Clutch by Tan Pek Wan

FEBRUARY 3, 2012 Y OU R

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Faster Leaner

5 Series

Twinturbo Technology For The Executive

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FIRSTGEAR

REVUP

TESTDRIVE

BMW concept car unveiled

Evolution of the Elantra

Citroen's segment winner

BMW announces sterling 2011 sales results with the unveiling of BMW's i range of electric vehicles

You can buy this car in Malaysia in the next few weeks... meanwhile, here inside, is a little history

Quiet and quick, this is Citroen's winning hot hatch on sale now at Brooklands

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FRIDAY 3 FEBRUARY 2012

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THE MALAY MAIL

FIRSTGEAR

The BMW 520i returns with added power BY Kon Wai Luen

BMW Group Malaysia started the New Year with a revamp of its 5 Series range with new four-cylinder engines introduced to the line-up replacing the company’s hallmark straight six-pots. The diesel-powered 520d has received some minor updates, but the biggest talking point is undoubtedly the 520i’s return to the line-up since its discontinuation with the E60. It replaces the 523i, and is pleasingly priced a full RM25k cheaper. From the 2.5-litre straight six that powered the 523i, the new 520i is 20 horses down, but that is about the only deficit you will need to live with. Torque is up 20Nm, and available over a wider range of

revs, and when paired to the standard 8-speed automatic transmission, the result is a lower top speed of 226 km/h, which is still a lot faster than you would normally go, and a century sprint time that’s half a second faster. The most useful improvement comes in the area of fuel consumption, which went down from 8.0 to 6.4 litres per 100km. While these are figures obtained under standard testing procedures, it still points to a remarkable 18% reduction in your fuel bills. These kinds of sums add up over the long run, especially when you factor in savings in road tax from 2.5 to 2.0-litre engine displacement. While the bulk of those savings can be attributed to overall reduction in engine displacement and turbocharging, auxiliary measures

courtesy of BMW’s EfficientDynamics programme played their part as well. Items under this umbrella include electric power steering, Brake Energy Regeneration, and Auto Start/Stop. Further helping the driver to save fuel is the ‘Eco Pro’ mode accessed from the Driving Experience Control switch. The Driving Experience Control switch replaces the previous Dynamic Driving Control switch, and while they look exactly the same, BMW has made some adjustments. Apart from the abovementioned ‘Eco Pro’ mode, drivers can also choose from ‘Comfort’, ‘Sport’, and ‘Sport+’, with the car’s electronics then altering its throttle, transmission, steering, and suspension settings accordingly. We tested the 520i in Spain last year, and although our

test cars were touring/wagon variants, they gave useful indicators on what to expect with our cars here. Your first question will undoubtedly be whether the 2.0-litre engine is good enough to drive a car as big as the 5 Series, and the answer is yes. In fact, it felt sprightlier than the 2.5-litre 523i, although the six-cylinder motor makes far more pleasant noises. There was also notable improvement in terms of vehicle dynamics. What was particularly impressive is how our test car gave us a near magic carpet ride on the Spanish cobblestone surfaces while still showing no compromises to the sweet handling that has been the 5 Series’ hallmark. Quite simply, our test cars in Spain had a ride quality that

was far superior to the older six-cylinder units that we’ve tested here. With the 520i, BMW now has a strong en trant in the midsized luxury segment. Now with four-cylinder power and a more attractive price tag, the 5 Series looks to tap into the prevailing buyer tastes in our market preferring small engine capacities but not compromising on luxuries.

PICTURES BY BMW

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine Inline-4 DOHC 16V Turbocharged

Power 184hp @ 5,000 - 6,250rpm Torque 270Nm @ 1,250 - 4,500rpm Capacity 1997cc Transmission 8-speed auto, RWD Top Speed 226 km/h ACCELERATION 8.0 seconds Price RM358,800 without insurance

REVIEW

The N20: BMW's turbocharged four explained Compared to rivals MercedesBenz and Audi, BMW was rather late to join in the downsized forced induction party. Insufferably proud of its silky smooth six-pot engines, Munich found itself backed to a corner as Europe tightened its leash on the tail pipes. The result is that small turbocharged engines are the only way forward in order to simultaneously meet emission regulations and still deliver levels of power that customers have grown accustomed to.

The new 2.0-litre turbocharged four-pot, codenamed N20 by the hacks at Munich, steps in to fill the shoes of the multiple award-winning N52 six-cylinder engines which were available in 2.5 and 3.0-litre guises. Based on the 3.0-litre N55 six-cylinder that powers the 535i and many other BMWs, the N20 is a highly advanced powertrain featuring twinscroll turbocharging, Valvetronic, and Double VANOS. In fact, the new engine quickly picked up where its

predecessor left off, being named in Ward’s list 10 Best Engines in only its first year of existence. BMW typically offers its engines in varying states of tune as a shortcut way to give increased variety to its model range. While we can no doubt expect more variations to come eventually, the N20 is now available in only two settings — 184hp and 245hp. Compared to the equivalent six-cylinder motors they replaced, the new engines offer 8 to 12 per cent improvement

POWER-PACKED N20: Highlyadvanced powertrain featuring twin-scroll turbocharging, Valvetronic and Double VANOS

in torque, spread over a wider window of revs, and nearly 20 per cent reduction in fuel consumption. Although BMW has begun introducing the engine to its international line-up since mid-2011, the two new 5 Series variants here represent the engine’s official debut in the Malaysian market, and we can expect to see it mak-

ing its way to the 3 Series and perhaps the X1 and Z4. Munich may have been late

to the turbo party, but with the N20, it arrives fashionably so. — By Kon Wai Luen

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FRIDAY 3 FEBRUARY 2012

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III

FIRSTGEAR

BMW 528i M Sport: For the demanding driver BY Kon Wai Luen

While the 520i is likely to make up the bulk of 5 Series sales this year, the 528i, kitted in M Sport trim as standard, will serve the needs of buyers with more demanding tastes. Here, the same 2.0-litre engine from the 520i replaces the previous 3.0-litre inline-six mill, but tuned to higher outputs of 245hp and 350Nm — easily class-leading figures amongst the competition. Certainly, its performance figures are nothing to be scoffed at, not when it demolishes the century sprint in 6.3

seconds — highly impressive when you consider that the RM200k dearer 535i does it in 6.1 seconds. By the way, this figure also represents a 0.4-second improvement from the previous six-cylinder 528i. The ZF-sourced 8-speed automatic transmission is onceagain standard in the 528i, and it comes along with the same raft of EfficientDynamics fuel-saving goodies like the 520i. As a result, the 528i’s fuel consumption is pretty close to its smaller sibling — 6.8 litres per 100km on the combined cycle, down from 8.0 litres per 100km of the predecessor, which was also the same

figure quoted by BMW for the old 523i. Like the 520i, our 528i test car in Spain was a Touring unit, and adding further differentiation to our local-spec 528i is that it was running on standard suspension, so our ultimate evaluation of its ride and handling attributes will have to wait until BMW Group Malaysia sends us a test car with the stiffer M Sport setup. It would be interesting to see how much of the accomplished ride that we experienced in Spain was sacrificed in the name of handling. What would not require a second evaluation, however, is the engine. Where the 520i Touring felt just about right

in terms of power to weight, the 528i was properly quick, feeling completely effortless in overtaking and giving us almost lag free delivery of power. We would expect then, our local-spec 528i with a lighter sedan body to be no slower and most definitely no slouch. Aside from the substantial hike in power and trim goodies of the M Sport package, the 528i’s kit count is almost on par with the 520i’s. Items that a 520i owner would look to in the 528i with envy are restricted to transmission paddle shifts, headsup display, and possibly the aluminium dashboard trim — items of consequence only for

BMW sales performance up in 2011 It was a great 2011 for BMW Group Malaysia with a total of 5,604 BMW, MINI and Motorrad vehicles delivered throughout the year, surpassing its performance in the previous year by 24% and making Malaysia one of the fastest growing markets throughout the entire BMW Group network.

This was announced at the showcase of the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics Concept Car at The Pavilion, Bukit Bintang held from the 18th to the 22nd of January 2012. The BMW Vision EfficientDynamics Concept Car is the physical manifestation of the BMW Group’s vision of developing a sustainable, con-

temporary sports car with an innovative plug-in hybrid concept combined with a modified electric drive system to deliver the performance of a sports car while retaining the fuel consumption and emission levels of a ‘green’ car. Featuring a 3-cylinder turbo diesel engine with 2 electric motors, the supercar is able

to generate a power output of 262 kW/ 356 hp, an astounding 800 Nm of Torque and boasts a 0-100km/h performance of a mere 4.8 seconds whilst only consuming an average of just 3.76 liters per 100km and only emitting 99g per km of CO2. The sports car is the precursor to the BMW Group’s revolutionary BMW

PICTURES BY BMW

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine Inline-4 DOHC 16V Turbocharged

Power 245hp @ 5,000 - 6,500rpm Torque 350Nm @ 1,250 - 4,800rpm Capacity 1997cc Transmission 8-speed auto, RWD Top Speed 250 km/h ACCELERATION 6.3 seconds Price RM409,800 without Insurance

the most discerning of buyers. While the 520i is undoubtedly the value pick between the two new 5 Series variants, the new 528i becomes a compelling option when you consider how much cheaper it

is compared to the predecessor while still being identically equipped. The big question for the buyer becomes how the M Sport package affects its overall ride and handling quality.

ABOVE: Dato’ Mukhriz Mahathir, Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry with Geoffrey Briscoe, Managing Director of BMW Group Malaysia at The Pavillion; FAR LEFT: BMW EfficientDynamics Concept Car

i range of electric vehicles which are slated for introduction by the year 2013. Advanced diesel engines are able to consume up to 30 percent less fuel whilst at the same time, provide 20 percent more horsepower and up to 70 percent better acceleration. The engines are also reputed to emit 25 percent less

carbon dioxide (CO2) compared to their petrol counterparts. At the current moment, the technology is also one of the more immediate solutions to tackling the issue of rising cost of fuel. Further information about the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics is available at www.bmw.com. my. — By DANIEL FERNANDEZ

FRIDAY 3 FEBRUARY 2012

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THE MALAY MAIL

REVUP

The evolution of the Hyundai Elantra We have seen Hyundai cars on Malaysia roads for more than two decades already. Early Hyundai models to enter the market were simple vehicles like the Sonata, Pony and Elantra and they shared engineering technology with Mitsubishi. One of the more popular Hyundai cars has been the Elantra. This mid-sized family sedan has seen a few generations on sale with success. In a few weeks time the Elantra nameplate in Malaysia will take a huge leap forward when the latest Elantra is launched this February. Hyundai Sime Darby will launch the all new Elantra which has already taken the global market by storm. Winning a string of North American and European awards in design, fuel efficiency, quality, drive, dynamics and even space, this Elantra will be a sure winner in the

Malaysian market. Meanwhile, let us give you some historical background on the Elantra. The first generation Hyundai Elantra was introduced in 1990. It was powered by a Mitsubishi-designed 1.6L (1596 cc) Straight-4 engine. This engine was capable of producing 113 horsepower at 6,000rpm. Average fuel consumption for a city drive was recorded at 10.7L/100km. In 1995, the Elantra evolved in its design, from a squarish look to a sleeker and curvier front and back. The second-generation Elantra came in two forms; the sedan and the station wagon. In Korea, the sedan was called the Hyundai Avante while the station wagon was called the Avante Touring. In Malaysia, only the Hyundai Elantra sedan was made available. The Elantra was sold with a 1.6L Beta DOHC engine pro-

IN MOTION: (From top) The first Hyundai Elantra in 1990, the 1995 and 2000 variant; MAIN PIX: The new Elantra continues the Elantra legacy of offering class-leading performance

NEW SENSATION: The latest Elantra (right) will be launched in Malaysia this February

ducing 116 horsepower and the 1.8L Beta DOHC I4 engine producing 128 horsepower. In 2000, the third-generation Elantra was launched with a refreshed look. It came with standard front and frontside airbags, air conditioning, power locks, power windows, and power steering. There were 1.6L, 1.8L and 2.0L petrol engines. A redesigned HD Elantra sedan debuted at the 2006 New York Auto Show makes it the fourth generation Elantra. In North America, the Elantra also offered the most interior room in its class. The engine lineup includes 1.6L Gamma and 2.0L Beta II petrol inline four engines, and a 1.6L turbi diesel inline-four. Only the 2.0L engine is offered in North America.

The Avante LPI (Liquefied Petroleum Injected) is the world's first hybrid electric vehicle to be powered by an internal combustion engine built to run on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) as fuel All engines feature improved fuel economy over previous versions. A five-speed manual gearbox is standard and a four-speed auto is optional. Hyundai began producing the Avante ‘LPI Hybrid’ and it was launched in the South Korean domestic market in July 2009. The Avante LPI (Liquefied Petroleum Injected) is the world’s first hybrid electric

CONSISTENT PERFORMER: The Elantra 2011’s sophisticated styling has been impressively upgraded for the latest Elantra

vehicle to be powered by an internal combustion engine built to run on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) as a fuel. The Hyundai Avante LPI is a mild hybrid and the first hybrid to adopt advanced lithium polymer (Li–Poly) batteries. The birth of the fifth-generation MD Elantra in 2010 took the world by storm with its great looks and smart features. The MD Elantra’s styling, power output, fuelefficiency, comfort and safety features have been all upgraded. Projecting a sportier and

even more progressive image than its predecessor, the allnew compact sedan Elantra will continue its successful tradition of offering classleading performance and fuel efficiency, thanks to its cutting-edge technology and powertrain. Having its roots in Hyundai’s Fluidic Sculpture design philosophy that aims to reflect sophistication and dynamic lines into the shape of vehicles, Hyundai applied a specific design concept called “Wind Craft” to the new Elantra, evoking a piece of sculp-

THE MALAY MAIL

FRIDAY 3 FEBRUARY 2012 ●

CLUTCH

REVUP In 2000, the third-generation Elantra codenamed XD was launched with a refreshed look. It came with standard front and front-side airbags, air conditioning, power locks, power windows, and power steering

Hyundai Veloster will be in Malaysia soon The all-new 2012 Hyundai Veloster is an innovative compact coupe that features ground-breaking design, with a unique third door for easy rear-seat access. It is powered by a new 1.6-liter direct-injected four-cylinder engine that is mated to either Hyundai’s first EcoShift™ dual-clutch transmission or a six-speed manual transmission. The Veloster is also one of four Hyundai vehicles that achieve 40 mpg on the highway, along with the Accent, Elantra and Sonata Hybrid. The Veloster earned the title of ‘Best Economy Car’ in Bloomberg’s recent Best Drives of 2011. The Veloster also drew praise from the editors of Bloomberg for “amenities like touch-screen navigation, automatic everything, Bluetooth and a rear-view camera.” “Hyundai has four models which hit the 40 mpg mark, only one a hybrid. That’s progress for the people,” said Jason Harper, Bloomberg’s auto critic. “Most of us want a nice-driving, good-looking automobile that won’t sledgehammer us into debt. Hyundai has gotten in the habit of over-delivering

REVOLUTION IN DESIGN: (Top) The Elantra in 2000; The fluid styling of the Elantra in 2010 (right) took the world by storm; The 2012 Elantra (below) interior styling is based on Hyundai’s philosophy that aims to reflect sophistication into its vehicles

ture literally crafted from by wind. With its lower roofline and low rear deck lid, the new Elantra produces a slicker and sportier profile with a drag coefficient (Cd) of just 0.28, reducing wind resistance and improving fuel economy. A kicked-up bootlid and carefully sculpted rear lamps allow smoother airflow. The all new MD Elantra comes with a choice of two all-new and remarkably advanced petrol engines, Nu 1.8-liter MPI and Gamma 1.6-liter MPI D-CVVT. Both are mated to six-speed auto/manual transmissions, which deliver impressively

more horsepower while consuming less fuel and producing lower emissions than the powertrains they replace. Hyundai began developing the new Elantra in 2008 under the codename MD. The project took 33 months and 300 billion won (US$277 million based on today’s currency exchange rates) to go from concept to customer. Hyundai Motor launched the new Elantra in Korea, selling nearly 77,000 units in 2010. The new compact sedan will

make its way to the overseas market starting the first half of this year. From the year 2012, Hyundai expects to sell 400,000 units annually in overseas. The Elantra has already reached cumulative sales of six million units worldwide and when it arrives in Malaysia in a few weeks it will be a class winner for sure. Read our complete test drive review of the all new Elantra in the next issue of Clutch on the 17th of February 2012.

EDITORIAL NOTE

The birth of the fifth-generation MD Elantra in 2010 took the world by storm with its great looks and smart features. The MD Elantra’s styling, power output, fuel-efficiency, comfort and safety features have been all upgraded

by Daniel Fernandez

Consultant Motoring Editor

Most of us want a nice-driving, goodlooking automobile that won’t sledgehammer us into debt. Hyundai has gotten in the habit of overdelivering very good cars at underwhelming prices. The Veloster is the most out-and-out fun JASON HARPER AUTO CRITIC, BLOOMBERG

very good cars at underwhelming prices. The Veloster is the most out-and-out fun.” Look out for its introduction here in Malaysia in the coming months. For more information visit a Hyundai-Sime Darby Motors showroom today.

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A motoring pullout is a common feature with most newspapers… but Clutch will be different. How different? Well just like the rest of the all new The Malay Mail, Clutch will be informative and true to its editorial integrity. Clutch will be a bi-monthly (every other Friday of the month) motoring pullout that will give straight-to-the-point car reviews and relevant motoring information for the Malaysian car enthusiast in a

Joel Miranda

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simple language. We will not confuse you or ‘smoke screen’ you with technical terms and instead offer our views on each and every test drive. In this first issue, we at Clutch hope that the car reviews presented will be

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able to move you to personally take a test drive of the cars reviewed at the nearest showrooms and see for yourself what we experience in each and every test drive. Your feedback is needed for us to improve in every area.

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Please watch out for our next issue on the 24th of February 2012.

FRIDAY 3 FEBRUARY 2012

THE MALAY MAIL

FRIDAY 3 FEBRUARY 2012 •

VII

VIII CLUTCH

FRIDAY 3 FEBRUARY 2012

THE MALAY MAIL

TESTDRIVE Citroen C4 1.6 THP EGS

Awards to recognise environmentally-friendlier car marques

Citroen brings a segment winner BY DANIEL FERNANDEZ

Citroen have been relatively quiet in Malaysia in recent years, but all that is set to change for the better with the arrival of the latest C4. This is Citroen’s pride and joy and a European hot seller. Arriving in Citroen showrooms at a selling of just RM125,000, the C4 is packed with all and every feature possible to give it an edge over its competitors. In the looks department, this C4 is handsome and somewhat exotic in its design. It’s a high wide hatchback with great detailing all around the car. Wide and large 17-inch alloys are tasty and assist in the overall stance. The cabin shows of high use of quality materials and also fitment which no other French offering can compete. Textured plastics and metallic trim fill the cabin space and the driver gets a centric position. The meter cluster offers mood lighting and is very clear in delivering information. Seats are segment best and even rear passengers get decent comfort. Brooklands have also added

more passive features into the C4, like blind spot monitoring (its uses four ultrasonic sensors at each corner of the car) central locking with plip & electronic, child safety locks, electric sequential and antipinch front & rear windows, automatic illumination of the hazard warning lights, front and rear parking sensors with parking space “gap” measurement system and a fuel filler flap with automatic opening (no messing of hands when fuelling up). All this for a mere RM125,000. Yes, the price puts this C4 right next to the VW Golf TSI which is the current segment leader. So does it fare with us behind the wheel? The drive is what set this C4 in a new segment. No longer is Citroen using a supplied gearbox. They have opted for a better and more efficient gearbox, the EGS 6-speed which is internally engineered. Even with a curb weight of

1,420kg the 1.6-litre engine propels this car to 100km/h in just 9.6 seconds. A top speed of 212km/h is easily reached on the open highway. On a city drive, the ride is well cushioned and very comfortable. Ruts and dips on our unmaintained roads are easily absorbed. Find a highway off-ramp and take the C4 fast around it and it will ride it with ease with no flinching. The handling is spot-on and steering feel weighted. There is an almost Germanic feel to this French hot hatch and this is what consumers want today. It sell for just RM125,000 with a 3-year 100,000 km warranty and 6-airbags are included with the added benefit of being fully imported. There

SPECIFICATIONS

Engine 4-cylinder/16v Power 155bhp @ 5800rpm Torque 240Nm @ 1400rpm Capacity 1598cc Transmission 6-speed EGS semi-auto

Top Speed 212km/h ACCELERATION 9.6 seconds Price RM125,990.00

is no better buy for this price and with a full range of safety and comfort features included, you need to test drive the C4 at their Federal Highway showroom before looking at another French option which offers less value, safety features and dynamics.

First introduced by Asian Auto four years ago, this Fuel Efficiency Awards is a first in the Malaysian automotive industry and is the only automotive award that encourages car manufacturers to offer better quality vehicles with the latest engineering and technologies that promote fuel efficiency in particular. The Awards ceremony which was held at Saujana Hotel, reiterates the Government’s efforts in encouraging the introduction of fuel efficient and environmental friendly technologies, and stands out against the backdrop of the Mother Earth’s wailing red siren. Attending the Awards night were about 100 representatives from 30 car companies who were vying for the 54 awards on offer in 18 categories. Also in attendance were the senior management of AmBank Group, sponsors Bosch and Sapporo. Datuk Mohamed Azmi Mahmood, Managing Director, Retail Banking, AmBank (M) Berhad and Datuk Mahdi Murad, Chief Executive Officer, AmIslamic Bank Berhad presented the Awards to the winners. Chief Editor of Asian Auto, Daniel Fernandez in thanking and welcoming guests, said, “Every legitimate car sold in Malaysia was included in the audit this year. The results from the review were surprising; petrol engines are starting to creep up to hybrid cars in terms of fuel efficiency. “Some car brands are ambitious enough to even bring in diesel variants to allow Malaysians an option. However, there is still the unresolved diesel quality issue to address. “Through this Awards, we hope to create a platform to spur car companies to bring in the latest models to offer Malaysians better options for their next car purchase. As the benchmark for the most up-to-

INSPIRED: This is the 4th year that this awards event has been running and it is the only event of its kind in the region

date car price list in the country and monthly provider of the most complete Malaysian motoring information, we believe Malaysians should enjoy better technologies and the latest models of vehicles as well,” Fernandez said. Asian Auto-AmBank Fuel Efficiency Awards 2011 LIST OF WINNERS Compact City Cars Suzuki Alto 5.0L/100km Compact PREMIUM Cars Audi A1 TFSI 5.6L/100km SMALL FAMILY Cars Proton Saga 1.3 Manual 6.0L/100km SMALL PREMIUM FAMILY Cars VW Polo TSI 5.7L/100km LUXURY FAMILY Cars Toyota Altis 1.8L 7-Speed 5.5L/100km PREMIUM FAMILY Cars VW Passat Sedan 1.8 TSI 7.0L/100km EXECUTIVE Cars Mercedes C-Class 200 CGI 7.2L/100km PREMIUM EXECUTIVE Cars BMW 520 Diesel 5.2L/100km SUPER SALOONS Jaguar XJL Diesel 5.2L/100km PERFORMANCE COUPE CARS Volkswagen Scirrocco TFSi 6.3L/100km PERFORMANCE HOT HATCH Mini Cooper S JCW 6.9L/100km PICK-UP TRUCKS Isuzu D-Max Hi-DEF 2.5 4x4 Manual 7.6L/100km COMPACT MPVs Honda Freed 1.5L 6.1L/100km LUXURY MPVs Ford S-Max Ecoboost 2L 8.1L/100km COMPACT SUVs Range Rover Evoque 2.2L Diesel 5.7L/100km LUXURY SUVs Lexus RX Hybrid 6.3L/100km PREMIUM SUVs Mitsubishi Pajero Sport VGT 2.5L Diesel 6.7L/100km HYBRIDS Lexus CT200hl 3.8L/100km