Some vehicles on Australian roads use 20% more fuel than claimed – which models are the worst?

(The Guardian, 21 Feb 2024) BMW X3 has biggest gap between manufacturer’s laboratory consumption claims and real-world testing in latest Australian Automobile Association data

Cars driven in Australia consume up to 20% more petrol than manufacturers are claiming, according to a program that tests “real-world” on-road fuel efficiency with laboratory calculations.

The Australian Automobile Association (AAA) testing – funded by the federal government – also found four of the 13 vehicles tested in its latest round of compliance checks exceeded regulatory limits for oxides of nitrogen or carbon monoxide.

The testing of passenger cars, small and medium SUVs and larger people movers found that seven of the 13 vehicles delivered fuel consumption within 5% of the claims made by manufacturers.

However, five cars exceeded their lab results by between 9% and 20% when tested on the road. One car performed 7% better than claimed by the manufacturer.

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The Guardian, 21 Feb 2024: Some vehicles on Australian roads use 20% more fuel than claimed – which models are the worst?