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What is the Eco Drive engine like?

I am wary of Skoda because of problems your readers have reported on Volkswagen Group engine management systems. I would appreciate your thoughts on Eco Drive engines. They are being put in large cars and, while mpg might be good, do they perform when push comes to shove on overtaking etc, without revving themselves to bits? I am more at home with a big engine that is at ease at 2000/2500rpm than a smaller one, hard pushed.

Asked on 17 March 2012 by RD, via email

Answered by Honest John
I've been driving a Mazda 5 1.6 diesel for the past 10 months and 9000 miles. It's big and has the same 1.6 diesel as (I presume) the Volvos you are referring to. It goes very well, but the gearing only gives 30mph per 1000rpm in sixth, so only 45mpg and not the 55–60mpg claimed for some of these big cars with small diesel engines.

I recently drove a Ford Focus fitted with Ford’s new 3-cylinder 1.0 litre 125PS Ecoboost turbo petrol engine. That was remarkably punchy from just 1400rpm, also did 30mph per 1000rpm in sixth and, over a hilly route, returned mpg in the high 40s.

Real MPG enables you to register the fuel economy you are actually getting against your make and model of car, its engine and type of transmission.

Every time you enter an average consumption figure against your car, the overall average automatically adjusts to reflect it.

Real MPG
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