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I'd like an economical, 'green' car for a 160-mile commute - what should I buy?
I'm looking at buying an economical and 'green' car but I'm clueless. I'll be doing almost all motorway driving, so I'm not sure I'd get the benefits of a hybrid when doing a 160-mile round commute every day. It's just for myself so the overall size isn't crucial. Do you have any recommendations?
Asked on 25 June 2010 by kusasi
Answered by
David Ross
If it's economy you're after, go for a small diesel such as a Volkswagen Golf Bluemotion or Volkswagen Polo Bluemotion - both will do more than 70mpg. Other similarly economical cars include the SEAT Leon Ecomotive, Ford Focus ECOnetic and Skoda Fabia Greenline. These all use either a 1.2-litre or 1.6-litre diesel engine.
If you're after something a little older, the Volkswagen 1.9 TDI engine with 105bhp is also very economical. It's used in a wide variety of cars from the Golf to the Audi A3, Skoda Octavia and most SEATs. Hybrids are only really any good if you spend a lot of time in traffic (so they're ideal for city driving) but on the motorway, where you're doing a more consistent speed, diesels are better for economy.
If you're after something a little older, the Volkswagen 1.9 TDI engine with 105bhp is also very economical. It's used in a wide variety of cars from the Golf to the Audi A3, Skoda Octavia and most SEATs. Hybrids are only really any good if you spend a lot of time in traffic (so they're ideal for city driving) but on the motorway, where you're doing a more consistent speed, diesels are better for economy.
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