Sunday, October 21, 2012
Fuel Economy Report
Over the weekend, I drove from Quezon City to Tagaytay via C-5 and Southern Luzon Expressway (SLEX). On the way back, I took SLEX and EDSA to QC before returning home in Makati via C-5. And just to prove the skeptics wrong, here's a pic of my mileage.
The whole trip was 172.7 km long, and the Picanto attained a fuel economy rating of 5.7 liters per 100 km. This equals to 17.54 km/liter. Now this is very impressive, as it's exceeded my expectations in the Picanto's fuel economy.
Monday, October 15, 2012
Why Picanto?
I'm often asked by others why I chose the Kia Picanto as my current car, given that my previous ride was a 2007 Hyundai Getz. Well, there are a few reasons:
First of all, while the Getz is a very dependable car, I had bought it second-hand, and a lot of wear-and-tear from the first owner had started to take its toll. The windshield wiper motor was actually broken before I purchased it, the rear shocks have already given in, and the paint on the trunk frame had started to peel off. Sure, I could have spent some money on getting all of these fixed, but the running costs would continue to pile up on a car that was just discontinued. And because it's no longer being produced, the Getz ended up with a trade-in value of Php 170,000 (and even lower on most other dealers).
Second, having a smaller car makes city life much easier. The Picanto is easier to park anywhere (especially in the very tight garage of my pad) and a breeze to maneuver through traffic due to its light steering and small turning radius. Plus, its light weight and efficient motor results in excellent fuel economy. Sure, I lose luggage space compared to the Getz, but I hardly ever carry anything or anyone with me.
Of course, I've considered other small cars that are significantly cheaper than the Picanto, but after going through several dealerships, here's what I found:
First of all, while the Getz is a very dependable car, I had bought it second-hand, and a lot of wear-and-tear from the first owner had started to take its toll. The windshield wiper motor was actually broken before I purchased it, the rear shocks have already given in, and the paint on the trunk frame had started to peel off. Sure, I could have spent some money on getting all of these fixed, but the running costs would continue to pile up on a car that was just discontinued. And because it's no longer being produced, the Getz ended up with a trade-in value of Php 170,000 (and even lower on most other dealers).
Second, having a smaller car makes city life much easier. The Picanto is easier to park anywhere (especially in the very tight garage of my pad) and a breeze to maneuver through traffic due to its light steering and small turning radius. Plus, its light weight and efficient motor results in excellent fuel economy. Sure, I lose luggage space compared to the Getz, but I hardly ever carry anything or anyone with me.
Of course, I've considered other small cars that are significantly cheaper than the Picanto, but after going through several dealerships, here's what I found:
- Hyundai i10: Technically the same car as the Picanto, but not as good-looking and somewhat sparse in amenities.
- Hyundai Eon: While this is a great bargain, I don't think the 814 cc engine can take the daily torture of climbing the garage.
- Chevrolet Spark: Simply ugly with quirky ergonomics and GM's somewhat spotty reputation.
- Suzuki Celerio: The lack of a glove compartment is already enough to turn it down.
- Chana Benni: After seeing Chery fizzle out of the market, I'd never consider a Chinese car as an option.
Monday, October 8, 2012
The Fuel Economy Debacle
For over a year since the new Picanto's debut, there have been debates on the Internet about its fuel economy. Some people have opted not to buy one due to claims of it not being as fuel efficient as advertised. After over a month, I can tell you that the Kia Picanto 1.2 is very fuel efficient under regular traffic conditions in Metro Manila.
From late-August to late-September, my regular commute through Makati, Pasig, Mandaluyong City, Greenhills and Quezon City has given me an average of 11.4 km/liter. In comparison, my former car - a 2007 Hyundai Getz 1.4 - did a monthly average of 9.3 km/liter under the same conditions. Should I take the Picanto on highways such as the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) or South Luzon Expressway (SLEX), I predict a rating of at least 13 km/l.
So how does one calculate the fuel economy of their Picanto? There are two ways to get the numbers. Be sure to have a notebook and a calculator handy while refueling.
1. The Picanto has a fuel economy gauge on the trip computer that measures liters per 100 kilometers. Simply divide 100 by the given amount of liters to get the numbers in km/liter. The smaller the number of liters, the more fuel you save. For example, if the gauge reads "8.4 l/100km", you'll have 11.9 km/l.
2. There's the old-fashioned way by calculating the mileage from your trip meter and dividing it by the amount of gasoline filled up to a full tank.
Remember to always reset trip meter A (trip meter B is optional), fuel economy gauge and time log on your trip computer to 0 after every refuel.
Some helpful hints on saving fuel in a Picanto:
1. On manual transmission models, set ECO Mode to "On" and always follow the shift indicator.
2. Check your tire pressure at least once a month. Follow the recommended tire pressure rating found on the frame of the driver's side door. Never drive with the tires underinflated - not only does this hurt fuel economy, it increases the risk of a blowout.
3. Do not leave your car idle for five or more minutes. If you're stuck in heavy traffic or in a long queue at the carpark that has not moved for at least five minutes, turn off your engine. Simply turn on your engine when traffic begins to move again. (In some countries, the Picanto comes with the ecoDynamics system, which automatically does this job for you through its stop-start mechanism).
From late-August to late-September, my regular commute through Makati, Pasig, Mandaluyong City, Greenhills and Quezon City has given me an average of 11.4 km/liter. In comparison, my former car - a 2007 Hyundai Getz 1.4 - did a monthly average of 9.3 km/liter under the same conditions. Should I take the Picanto on highways such as the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) or South Luzon Expressway (SLEX), I predict a rating of at least 13 km/l.
So how does one calculate the fuel economy of their Picanto? There are two ways to get the numbers. Be sure to have a notebook and a calculator handy while refueling.
1. The Picanto has a fuel economy gauge on the trip computer that measures liters per 100 kilometers. Simply divide 100 by the given amount of liters to get the numbers in km/liter. The smaller the number of liters, the more fuel you save. For example, if the gauge reads "8.4 l/100km", you'll have 11.9 km/l.
2. There's the old-fashioned way by calculating the mileage from your trip meter and dividing it by the amount of gasoline filled up to a full tank.
Remember to always reset trip meter A (trip meter B is optional), fuel economy gauge and time log on your trip computer to 0 after every refuel.
Some helpful hints on saving fuel in a Picanto:
1. On manual transmission models, set ECO Mode to "On" and always follow the shift indicator.
2. Check your tire pressure at least once a month. Follow the recommended tire pressure rating found on the frame of the driver's side door. Never drive with the tires underinflated - not only does this hurt fuel economy, it increases the risk of a blowout.
3. Do not leave your car idle for five or more minutes. If you're stuck in heavy traffic or in a long queue at the carpark that has not moved for at least five minutes, turn off your engine. Simply turn on your engine when traffic begins to move again. (In some countries, the Picanto comes with the ecoDynamics system, which automatically does this job for you through its stop-start mechanism).
Saturday, October 6, 2012
New Toys
After a long delay, my dealership finally got my side window deflectors in stock. In addition, I got my license plates issued, so I had them installed along with matching Deflector license plate covers (Php 1,699.75 at Blade). And last, but not least, I got a car DVR (Php 3,000.00 at Concorde) installed on my windshield.
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