Lead Foot - Diesel, Small Petrol, or Hybrid?

[Crazy Dazz]

I don't think its any secret that how close you get to advertised fuel-economy depends largely on your driving style.
Unfortunately my wife is hopeless, always has been and won't be told. Treats the throttle and brake as on-off switches. Sigh.

So my question is, if we were to consider different vehicles/engines all claiming similar economy, which is she going to hurt the least with her appalling driving?

I've pretty much ruled out any form of ecoboost or similar turbo setup, because with her it would be all boost and no eco.

I'm tempted by diesel, except I know she'll be driving in a perpetual cloud of soot with her foot flat to the floor.

What happens when you flog a hybrid?

The other thing I'd like to know is how easy it is to get various examples de-tuned?

[chevypower]

Get a Prius. Honestly. The heavier acceleration and regenerative braking will be better because less energy will be wasted. You will save wear on brakes too. I know other brands make hybrids too, but they don't seem to be as good as the Prius and don't get as good fuel economy.

[bernbo]

Another point to remember is depending on your situation now you may loose more money in swapping cars than you'll spend in petrol. The depreciation in cars huge compared to fuel costs. But if you are in need of a new car, avoid diesels for city driving due to higher servicing and dpf problems and I would avoid ecoboost cars too as they are thirstier than the tests indicate. My opinion would be a 1.6l or so petrol hatch of some description. I had a veloster and I could rev it out all day and it never punished me at the bowser .

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[Brazen]

Definately Hybrid.

I had a Camry Hybrid for four years. Thing was incredible. Instant torque at 0rpm meant I would floor it everywhere. The instant shove was addictive and it is one of the best cars I have ever driven for getting the power down to the ground - it drove like an AWD due to the electric motor being perfect at controlling traction.

Lifetime average was 5.6 litres per 100km and I would get right around that number rain, hail or shine.

I'm actually glad it is gone. There was no fuel penalty for driving like an aggressive d!ck and it was so easy to punt hard that it encouraged fast driving.

I'm much more sedate back in my Falcon and Xtrail

[blackf6]

Push bikes are good for lead foots too.

[mike_nofx]

Heavy spring under the accelerator?

But seriously, how about secretly fitting a throttle controller like the idrive which allows you to set it to an economy mode which reduces accelerator response.

They can also be set for faster response, but you save those settings for yourself.

https://idriveaustralia.com.au/#how_it_works

[Jastel]

Chock of wood under the accelerator is old taxi owners trick...

[.:4:.]

Originally Posted by Jastel

Chock of wood under the accelerator is old taxi owners trick...

In reverse logic to that years ago on an old car when the spot welds on the accelerator pedal bracket started to flex I broke them off and screwed wood under them to backyard fix the stretched accelerator cable. Did heaps for thrashing the car and nothing for fuel economy.

[EDManual]

theres not much difference in flooring a diesel or idling around. Go a diesel.

I remember that test of a priius vs a bmw m3 on topgear. They both used the same amount of fuel! What they did was floor the prius around and had the m3 behind it.

Yes small turbos are the absolute worst, and even worse than that is a small turbo CVT. I remember getting well over 20 litres per hundred in audi a4s. Same driving in a falcon or commodore at the same speeds was more like 15 -16!