FIAT of imagination

I would like to make you aware of a strange situation. We recently purchased a FIAT 500 TwinAir. We get between 30mpg to 35mpg. My wife runs a 2006 Ford Fiesta1.25 Zetec. She gets well over 48mpg out of the very capable Ford. In fact, it runs rings around the FIAT for space and economy. I also run a 2007 BMW 530d, which is a beautiful car to drive. The big Beamer gives me over 40mpg on the motorway. I think it is ridiculous that the FIAT is so poor on fuel consumption. Sure the little FIAT is a very cute car. All the women in my family love it for its looks and driving appeal. But it’s not a cheap car to run. Please warn your readers that they can get much better fuel economy out of Ford Fiestas.

Asked on 23 February 2011 by GB, West Hoathly, Sussex.

Answered by Honest John

In fairness to FIAT, the point of the 500 TwinAir is not to achieve the maximum space and maximum fuel economy. It’s to have the most fun without paying any VED or London Congestion Charges. We have now set up the Real Life Fuel Economy Register at www.honestjohn.co.uk/realmpg where drivers can log their fuel consumption and each time it alters the overall average, giving everyone a fair expectation of what cars are capable of. I averaged 48mpg over 610 miles in the TwinAir and have already covered this here: www.honestjohn.co.uk/news/green-motoring/2011-02/s.../ And here: www.honestjohn.co.uk/news/green-motoring/2011-02/5.../ It is not FIAT that is lying. It is the European Commission. On 19th of May HJUK awarded FIAT “The Most Brilliant Rule Bender for the 500 TwinAir. A car that manages to emit so little CO2 in the EC tests that it's tax and Congestion Charge free, yet as soon as you have any fun in it, its emissions double and its fuel economy is halved.”

Tags: fuel economy

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