Buying vehicles
You can reduce the cost of running your vehicle fleet by investing in more efficient cars and encouraging efficient driver behaviour.
There are many factors to consider when deciding which cars to purchase and how to make savings. For instance, there can be big differences in fuel consumption, even between cars of a similar size.
Vehicle size
Thinking about the size of car you need is a good first step. In general, bigger cars use more fuel.
Be practical. It's important to match the car's purpose and use to its size. If your cars are mostly used in cities, then smaller vehicles are better suited for around-town driving.
Safety
Many smaller cars out-perform their larger counterparts in crash test ratings, particularly when it comes to the safety of pedestrians involved in a crash.
Engine size
Here is a rough guide to the best engine size for your needs, depending on the type of driving you do most often.
To use the table, decide on your usual number of passengers (or equivalent weight) in the first column. Then look across the row to the column that best describes where you usually drive.
| Optimal engine size (litres) | |||
| Passenger number (or equivalent in weight) |
Town / City | Town / City with steep streets | Open road |
| 1 | 1.2 - 1.3 | 1.2 - 1.3 | 1.6 |
| 2 | 1.2 - 1.3 | 1.2 - 1.3 | 1.6 |
| 3 | 1.3 | 1.5 | 16. - 2.0 |
| 4 | 1.5 | 1.6 | 2.0 |
If there are two people in your car, the boot is full with sales materials and you drive in Dunedin, then your optimal car would be a 1.5-litre engine.
Fuel use
The fuel economy of cars, even if they have the same engine size, can differ significantly.
One way for you to save money on fuel, is to buy a car with a good fuel consumption rating.
Fuel Economy Label
Fuel economy labels are shown on most new and late model used cars for sale by registered motor vehicle traders and on internet listings.
The label shows:
- a star rating out of six - from six stars for the most efficient cars, to half a star for the biggest gas guzzlers
- an indicative cost of running the car for a year, to help you compare different cars
- the car's fuel economy (litres per 100km). You can also use this to compare different cars.
More information
Compare fuel economy, safety ratings for cars, and environmental impacts at Rightcar.
Compare how much fuel different cars use at Fuel$aver.
To find out more about how a fuel-efficient car decreases carbon dioxide emissions, visit Rightcar. (Land Transport NZ website)
To discover what comes out of an exhaust pipe, visit Choke the Smoke.
