Motoring with Tawanda Matanhire: Choosing A Fuel Efficient Car


Just like any living thing – a car needs to eat to stay alive and function. Without fuel in the tank, if it is not an electric vehicle, it is as good as one does not have a car, it simply won’t drive.

So, one of the big decisions one has to make when purchasing a vehicle is fuel efficiency. There are, of course, a handful of countries in the world where the price of fuel is negligible, but for the rest of us – the cost of driving from point A to point B simply astronomical.

Choosing A Fuel-Efficient Car
A lot of people end up not enjoying their cars as the leave them parked in the garage when going out or to work because of the cost of putting it on the road. While you would want certain capabilities on your car and have preferences in terms of style, it is wise to get something that also suits your pocket, lest you only drive that car to nearest shops and park due to fuel inefficiency.

Fuel-efficient Toyota FunCargo

The question then is, how do you find the most fuel-efficient car, which fits your style? Many people often ask; How Do I Know What’s Right For Me?

Fuel-efficient hybrids and alternative fuel vehicles have become the in-thing. How these vehicles work and their differences from conventional fuel-powered vehicles is a mystery to many. Remember it is never wise to buy a car that you do not understand?

Know Your Needs
Ascertain what you require a car to do for you. This seems like an easy step, but you should take the time to consider your vehicle needs. You cannot jump into the first good deal and later find out that it does not have enough space or the luxury feel that you might have wanted.

When thinking about your next car, consider these questions:
Who will you be travelling with often? How many seats do you require? Will you be hauling a lot of cargo? Do you need room for camping equipment, bikes, or other gear? Do you want state of the art infotainment system? What features are must-haves and which are nice-to-haves? Will this be a work car? Is speed and flashy styling the priority? Or will you need something that can get past dirt trails ? Is price a factor?

Luxurious car interior

You can take advantage of offered versatile feature options while you look for a car with the desired specs you’re looking for.

Engine Size
If you carry a lot of items or people around, you may want to have some power to go with that. You’ll pay for that power at the pump. Generally speaking, a car with a 4-cylinder engine is more fuel-efficient than one with a 6 or 8-cylinder engine. Although, there are some exceptions. For example, a 4-cylinder engine with a turbocharger might actually consume more fuel than a 6-cylinder engine with no turbocharger.

Four Cylinder Engine

Another misconception: hybrid means slow. In many cases these days, hybrid drivetrain systems actually produce more horsepower and torque than their straight fuel-burning counterparts.

Weigh Your Options
For drivers wanting big savings at the pump, hybrid vehicles might seem like an obvious choice yet they’re often overlooked.
Today’s tech-advanced hybrid vehicles offer proven reliability and come in a range of types from compact car to SUV.

Hybrid SUV

You may pay a little bit more for a hybrid car. However, the anticipated savings at the fuel pump are often worth it. Hybrids are some of the most fuel-efficient vehicles on the market. Depending on the hybrid model you choose, you could save hundreds of dollars a year in fuel costs while never noticing a difference in performance.

If you’re looking to likely save even more on petrol or diesel, consider a plug-in hybrid model, though it is a bit tricky considering the frequent power cuts in Zimbabwe. What is a plug-in hybrid? A plug-in hybrid is a car that has the capability to run fully electric. As the name suggests, you plug the car in to charge it.

Buy A Recent Or New Hybrid Model
If you’re looking to save some money at the pump, buying a recent or new car model is the perfect way to fill up for less. With each new model year, cars become more and more fuel-efficient. In our context where brand new vehicles are less on the market, choosing a recent import might be a better option than buying from already circulating ones. It might just come with a lot of problems and the system isn’t cheap to fix as yet because hybrid vehicles are still new on the market.

Hybrid Honda Fit

While there are a lot of misconceptions on hybrid cars these are the future as many countries have already embraced the move. And appreciating where automobile technologies are headed towards.

For more information on sales in and around Zimbabwe, feel free to contact me directly on:

WhatsApp: 0775355031
Email: tmweshona@gmail.com

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