On your last R100 and worried about the fuel price? Here's how far SA's most popular fuel-sipping cars will take you
2018-10-05 10:15
Robin Classen
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Image: Wheels24 / Sergio Davids
South African motorists faced record-high petrol price increases in 2018 - in October, the overall retail price of 95 ULP for motorists in Gauteng is R17.08 per litre and R16.49/l along the coast.
Earlier in October, Wheels24 published a list of the most fuel-efficient best-selling cars in South Africa. Now we examine how far SA's frugal top-sellers will transport you on a single tank of petrol - as well as how far each is capable of travelling with R100 (5.85l in Gauteng and 6.06l along the coast) worth of fuel.
Making your money work
We've used the Renault Kwid, VW Polo, Suzuki Swift, Datsun GO and the Ford Figo (all best sellers) with claimed fuel consumption between 4.4-litres/100km and 5.6-litres/100km.
Renault's compact Kwid will take you as far as 134km on R100 worth of petrol and it will cost about R476 to fill-up in Gauteng, giving drivers a range of 636km from its 28l tank.
Fuel tank sizes:
Renault Kwid - 28l
Volkswagen Polo - 45l
Suzuki Swift - 37
Datsun GO - 35l
Ford Figo - 45l
Top 5 best-selling fuel sippers in SA: List by Naamsa
Renault claims its little Kwid will use 4.4 litres/100km when fitted with its new "shelf-shifter" transmission.
The Kwid eclipses the Polo as the most fuel-efficient passenger car and for R2 000 a month, it is well-priced in the budget-strained city car market.
Fitted with a manual transmission it is capable of a claimed fuel consumption of 4.5 litres/100km. That figure rises to 4.7 when mated to a DSG transmission.
The Polo though is an exceptional vehicle offering loads of kits and extras for its price and continues to dominate the local market with thousands sold each month.
Image: Sergio Davids/Wheels24
The Swift is right up there with fuel-saving car on the market, with an impressive 4.9 litres/100km, not far off the Kwid.
It is also extremely well-packaged at R159 900 and is worth a second look for those seeking a cheaper alternative to the popular Polo.
The GO is the first on the list to break into the 5-litre mark with a manufacturer claimed fuel consumption of 5.2-litre/100km.
It is the cheapest car on this list from R138 900 (entry level) and R142 700 for the Lux version.
Image: Motorpress
Not far behind the Datsun is Ford's next-gen Figo - the petrol version has a claimed fuel consumption of 5.6 litres/100km while the diesel unit is capable of 4.1 litres/100km.
The Figo, like it's Polo Vivo rival, has gone premium with enhanced trim, equipment and design for 2018. It's vast improvement over its predecessor and a worthy contender in the sub-R200 000 market.
