Green Car Recommendations

Cardelia

Large engined vehicles do little more than small engined vehicles since you are usually limited by other factors than power. Most cars are designed to seat at least 4 people, 5 if children. Smaller and basic models are cheaper, use less fuel, cost less VED and are more green.

The Audi TT is a "small" car (barely bigger than a Fiesta). It's designed to seat 4 people. It's also much more expensive to buy, run and maintain than something like a Mondeo.

My old Fiesta (most basic model you could buy at the time) had the same mpg as my current 316, both petrol. And the BMW has extras like climate control which eats into the economy - necessary now, but will be turned off in spring.

It's not as black and white as small and basic = good, big and luxurious = bad.

vikingaero

Cardelia wrote: »

The Audi TT is a "small" car (barely bigger than a Fiesta). It's designed to seat 4 people.

I'm 5ft 7in tall and if I drive my colleagues new TT I guarantee that the only way anyone can sit behind me would be to cut their legs off first with a chainsaw!:D

cepheus

Cardelia wrote: »

The Audi TT is a "small" car (barely bigger than a Fiesta). It's designed to seat 4 people. It's also much more expensive to buy, run and maintain than something like a Mondeo.

My old Fiesta (most basic model you could buy at the time) had the same mpg as my current 316, both petrol. And the BMW has extras like climate control which eats into the economy - necessary now, but will be turned off in spring.

It's not as black and white as small and basic = good, big and luxurious = bad.

Well all the low cars that emit less than 120 g CO2, a rough proxy for fuel consumption, are below 1 litre petrol and below 1.56 litre Diesel (bar the two hybrids)

http://www.vcacarfueldata.org.uk/information/how-to-use-the-data-tables.asp#petrol

Obviously some of these will compromise room and might not be suitable for those which travel long journeys or those with large families or individuals who are particularly tall or overweight (and in the latter case one can kill 2 birds with one stone:D)

However most journeys are short ones and as I say people buy cars that serve 100% of purposes rather than 99% and as a result a much larger car is required. Perhaps a car pool might be the answer for those journeys? The only problem with this is that these would be oversubscribed during holidays.

nalibz

jeannie....I can't say! :rotfl:

jeannieblue

nalibz wrote: »

jeannie....I can't say! :rotfl:

Now you really are going to upset all us nosey parkers....:mad: :mad:

But in the meantime - have you found a car?? that suits your green intentions or something that would satiisfy the Top Gear team??

Really can't understand why you can't say...................................

nalibz

jeannieblue wrote: »

Now you really are going to upset all us nosey parkers....:mad: :mad:

But in the meantime - have you found a car?? that suits your green intentions or something that would satiisfy the Top Gear team??

Really can't understand why you can't say...................................

I've decided on the Toyota Prius T3, apparently its one of the best "medium size" cars and i know someone thats got one who is very happy with it!

(see how i dodged the question haha)

Theo_Cupier

A word of caution about the Prius' green credentials (and no, not just a "big batteries use nasty chemicals" comment).

Depending on the type of driving you do, the Prius could be a poor choice of green car. It is certainly a good choice (nasty chemicals in the battery notwithstanding) if the vast majority of your driving is urban driving, lots of stop-start and speeds under 30mph or so. That's because the shiny electric engine is doing all the work.

However if, like me, much of your driving is at higher speeds and longer distances, it will be a much worse choice. That's because the fairly mundane, polluting petrol engine is doing all the work. In which case it's not very environmentally friendly at all.

I started looking for the type of car that would be environmentally friendly for me to drive, given that I don't do high mileage (6K miles/year) and most of these miles are A-road or motorway miles.

Much as I wanted some kind of funky hybrid engine to show off my green credentials, the most economical and environmentally friendly type of engine for me was plain old diesel.

On the subject of which, I've been running a Citroen Picasso 1.6HDI for a couple of years and even with my lead right foot, it's been averaging 53mpg over the past 20K miles or so.

nalibz

Theo_Cupier wrote: »

A word of caution about the Prius' green credentials (and no, not just a "big batteries use nasty chemicals" comment).

Depending on the type of driving you do, the Prius could be a poor choice of green car. It is certainly a good choice (nasty chemicals in the battery notwithstanding) if the vast majority of your driving is urban driving, lots of stop-start and speeds under 30mph or so. That's because the shiny electric engine is doing all the work.

However if, like me, much of your driving is at higher speeds and longer distances, it will be a much worse choice. That's because the fairly mundane, polluting petrol engine is doing all the work. In which case it's not very environmentally friendly at all.

I started looking for the type of car that would be environmentally friendly for me to drive, given that I don't do high mileage (6K miles/year) and most of these miles are A-road or motorway miles.

Much as I wanted some kind of funky hybrid engine to show off my green credentials, the most economical and environmentally friendly type of engine for me was plain old diesel.

On the subject of which, I've been running a Citroen Picasso 1.6HDI for a couple of years and even with my lead right foot, it's been averaging 53mpg over the past 20K miles or so.

Thank you for the info!
The car will predominantely be used for urban driving, most probably less than 30mph, so from what you've written it seems that the prius is still a fairly good choice...(i think!)

cepheus

nalibz wrote: »

Thank you for the info!
The car will predominantely be used for urban driving, most probably less than 30mph, so from what you've written it seems that the prius is still a fairly good choice...(i think!)

This is why it is becoming a popular choice amongst some taxi firms in central London, although the green marketing is part of it as well. However, they do 20k+ miles per year and get decent discounts for fleet purchases. In your case at £20 000 a car can you make it cost effective?

jeannieblue

nalibz wrote: »

I've decided on the Toyota Prius T3, apparently its one of the best "medium size" cars and i know someone thats got one who is very happy with it!

(see how i dodged the question haha)

From what you said on a later post, that sounds ideal - just one word of warning - beware of pedestrians walking out in front of you in car parks etc - as they can't hear you!! :eek: The guys at work are always trying to run me down.... bless 'em, and if we have a Prius in, I really have to be careful as they move silently round the workshop!!

And yeah, noticed how you dodged the question...:mad:

Are you a spy??