided 2pm was as good a time as any.
The chosen route took in a combination of suburban, freeway, outer-city and inner-urban clims through a 13-kilometre loop of Melbourne's inner east (repeated twice). Trailing the convoy with our camera car, we noted the team experienced moderate to heavy traffic through the slower speed limited zones (40, 50, 60 and 70km/h respectively) with relatively open reign on the brief freeway stretch (100km/h).
Coinciding with loans already on the booking sheet, the range of vehicles saw the Carsales garage inadvertently crammed with a range of eco flavoured models (hence the comparison). Joining our long-term Volvo C30 DRIVe a new Holden Barina Spark, Honda Insight Hybrid and Ford Fiesta Diesel filled out the ranks.
Blending a variety of technologies, engine types and fuel sources, the qualified quartet was filled to the brim and their odometers zeroed. A quick driver brief later, we took to the road.
SUB-LIGHT: Holden Barina Spark (Petrol)
The Barina Spark joins the Holden range at a time when sub-light petrol cars are starting to take off in Australia. Suzuki already sells the Alto here and Hyundai is considering the i10.
With that in mind, and with Spark's outstanding Government Green Vehicle Guide score of five-out-of-five, the little hatch is a worthy contender in this appraisal and one we thought would perform well given the route in question.
Spark is powered by a normally aspirated four-cylinder 1.2-litre petrol engine developing a derisory 59kW/107Nm. The manufacturer claims an urban fuel consumption average of 7.2L/100km, which is hardly worth writing home about, but surprisingly, saw the nearest match of any car participating in our little experiment.
Fuel economy aside, the all-male crew were dismissive of Spark's size and styling combination, having the following to say:
The Spark just feels so cheap, isn't it a Daewoo? There's nothing about it that says 'quality'. The instrument cluster is very hard to get used to, it feels too close to look at without tilting your head and I don't like taking my eyes off the road. It also seemed to lack power when the air conditioning was switched on and the take-up point of the clutch seemed vague and changeable. Rear legroom, too, is quite limited and with the driver's seat in the normal position I could barely get a hand span between the back of the front seat and the rear seat pad. You definitely couldn't fit a full-size human back there. The styling too is a little girly and I personally wouldn't buy one. I'd definitely rank Spark number four for the overall driving experience.
How it ranked:
Comfort: 1/5
Road Noise: 2/5
Ease Of Use: 4/5
Performance: 1/5
Fuel Efficiency: 4/5
Build Quality: 1/5
Spaciousness: 1/5
LIGHT: Ford Fiesta TDCi (Diesel)
Not to be confused with Ford's fuel miser Fiesta ECOnetic, the WT Series Fiesta range also offers a 'regular' turbodiesel engine in both LX and Zetec trim levels.
Blending in with the rest of the range, TDCi-powered Fiesta models offer considerable fuel savings against their petrol counterparts, yet remain flexible and capable performers. Motivation comes from Ford's 1.6-litre Duratorq four-cylinder mill that combines the latest in turbocharging and direct injection technology to achieve an around town fuel consumption tally of 5.2L/100km.
The latest generation Fiesta's unisex styling didn't really seem to get any of our blokes off-side, with feedback proving complimentary, though somewhat apathetic:
Fiesta is really nice to drive and it feels very comfortable, even if the take-up point of the clutch was a little high. You didn't need to rev it to get it off the line. It feels European to me, there's certainly a sense of quality there, but I think it will mainly appeal to women. I didn't like the back-to-front wiper / indicator combination; in fact I think it was the only thing I didn't like. The Fiesta was great; it didn't feel at all underpowered, even if there was a little engine noise at idle. The interior is a lot better than the Spark, but I think the net sunglasses holder is a bad idea -- your sunnies are in view and the roof lining will get dirty and worn over time. I didn't like that there's no centre console -- I've come from a bigger car and find it odd that there's no place to rest your arm. I really enjoyed the five-speed gearbox I think it helps maximise the car's power and is definitely more enjoyable than the CVT in the Honda (Insight).
How it ranked:
Comfort: 4/5
Road Noise: 2/5
Ease Of Use: 4/5
Performance: 4/5
Fuel Efficiency: 4/5
Build Quality: 3/5
Spaciousness: 3/5
SMALL: Volvo C30 DRIVe (Diesel with idle stop/start)
Maybe that should read 'without stop/start'. You see our trusty long-termer decided to have a 'moment' prior to taking part in our little comparison which saw the idle stop/start system fail to operate as required, or at all. So essentially it and the Fiesta were now operating the same technology -- even though the total fuel used varied considerably.
As with any test of this nature, a lot comes back to driver input, and with different drivers (and therefore different driving styles) in each car, the results were bound to vary.
The Volvo C30 DRIVe is powered by a 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel engine developing 80kW/240Nm. Volvo claims an urban fuel consumption average of 4.6L/100km. Put to the test by our party of four, the feedback was as follows:
The Volvo's Scandinavian design is timeless and it's easy to drive, but I don't like the disc wheels. I found it a little hard to launch, I have quite big feet and my left foot would catch on something (Ed: possibly the footrest) as I released the clutch. Unlike the Fiesta I also noticed you had to rev the engine a little before you could let out the clutch, there's certainly a little turbo lag there. I agree, I think the Volvo's engine is a little peaky and you do need to get the revs up to find motivation. I also noticed a little vibration at idle, even if it was quiet. I know there's a big price difference, but I'd still buy one Volvo over three Sparks.
How it ranked:
Comfort: 4/5
Road Noise: 4/5
Ease Of Use: 3/5
Performance: 3/5
Fuel Efficiency: 4/5
Build Quality: 3/5
Spaciousness: 3/5
MEDIUM/SMALL: Honda Insight (Petrol/Electric Hybrid with idle stop/start)
Honda's latest hybrid, the Insight, joins Civic Hybrid in competing against Toyota's evergreen (no pun intended) Prius. Using Honda's motor assist technology, the Insight combines a small (10kW) electric motor with a 1.3-litre (65kW) petrol engine for frugal mileage with 'sporty' performance.
It's this sporty feel that may have failed Insight in our little test with a number of driver's complimenting the car's performance. This shows in the overall fuel economy result which is a lot higher than when we last tested the car.
Despite its stop/start and hybrid technology Insight actually scored the poorest economy result of all the entrants with an SUV-like 14.5L/100km. Perhaps telling the guys to 'drive normally' should have been clarified. The Insight was later retested in isolation and achieved much better results then.
Insight wins hands down for looks. I like the dash, I think it's a lot easier to understand than the Prius I drove last time; some of the bells and whistles are a little kitsch but it's relatively straightforward. I love the chassis and handling, it also takes off with brisk acceleration (Ed: perhaps this explains the woeful fuel economy result). The steering feels really sharp and the brakes are good, I also really like the paddle shifters. Insight feels well built to me except for the rear view mirror which vibrates a lot; I also don't like the horizontal bar across the rear window. I found you have to anticipate when you want to go to counter the delay in the stop/start system; which also feels intrusive when the air conditioning is on, cutting in and out quite often; that said I'm sure you'd get used to it. The CVT confused me, there's no shift points and no pitch change of the engine; it sounds the same no matter what speed.
How it ranked:
Comfort: 4/5
Road Noise: 4/5
Ease Of Use: 3/5
Performance: 4/5
Fuel Efficiency: 4/5
Build Quality: 3/5
Spaciousness: 3/5
CONCLUSION
For what it's worth, and being as scientific as we could be with five different drivers, the results proved if nothing else that a regular petrol or turbodiesel has the possibility to trump stop/start and hybrid technology in around-town environs.
Sure, a lot depends on your attitude and driving style, but this time round Volvo C30 DRIVe won the day on 7.9L/100km -- even with the stop/start system out of action. The normally aspirated Barina Spark ranked second on 8.6L/100km, a comfortable two-and-a-bit litres clear of third place getter Fiesta TDCi on 11.0L/100km.
Which leaves us, surprisingly, with the state-of-the-art Honda Insight taking the wooden spoon. Contradicting all previous tests, the Insight's driveability and sporty feel may have been its own demise with all our drivers admitting they had a lot of 'fun' behind the wheel. The result saw Insight consume an SUV-like 14.5L/100km.
The moral of the story, as we see it, is that as good as all this new technology maybe, drivers and driving style will ultimately play a fundamental part in any car's fuel consumption. We're still at a loss to explain the result achieved in two of the four cars, especially where the uber-frugal Insight is concerned, but we did fuel the cars carefully and, no, fuel didn't pour out on the ground at the last fill. On our last 'proper' road test with Carsales Network's Tim Britten at the wheel (hardly a feather foot himslef) the Insight averaged 5.3L/100km, a far cry from the result achieved on this comparison.
At the end of the day eco-motoring is a conscious decision in doing your bit and the choice of car made is as much about your own personality and needs as it is a green statement. Take a drive of a few greener options for yourself and see what car best suits your own needs. Green Zone drive days in most capital cities are a terrific way to sample more than one car at once, but failing that, hit up a dealership for a drive and make up your own mind.
SPECIFICATIONS
Holden Barina Spark CDX
Price: $13,990 (MRLP)
Engine: 1.2-litre, four-cylinder, normally aspirated
Output: 59kW/107Nm
Transmission: Five-speed manual
Fuel Type: 91 RON Unleaded (E10 compatible)
Fuel Consumption: 7.2L/100km (urban, claimed)
Fuel Consumption: 8.6L/100km (urban, as tested)
CO2 Emissions: 128g/km (average, claimed)
Government Green Vehicle Rating: 5.0/5.0
Honda Insight VTi
Price: $29,990 (MRLP)
Engine: 1.3-litre, four-cylinder, normally aspirated / electric motor
Output: 65kW/121Nm
Fuel Type: 91 RON Unleaded
Fuel Consumption: 4.9L/100km (urban, claimed)
Fuel Consumption: 14.5L/100km (urban, as tested)
CO2 Emissions: 109g/km (average, claimed)
Government Green Vehicle Rating: 4.5/5.0
Ford Fiesta LX TDCi
Price: $21,490 (MRLP)
Engine: 1.6-litre, four-cylinder, turbo intercooled
Output: 66kW/200Nm
Transmission: Five-speed manual
Fuel Type: Diesel
Fuel Consumption: 5.2L/100km (urban, claimed)
Fuel Consumption: 11.0L/100km (urban, as tested)
CO2 Emissions: 117g/km (average, claimed)
Government Green Vehicle Rating: 3.5/5.0
Volvo C30 DRIVe
Price: $36,150 (MRLP)
Engine: 1.6-litre, four-cylinder, turbo intercooled
Output: 80kW/240Nm
Transmission: Five-speed manual
Fuel Type: Diesel
Fuel Consumption: 4.6L/100km (urban, claimed)
Fuel Consumption: 7.9L/100km (urban, as tested)
CO2 Emissions: 99g/km (average, claimed)
Government Green Vehicle Rating: 4.0/5.0
Postscript: Since this story was published, the Carsales Network has retested the Insight in similar circumstances. The Honda in the subsequent test did no worse than an average of 6.4L/100km -- and we had to work the car hard to get a result as bad as that. Why the Insight scored a result of 14.5L/100km for this test remains a mystery and our follow-up story indicates that drivers will hardly ever do worse than averaging 6.0L/100km in the real world.
Read the latest Carsales Network news and reviews on your mobile, iPhone or PDA at the carsales mobile site