I know from our chauffeur Power surveys and my E-mail inbox that the most common gripe numerous of you have with your automobile is fuel consumption that bears no comparison with the claimed figures.
This week, though, I was contacted by one owner who is so irate at the difference that he wants to decline his car. A seemingly cavalier idea, but I suspect numerous of you might wonder if this is actually feasible.
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The reader in question had carefully logged his data over the years and was clearly a careful driver. In his Vauxhall Insignia and Ford Mondeo, he’d actually exceeded the claimed economy. but in a Toyota Avensis Tourer diesel (above), the best he’d ever managed was 66 per cent of the claimed 62.8mpg. grounds to reject, in his opinion.
Of course, such a shortfall isn’t distinct to Toyota. This tallies with our findings on test this year, where actual economy is usually 60-70 per cent of the claimed figure regardless of bodystyle or brand.
We asked the motor Ombudsman for its view, and it reiterated that official, lab-produced economy figures are for comparison purposes only and not indicative of what will be produced on the road. said a spokesman: “Unless the adverts or salesman made some kind of commitment that he’ll achieve these figures, then I don’t think he could rely on the comparison figures as not being as described.” So the short answer is no, rejection isn’t feasible.
As the guidelines stand at present, it’s hard to argue with this. but to me, this case again highlights how absurd those guidelines are. There can be few other industries where buyers are so unclear over the capabilities of the product they’re buying.
And that’s why we ought to welcome next month’s arrival of the new worldwide Light cars test procedure for type approval. Anything that can decrease buyers’ confusion has to be a step in the best direction.
Does your automobile live up to its claimed fuel economy? let us know in the comments section below…