When I bought my 2,4-litre petrol Hyundai H-1 the combined cycle fuel consumption shown on the windcreen was 10,1 litres/100 km. That sounds great but in real life I’m getting between 14,7 and 18,2 litres/100. What am I doing wrong? Most of my driving is done at about 1 000 metres above sea level. The Hyundai customer care line said that the values on the windscreen must be correct because they were tested in a controlled environment in a wind-tunnel.
RIAAN JOUBERT – By e-mail
The fuel consumption shown on the windscreen of new cars is measured on a chassis dynamometer in a closed room, not a wind tunnel. It is done according to a European cycle that is based on a typical trip though Paris, France. It is far removed from South African conditions, so we’re not surprised that you have not managed to equal it. CAR’s fuel consumption index for your model, based on conditions closer to what a South African driver should experience, is 12,2 litres/100 km. At your altitude it will be slightly worse because the engine will be less efficient and also because many new engines tend to take at least 10 000 km to achieve maximum efficiency.
