The new Suzuki Vitara

[Westward]

On 24/08/2019 at 18:28, adzyvilla said:

Engine is smaller but weighs less, is geared differently and due to the addition of a turbocharger, has more torque and more horsepower so doesn't have to work as hard to move the car around. 

The newer smaller engine is much more technologicially advanced than the older (slightly) bigger displacement engine in terms of turbo geometry, direct injection and valve timing. Adding a turbo these days can make a car much more efficient. 

Quite simply, the small capacity turbo engines are designed to fool the official mpg tests and appear to be "Environmentally aware". They do deliver outstanding economy under certain circumstances but the efficiency envelope is small. Operate it outside that envelope and the economy tanks.

A modern high efficiency, lightly stressed non turbo engine such as the 2 litre Skyactiv G from Mazda has a wider operating envelope than the small turbo units and can produce amazingly good mpg figures in real world driving conditions (and probably last twice as long too).

My D-I-L has a 1litre turbo Astra, which she uses in a typical pattern of journeys and gets an average of around 40mpg, nowhere even close to what I get from a 2 litre Mazda.

[Davyo]

1 hour ago, Westward said:

Quite simply, the small capacity turbo engines are designed to fool the official mpg tests and appear to be "Environmentally aware". They do deliver outstanding economy under certain circumstances but the efficiency envelope is small. Operate it outside that envelope and the economy tanks.

A modern high efficiency, lightly stressed non turbo engine such as the 2 litre Skyactiv G from Mazda has a wider operating envelope than the small turbo units and can produce amazingly good mpg figures in real world driving conditions (and probably last twice as long too).

My D-I-L has a 1litre turbo Astra, which she uses in a typical pattern of journeys and gets an average of around 40mpg, nowhere even close to what I get from a 2 litre Mazda.

I'VE driven the MX5 skyactive,2lt was good but the 1.5 (had it a a loan car when my 5 was in for service)was terrible unless worked hard and was really sluggish around town I thought it was goosed.Mates in the OC who have the 1.5 say you really have to be giving it some even around town. The 2ltr was totally different  & I nearly ordered at one point.But the lads in the MX5 owners club  started reporting  serious issues with the gearbox.The new MX5 is on its 5th generation gearbox since 2016 & they still havent got it right.They should of kept the bullet proof box out of the MK 3 currently been used in the Fiat 124 Spider Abarth.

Edited August 25, 2019 by Davyo

[adzyvilla]

11 hours ago, Westward said:

Quite simply, the small capacity turbo engines are designed to fool the official mpg tests and appear to be "Environmentally aware". They do deliver outstanding economy under certain circumstances but the efficiency envelope is small. Operate it outside that envelope and the economy tanks.

A modern high efficiency, lightly stressed non turbo engine such as the 2 litre Skyactiv G from Mazda has a wider operating envelope than the small turbo units and can produce amazingly good mpg figures in real world driving conditions (and probably last twice as long too).

My D-I-L has a 1litre turbo Astra, which she uses in a typical pattern of journeys and gets an average of around 40mpg, nowhere even close to what I get from a 2 litre Mazda.

My previous car (a 2015 seat ibiza st 1.4tsi) was the best engined car I have ever owned. Returned an average of 55+mpg, bags of torque and 150bhp made overtaking easy and it was a hoot to drive, the extra economy coming from the active cylinder tech and a very good start/stop system. 

The skyactiv engine is an amazing piece of technology there can be no doubt. However, a 1.0l t engine in a car as heavy as the latest astra will struggle, and as with all cars depends on how and where it is driven.