Most car companies are working hard to reduce the amount of fuel their cars use, and so the amount of greenhouse gas emissions they produce. Fuel economy is more of a priority for consumers than ever before, especially because petrol is now much more expensive, and cars that use a lot of fuel are being taxed more.
The difference in fuel economy between the best and worst cars is enormous. The Volkswagen Polo Blue Motion achieves almost 75 miles to the gallon, and produces only 99 grammes of carbon dioxide per kilometre. In contrast, some BMW 5 series models achieve under 20 miles to the gallon, and produce over 350 grammes of carbon dioxide per kilometre.
If you want to minimise the amount of fuel you use you are best to opt for the smallest car to suit your needs, with the smallest engine possible. Modern diesel cars also tend to produce lower greenhouse gas emissions than their petrol equivalents. Finally, if you have the money you can also opt for a ‘hybrid', which recycles the energy generated by braking to charge batteries that power the car at slow speeds. The Toyota Prius and Honda Civic are tow tried and tested hybrids which deliver the best fuel economy for their size of car.
For a full run down of which cars are the greenest we recommend the Green Car Guide, which you can access by clicking here.
To check the fuel economy and emissions of any car, go to the website of the Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA), on New Car Fuel Consumption and Exhaust Emissions Figures.
Another solution that you should consider if you live near a Car Club car on the street is to sell your own car and join a car club. This allows you to use a car whenever you need it, but cuts out the expense and hassle of owning your own vehicle. Plus it si claimed that car club members generally use their cars 30% less than car oners because they cut out the unecessary car journeys that we all take.The biggest Car Club networks are:
