High fuel prices are bad for family life and road safety, according to Hyundai. Why?
Because their research reveals that thousands of motorists cannot afford the fuel to visit
loved ones. As such, six out of ten have missed Sunday roasts, one in ten Christmas
visits, and one in five men have skipped seeing their mother in laws. Wonder how much
that has to do with fuel, though. More seriously, twenty-seven per-cent of motorists allow
vehicles to free-wheel down hills to save gas. That is dangerous and illegal as it eliminates
engine braking. On this basis, Hyundai has revealed a few tips that minimise consumption:
- Limit heavy acceleration. Don’t accelerate harshly as this uses a lot of fuel at once.
Instead, move off gently and smoothly to your target speed and maintain it for
maximum miles per gallon.
- Use the gears sensibly.
Correct use of gears can make huge savings on your fuel
bill. Make sure you change up into a higher gear as soon as it’s possible and safe to
do so.
- Read the road ahead. Try to look ahead and read the conditions of the road - look
out for anything that might require you to slow down or stop. By anticipating what
is coming up you'll not only be a safer driver, but you'll save fuel by starting to slow
down early and not needing to come to a complete stop.
- Keep the car serviced. Clogged up spark plugs and dirty oil can increase fuel
consumption, so ensure your car is serviced regularly.
- Check your tyres. Make sure you check your tyre pressures regularly. Under-
inflated tyres increase resistance and therefore more engine power will be required.
Keep them pumped up in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations for
the maximum miles per gallon.
Either that or buy a Hyundai i20 1.1 CRDi Blue for £11,795. This supermini averages a
staggering 88.3mpg, so there is no excuse not to see your mother-in-law. Happy days.
By Stephen Turvil
Fri, 14 Sep 2012
