Holden Cruze 2012 News

The lift comes as manufacturers offer sweeteners such as hefty discounts or free on-road costs in the end-of-financial-year sales war.

The latest VFACTSs report has found the resource states - in Queensland and Western Australia - are driving a sales bonanza in new cars bought as rentals, meaning there should soon be a flood of quality used cars hitting the market.While the nation has recorded a 5.2 per cent increase in new car sales so far this year, Queensland is scorching ahead with a 13.5 per cent rise, ahead of Western Australia on 10.1 per cent. Adam Le Fevre, boss of Suzuki Auto Co which imports Suzukis to Queensland, said the growth in vehicles sales was mainly in rental vehicles which were up 91.6 per cent in Queensland and 65.3 per cent in WA.''If you look at where the growth is, it's in the rental market and that's from the mineral and energy boom,'' he said. ''Companies would appear to be renting vehicles on demand rather than holding the asset. ''They are probably being sold at a corporate level in NSW or Victorian company headquarters and registered in Queensland and Western Australia.''Mr Le Fevre predicted the boom in rental cars would lead to a flood of bargain-priced used cars in the next few years. ''These cars have got to come back into the market at some stage as good-quality, low-kilometre, well-maintained cars.'' While that might be good for buyers, Mr Le Fevre said it would have a negative impact on new car sales.''Unless we can find a market offshore for these vehicles, like New Zealand or Papua New Guinea, then it is going to make it difficult for new car dealers,'' he said.Mr Le Fevre said the rental boom more than offset the 3.9 per cent decrease in government spending on cars as departments put sales on hold during the Queensland election campaign. The Queensland increase came after three years of being one of the worst-performing states.Small cars and utilities were the favourite choice with the Mazda3 (1306 sales) the most popular, ahead of the Toyota Corolla, Nissan Navara, Toyota HiLux and Hyundai i30. The Holden Commodore languishes in sixth place in Queensland.FEBRUARY TOP SELLERSMazda3 3733Holden Commodore 2991Toyota Corolla 2991Holden Cruze 2880Hyundai i30 2433Toyota HiLux 2272Nissan Navara 2017

Not only did the Mazda3 and Toyota Corolla finish first and second on sales for the month, but the Holden Cruze beat its big-brother Commodore for the first time and the compact Ford Focus also trumped the Falcon. January provided a solid start to the 2012 showroom sales race, with an overall lift of 4.3 per cent over 2010 powered mostly - as usual - by growing demand for SUVs.But Falcon had its worst year on record and even a claim that hundreds of cars were damaged by hail at Broadmeadows could not balance the bad news. The Focus victory over the Falcon is a tick for the compact, with a towering margin of 1576-931 cars, but also another cross against the long-term future of the locally made family car. "It was a shocking storm. They really took a hit," a spokesman for Ford Australia, Neil McDonald, says. Holden has admitted for nearly a year that the Cruze would eventually become its local hero, but no-one expected the switch from big to little to happen so quickly.It's unlikely to be sustained every month, as Commodore sales in January are traditionally down while fleet buyers are on holidays, but it's a pointer to a sea change in Australian carmaking."It's a good problem to have," says Holden's spokesperson, Emily Perry. Holden, like Ford with Falcon and Territory, is now also combining Commodore and Cruze totals each month so people get the correct picture of their total local production.And it's claiming strong early returns from a variety of sources. "Holden's product renaissance is really picking up pace and key models are notching up very pleasing performances in their respective segments. Our focus remains on building and selling the cars Australians want to buy and with a raft of new models due in the coming months, we're looking forward to an exciting year ahead," says Holden's director of sales, Philip Brook. The margin between Cruze and Commodore was much closer than Focus and Falcon at 2445 sales to 2170. But neither could come close to the overall winner in January, the Mazda3 with 4045, or the second-placed Toyota Corolla with 3383. The Mazda is still powering off the back of its number one run through 2011 and led the company to a January record of 8479 sales, and 11.0 per cent of the market. The result reflects an increase of 1279 cars, or 17.8 per cent, over the result in 2011. "We are both delighted and humbled by customer acceptance of our whole range during January. While we are quietly confident of a strong year, particularly with the imminent launch of our all-new CX-5, our primary focus will remain on looking after our customers," says the managing director of Mazda Australia, Doug Dickson. As usual, Toyota was Australia's favourite brand in January, ahead of Toyota and Mazda, with Hyundai in fourth after the best January in its local history.

JIM Griffin's company makes car hinges and tie-down cleats in Reservoir. He sells them in China - despite a 67 per cent increase in the value of the dollar from the lows we saw in 2008.The car industry is one of our top export earners. The all-American Chevrolet Camaro was engineered in Melbourne - and so was the new Ford T6 Ranger pickup truck, sold in more countries than any other Ford vehicle.The car industry put this city on the global innovation map. In the last year on record, the auto industry was the single biggest customer for local tooling.It consumed $1.3 billion in locally manufactured iron and steel, $444 million in polymer products and $157 million in chemicals; along with $1.6 billion of professional, scientific and technical services. The car industry keeps more than 200,000 Australians in work. So imagine this country without it.It's not just the future of the Bathurst 1000 at stake. It's not just your right to drive a world-class Australian car - a right that we've enjoyed for more than six decades and that we still prize today. No less than four of the Top 10 selling cars in this country are locally made.No, take away the cars, and you take away any claims we have on the 21st century. Opinions will differ on the returns we can expect from the resources boom.But no one, however bullish, claims we can rely on it forever. It has pushed the dollar to levels that are crippling to trade-exposed industries - our automakers among them. They are still keeping alive the raw materials of our post-boom economy.The practical know-how. The advanced machinery. The university research programs. These are the bread-and-butter of any auto operation; but they generate jobs and opportunities in countless other ways.Take SMR Automotive, a company making rear-vision mirrors in Adelaide. They supply almost a third of the global market today. But because they know car mirrors, they also know high-precision medical devices. They know how to make whitegoods and lighting systems that cost less to run. They have the skills in optical engineering, in high-precision moulding and in polymer electronics to take the lead in all these fields.Companies like SMR are first and foremost automakers. They look to the three major vehicle producers in this country - Ford, GM Holden and Toyota - to provide the work that keeps people on the job, day in, day out. Those producers provide vital links to the global auto industry, still the great powerhouse of modern industrial progress.That's how Australians stay at the peak of the technology curve; and that's how our component makers break into the global production chains.I have little patience with commentators who insist on seeing this country as some kind of automotive backwater. Australia is one of only 13 nations with all the capabilities to take a car from the drawing board to the dealership - and we have sustained that position at a far lower per capita cost than most.Every Australian claims the benefits of the auto sector for less than $18 each. Every American is paying 14 times that sum. So this is not the moment to be slashing our support, as Mr Abbott would have us do. It is time to prove to the world that this country is ready to make cars for the 21st century.Electric cars are part of that future. But so too are lightweight composite parts. So are alternative fuels. So are intelligent design and clean manufacturing technology.Australia can undoubtedly compete on its strengths in these fields - which is why innovation has always been the heart and soul of our $5.4 billion New Car Plan for a Greener Future.That's how we secured the low-emission Holden Cruze, the hybrid Toyota Camry, the EcoBoost Falcon. That's how Australia produced the world's first carbon-fibre car wheel, as strong as steel and half the weight.That's why engineers, doctoral students and elite researchers are working together on a large proof-of-concept fully electric vehicle in Melbourne. That's how our auto envoys helped local firms win overseas contracts worth more than half a billion in the last financial year.I am not in the business of holding out false hope. There is undoubtedly a tough fight ahead for this industry, as the hard news from Toyota confirms. But let there be no mistake. This is a battle we are ready to fight.

It has slashed 350 jobs from the workforce at its factory at Altona in Melbourne as a result of falling demand for the Camry, most notably in the Middle East, that pegs production for 2012 at just 95,000 cars.That's a drop of more than 30 per cent in just four years, to an unsustainable level without cuts to the 3500-strong Victoria workforce."Toyota Australia is facing severe operating conditions resulting in unsustainable financial returns due to factors including the strong Australian currency, reduced cost competitiveness and volume decline, especially in export markets," says Max Yasuda, president of Toyota Australia.But Toyota is not alone on the crisis line. Falcon sales fell to less than 19,000 cars in 2011 and the total production at Broadmeadows - including Falcon ute and Territory - was only 45,000 vehicles, while the Commodore lost the top spot in Australian motoring last year and GM Holden is now relying on joint production of the Commodore and compact Cruze to keep its Adelaide factory spinning at profitable levels.Less than two weeks ago the spotlight was on Detroit with questions about the future of both Ford and Holden. The blue oval brand reacted first with a $103 cash injection and General Motors is promising news by the middle of the year on a production deal beyond the next Commodore, the VF that hits the road in 2014.Planning the future for Australian manufacturing is being done at the highest levels, with the Federal Minister for Industry, Senator Kim Carr, meeting Ford CEO Alan Mulally and GM honcho Dan AkersonThe major focus was development of a fresh co-investment strategy between the Federal government and the carmakers, taking advantage of the $3.4 billion fighting fund included in the Automotive Transformation Scheme as part of the motor industry plan that runs through to the end of the decade.Senator Carr was upbeat when he emerged from the talks, firstly to pledge his support of Holden and then to announce the new Ford deal which has been fast-tracked in less than six months. "We had very, very productive conversations. We are at the table," he says.But that was ahead of the Toyota job cut, which is also raising questions about the future viability of the hundreds of component companies that are tied to Ford, Holden and Toyota.“This is an industry that employs 46,000 skilled Australian workers directly and over 200,000 indirectly.  It is an industry that is the cornerstone of research and development activity in Australia and an industry that is one of our top export earners," says Carr.“The enormously competitive situation for automotive globally highlights more than ever the need to support our local automotive industry, to retain core capabilities and to provide skilled jobs so that the industry can rebound when economic conditions improve.“The mining boom won’t last for ever and we need to make sure that we have a core of key manufacturing industries with export potential – including automotive – to turn to when that happens."Break-Out: FundingThe troubles at Toyota have again raised questions about government support for carmaking in Australia.The three locals all get some form of support from Federal and State governments, with Ford Australia recently announcing a $103 million co-funded injection from Canberra and its parent company in Detroit.There has been talk in recent years that taxpayers are funding the industry at the rate of more than $1000 a person every year, but a new independent survey by the Sapere group shows the reality.The actual cost of government backing is $17.30 a year - a level that Sapere rates as the lowest among countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.The level of support in Britain is only $27.270 but it rises sharply from there, to $87.90 in Germany and $93.70 in Canada to $143.30.At the top end, government support in France is $143.30 per person and in the USA it's a whopping $257.40.Break-Out: OpinionThe troubles at Toyota reflect the latest change for Australian carmakers.The best model for success in the 1990s and early 2000s was to have a strong local sales base and then cream the top with an export program.It worked for Holden with the Pontiac G8 version of the Commodore, and Ford also looked for a time at building the Focus in Australia for exports through the Asia-Pacific region.Toyota did it best with the Camry and in its peak export year, it shipped more than 100,000 Camrys from Altona to the Middle East.But carmaking has contracted, the Australian dollar is far stronger, and the best model now is to export expertise - not cars - with work like Ford's T6 pickup program, Holden's design job for the Chevrolet Camaro, and even Toyota's inhouse design jobs.There is still a place for the local makers, but they have to be tightly integrated into a global plan that means more for Australia than just trying to crank out orphan cars for local buyers.

Hundreds of new and updated cars arrive in Australia each year but only one is good enough to make the honour role for Carsguide COTY.This time around the prize fight is tougher than ever, with new arrivals for 2011 covering every size and price class, from the ordinary Chery J1 from China to the exotic Ferrari 458 Italia from Italy. Neither of them makes the COTY cut, but that's another story ...The reach for COTY 2011 contenders actually stretches back to the final months of last year, to include a couple of cars that just missed the 2011 cutoff, and this time around the newcomers must have hit showrooms by December 1.So, unfortunately, the all-new Toyota Camry is a non-starter. It's the same for the make-or-break four-cylinder Falcon.But the class of 2011 covers all the bases, from affordable mini cars through family and prestige cars to a hot new coupe. The hopefuls come from Europe, Asia and Japan, as well as right home in Australia.Setting the field for 2011 was not easy, particularly with the outgoing champion - the Volkswagen Polo - still casting a considerable shadow.But each of the COTY judges, who cover the Carsguide contenders and drive them in all conditions from coast to coast, has called up their personal favourites from Alfa Romeo through to Volkswagen to help guide the selection process.Then it is the final cull by the COTY veterans to produce the top 10 for a gruelling two-day shootout to consider everything from design and safety through to value and their driving ability on a wide range of roads from Ford's You Yangs proving ground to freeways, suburban streets and gravel roads on the outskirts of Melbourne.The field is set, the race is about to be run, but we cannot get ahead of ourselves.So here are the 10 COTY contenders ... now it's over to the judges: 

Trying to make some sense of it all is tough, but here is my best shot - today.Australia's car sales are heading for only their fourth 1-million year in 2011, but local production - and therefore exports - is down to the lowest level since 1957.The general trend - like most of the world - is downsizing. Traditional Aussie six-cylinder family cars - Falcon and Commodore - have had 20-30 per cent sales falls through 2011, while demand for small cars is up by 20 per cent most months.This is re-shaping the motor industry, leading Holden to start local production of the Cruze alongside the Commodore in Adelaide and forcing Ford to engineer a four-cylinder engine into the Falcon for 2012.Biggest change through 2011 is the performance of Mazda, which is now consistently number 4 in Australia thanks to the sales of its compact Mazda3.But Hyundai and Kia are also making rapid gains and Volkswagen is now a top-10 brand for the first time in decades.On the dealer front, profitability is poor. They have only just recovered from the GFC but the strong Australian dollar and demand for smaller cars has slashed per-unit profits. Some small cars now only earn a dealer a $400 margin.But car companies are making solid returns, since there are only 3 local manufacturers now and the other 61 brands - including cars, trucks and commercials - are importers who are helped by the strength of the dollar in buying power from home office.The three local manufacturers - Holden, Ford and Toyota - are all going through major renewals.The all-new Camry will be out in November - with the Camry hybrid early in 2012 - after a delay because of strike action at Altona.Ford has updated the Territory this year, including a diesel engine, and it is selling strongly, while the Falcon has also lifted in recent months thanks to a new LPG system that taps into demand from fleets and taxis.The VE Commodore is being dress-up with value packs - like the latest Equipe - as well as a range of economy improvements including the upcoming dedicated LPG model. Its big move for 2011 was the local production of the Cruze hatch, which is now forecast to eventually overtake the Commodore as Holden's biggest seller.Cars and utes from Thailand have become the low-cost source for a range of Japanese brands, who have moved production offshore. So that means the Toyota HiLux, a range of Honda models, and the latest Ford Ranger and Mazda BT50 utes, all come from Thailand.That is good news for consumers who get more cost-effective products and it's also helped Japanese brand stay price competitive.Japanese brands dominate the Australian automotive landscape and nothing shows it better than Toyota's place at number one, with more than 20 per cent of all salesMazda, Mitsubishi, Subaru and Honda are also strong.But Japan is lagging against the Korean attack and needs to lift the game on quality and 'European' design and engineering as their products are now being matched by Kia and Hyundai on the quality front, and undercut on value and warranty.Japan was hit worst by the GFC, with brands winding back research and development, so Honda will suffer for at least the next 2 years, Suzuki has nothing new and important for 3 years, and even Toyota's product changes are slower than normal.Chinese brands are establishing a beach head in Australia thanks to prices that typically undercut an equivalent Japanese model by 30 per cent.Great Wall is doing best with its utes and a medium SUV, but Chery is struggling with an $11,990 car that is sub-standard - even against the Koreans - on quality, comfort and performance. Geely is the only other passenger car brand but only sold in WA as its cars do not quality for the Victorian safety legislation that mandates ESP in 2011.But - and it's a big one - the Chinese are learning fast and prepared to make big changes. Poor safety result in independent NCAP testing have led to safety improvements at Great Wall and Chery, and Chery changes the gearbox in the J1 model after a single poor road test by Carsguide. So the industry is still the biggest secondary manufacturing base in Australia and critical to the 'brain thrust' in the country going forward. Holden and Ford now both do global engineering work in Melbourne.

The good news is that the cars of the future are not boring electric "golf carts" but sleek and sexy machines.Take for example the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics Concept, or even the updated Toyota Prius C. Just as smart, but also featuring powertrain technology that is much further down the line, is the Hyundai Blue2 Concept, powered by a hydrogen fuel cell, or the Mitsubishi Concept PX-MiEV with a plug-in hybrid system that extends the use of the vehicle in electric mode.Here is a sample of the green vehicles on the stands at this year’s show:BMW Vision EfficientDynamics Concept: Making its Australian debut, this is the concept for the coming BMW i8. A conventional 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo-diesel mated to a pair of electric motors powers this four-wheel-drive 2+2 sports car. The hybrid combination pumps out 265kW of power and 800Nm of torque, and can run on electric power alone for up to 50km, diesel only for 645km or a combination of both. The lithium-ion battery packs charge in just 2.5 hours from AC mains or 44 minutes on quick charge.Ford: The new Liquefied Phase Injection LPG technology in the Ford Falcon EcoLPi has improved power and torque and decreased fuel consumption (12.5L/100km) and CO2 emissions (203g/km). Ford will also show its long-awaited diesel Territory with a 2.7-litre V6 boasting fuel economy of 8.2L/100km.Holden: The Ecoline Series II Cruze range with a new generation 2.0-litre turbo diesel (5.6L/100km) is Australia’s most fuel-efficient locally-built car. The stand will also feature the Cruze 1.4-litre intelligent turbo induction (1.4 iTi) petrol engine (6.4L/100km manual) and other Ecoline models, including the Commodore E85 flex-fuel and Spark Ignition Direct Injection V6 powered Commodores and Captivas.Honda hybrids: Honda will show the stylish Honda CR-Z coupe petrol-electric hybrid that arrives here later this year, as well as its second-generation Insight hybrid.Hyundai Blue2 Concept: This is the Korean company’s first sedan-style Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) powered by hydrogen. It delivers power of 90kW and fuel economy of 2.8L/100km. Being a concept car, it comes with a host of future electronic aids, such as an automatic opening door system, roof and side cameras to replace mirrors, and a motion sensor-operated infotainment system.Lexus LF-Gh Concept: This concept features the hybrid system already in the Lexus fleet, but is the first time the spindle-shaped grille that will become a feature of future designs will be seen here, and hints at a future grand touring sedan. Lexus Australia chief executive Tony Cramb says the LF-Gh reaffirms that hybrids can be sleek and stylish.Mazda Minagi: This is a crossover concept specifically engineered to be the first with frugal SKYACTIV technology diesel and petrol engines and transmission. The car is an insight into the coming CX-5.Mercedes-Benz C-Class: The range now includes the updated 7G-Tronic Plus seven-speed automatic transmission for improved economy. Diesel models come with the ECO start/stop function as standard, and the C250 diesel coupe boasts economy of 5.1L/100km. At the top end of the Benz range, the S350 diesel BlueTec luxury saloon has economy figures of 7L/100km.Mitsubishi ?i-Miev-based electric vehicle concepts: The i-MiEV is about to hit the showrooms and Mitsubishi already has an SUV variant, which will be on its stand. The Concept PX-MiEV has a plug-in hybrid system with fuel economy better than 2L/100km. It is powered by two permanent magnet synchronous motors and a 1.6-litre MIVEC engine. The PX-MiEV also features Smart Grid technology that allows the battery to power home appliances during a blackout or at peak times when electricity tariffs are high.Nissan Leaf: The all-electric Leaf hits showrooms next year. The World Car of the Year features a satnav system linked to the "Global Data Centre’’ in Japan so you just press a button to find the closest recharging stations.Toyota Prius C concept & Prius V: The latest in the Prius family are a funky coupe concept (C) and a people mover (V). The Prius C concept shows how stylish the Prius can be and the V shows how spacious it can be. The V also features a lightweight-resin panoramic moon roof, weighing about 40 per cent less than a regular glass roof of the same size. It will be the first to feature Toyota’s new Entune multimedia system with mobile internet and Microsoft’s Bing search engine. The system will offer live weather and traffic updates, along with monitoring the best fuel prices in town.Volkswagen Golf BlueMotion: The BlueMotion has the same 1.6-litre engine with the same output at 77kW and 250Nm as the 77TDI, but its fuel use is just 3.8L/100km compared with 5.12L/100km (77TDI) and CO2 of 99g/km (133g/km 77TDI). The gains are made from a lower idle speed, stop/start technology, aerodynamics and low rolling resistance tyres.Volvo V60 diesel plug-in hybrid: The world’s first diesel hybrid plug-in goes into production next year. The driver can choose from three modes: Pure, which is all-electric with a range of up to 50km, Hybrid with an average fuel consumption of 1.9L/100km and CO2 of 49g/km, and Power, which boosts total diesel and electric power to 200kW and 640Nm of torque with acceleration to 100km/h in 6.9 seconds. The turbodiesel drives the front wheels and an electric motor drives the rear axle. It can be recharged via a regular power socket in 4.5 hours on 10A charge.PLUS: There will also be displays by infrastructure companies including Better Place EV, which has announced plans to begin rolling out infrastructure in Canberra this year.

And each week it seems the fuel price sign goes up faster than a politician's pay packet. Australians use a vast amount of fuel in going about their daily business, be it getting the kids to school, travelling to and from work, or conducting the nation's business.Each year we import an ocean of petrol, diesel and LPG that's equivalent to 63,000 Olympic swimming pools. And we're not alone, as the vast populations of newly mobile countries such as India and China take to the roads in their Tatas, Great Walls and Cherys, the world's thirst for oil seems ever more insatiable.Overlay this with war and unrest in the Middle East, the source of 56 per cent of the world's oil, and the inevitable push-pull dynamics of supply and demand can lean to only one thing: higher fuel prices.Here in Australia motorists have been feeling the pinch of higher fuel prices since January when the latest spike in oil prices first began appearing on service station leader boards.The spiralling petrol prices mean fuelling a family car like a Commodore or Falcon now accounts for 2.6 per cent of average weekly earnings. But you don't have to sit back and take it in the hip pocket. There are ways to drive down your weekly fuel bills. Here are a few of them.DOWNSIZING According to VFACTS industry statistics, this seems the most popular choice. Large cars have gone from the top-selling passenger segment in 2000 with 198,766 to the smallest passenger segment last year with 98,583 and falling at 3.1 per cent.Meanwhile, sales of smaller cars are skyrocketing. In the past 10 years small car sales have almost doubled to 239,191 while light cars have increased about 44 per cent to 137,916. You can buy a small car from as little as $11,990 (plus on-road costs) for the Chinese-made Chery, right up $35,990 for a Citroen DS3.And you won't go without. Some of the cheapest little cars these days come with a swag of safety and creature features from multiple airbags to Bluetooth connectivity.PROS: Save on fuel; do the environment a favour; easier to park; nippier in traffic; little hatches can be cavernous if you fold down the rear seats.CONS: You get cramped on long journeys; they are noisier on the highway; they're bumpier over potholes; you could feel a little silly driving a Smurf car.Our Pick: Hyundai i20 (from $15,490) is set to take over from Getz as the segment leader with Euro styling and a high level of features and safety.Others to Consider: Suzuki Swift (from $15,990), Mazda2 (from $15,790) and Toyota Yaris (from $14,990).DIESEL Like smaller car categories, the growth in diesel-powered vehicles is exponential. Since the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries began collating separate figures for various fuel types in 2005, diesel cars and SUVs have more than doubled to 125,555 last year, which is almost one in every five new passenger cars or SUVs bought today.The reason is that modern diesel engines are not only up to twice as frugal as a petrol vehicle, but they often have lower emissions because they burn less fuel per kilometre and usually have an exhaust system that traps small carbon materials.Modern diesels are also quieter and smoother running. However, diesel engines have higher internal pressures and a complex fuel system so they are more expensive to build than a petrol engine. Some car companies charge up to $10,000 more for a diesel variant, although most charge around an extra $2000.Expensive diesels are often the result of low production volumes and highly technological designs and machining costs. To reap the economic benefits you have to drive big kilometres each year and hold on to the vehicle longer.An extreme example is the Holden CD Cruze auto diesel that costs $4000 more than the petrol model. Based on RACQ's fuel running costs of 9.36c/km for the petrol and 8.41c/km for the diesel, you would have to drive 25,000km for 16 years to recoup the extra cost.PROS: Fuel economy is anywhere between 10-50 per cent better than a petrol equivalent; more torque means quicker acceleration and easier driving around town; better towing capacity; marginally better resale value; lower CO2 emissions per kilometre; diesel engines often last longer because of the more robust engineering.CONS: Fewer diesel pumps on servo forecourts means queuing at the servo; oily bowser pumps leave your hands smelly and dirty; the engines still clatter at idle and sound raucous at full revs; it takes a long time to reap the economic benefits; servicing charges can also be more expensive because of the more expensive oils required and the complicated fuel systems.Our Pick: Fiesta ECOnetic (from $24,990) is a hybrid beater even in stop-start commuting, yet it's a delight to drive.Others to Consider: Hyundai i30 (from $23,090), VW Golf (from $29,990), Subaru Forester (from $35,990).LPG It's almost worth it to convert your petrol or diesel vehicle to LPG just to get the $1500 Federal government subsidy. But you better be quick because the conversion rebate drops to $1250 from July 1 and decreases $250 annually. All rebates and subsidies are only for private vehicles.Conversions cost an average of $2800 for pre-2006 vehicles, but about $4000 for newer vehicles because of emissions regulations. If you buy a vehicle factory fitted for LPG before its first registration, you get a $2000 rebate from the Feds.However, choices of new vehicles with factory fitted LPG systems are limited. Ford has a new LPG Falcon coming in July and has factory-fitted systems for some of its utes. Holden has an Autogas dual-fuel injection system for its Commodore and will have a mono-fuel LPG Commodore later this year.Toyota has a direct injection LPG system for its 2.7-litre HiAce vans and Mitsubishi has an aftermarket sequential multi-port direct-injection system for its Challenger, Express Van, Pajero, Triton and the now defunct 380.PROS: Much cheaper fuel (about 60c compared with $140+ for ULP); government subsidies make conversion attractive; LPG prices are fairly static so you don't have to fill up on a Tuesday morning when servo prices are cheapest; lower emissions.CONS: Limited choice of new dual-fuel vehicles; only suitable for large vehicles; you lose boot space; even though they are safe they can develop minor smelly leaks; they add about 75kg (about the weight of two large suitcases) to the rear of the car effecting handling; it can be difficult finding servos with LPG in rural areas.HYBRID These are vehicles with petrol or diesel internal combustion engines paired with an electric motor or motors. The drivetrain and associated battery pack for the electric motor is more complex so therefore more costly. Like diesels, you need to do big kays before the savings at the bowser recoup the extra purchase price.For example, a Toyota Prius costs about $2500 more than a Corolla Ultima. Using RACQ's running costs, the fuel savings will take 4 years at 15,000km a year (or 2.5 years at 25,000km/year) to recoup the extra purchase price.Most hybrids switch off totally every time you stop and run on electric power only when you are driving slowly, so they are most economical in heavy traffic. The benefits are marginal on country roads and highways, although when both drive units are operating under heavy acceleration such as when overtaking, they do offer a tangible boost to acceleration.Despite the fact the technology has been around for 10 years, Hybrids are still relatively new. Today, there are 10 hybrid models on the market, but only the Toyota Prius, Camry, Honda Insight and Civic are affordable.Hybrids tend to be bought mainly by governments and big business to emphasise their green credentials. Taxi companies also like hybrids because of their fuel efficiency in urban environments. If you're open to the idea of a used vehicle, then a second-hand Prius or similar is a reasonable option.PROS: Cheaper to run in traffic; feel and be seen to be environmentally conscious; extra power under heavy acceleration; almost silent running when on electric only power.CONS: Higher purchase price; the number of models is limited but you can choose from a small Prius to a large Porsche Cayenne SUV; some look odd like the Prius and Insight.Our Pick: Toyota Prius (from $39,900) and the Honda Insight (from $29,990) at least look like futuristic hybrids, so your neighbours will know you are trying to be green.Others to consider: Honda Civic (from $34,490), Toyota Camry (from $36,990)ELECTRIC CARSThe only production electric cars in Australia are the Tesla Roadster at $241,938 and the Mitsubishi i-MiEV which is available only on a lease of $1740 a month for three years for a total of $62,640. Then the car goes back to Mitsubishi. When it arrives it is expected to cost $70,000.However, prices will come crashing down in the next few years as more and more EVs become available in Australia. The first of these will be the Nissan Leaf and Holden Volt next year.The Volt is expected to cost less than $40,000 and Nissan is saying the Leaf will cost about the same to run as a Tiida, even though initial outlay will probably be close to the Volt. While tailpipe emissions are zero, most electricity in Australia comes from burning dirty coal, so the environmental advantage is reduced.Some critics say there is no advantage. Current limitations of battery technology mean range is also limited to about 160km according to the car companies, but in real life it's less, especially if you have a lead foot.PROS: Very cheap to run; no tailpipe emissions; almost silent running; aerodynamic body shapes.CONS: Expensive to buy - that's if you can find one to buy; silent running can be dangerous for pedestrians; battery disposal is an environmental issue; range is limited; long re-charging time (up to eight hours); most EVs are designed to look futuristic but just end up looking like golf carts.DRIVE ECONOMICALLYOf all the things you can do to drive down your fuel bill, this is the most pragmatic as it's the simplest and most affordable. It can be expensive to swap your trusted and much-loved family car or SUV for something smaller or with an alternative powertrain.Trade-in prices on family cars are down according to the Motor Trades Association and if you buy a new car, you are up for dealer delivery charges, stamp duty and registration. It may be cheaper to hang on to your vehicle, but modify your driving behaviour for more economical running.There are many simple things you can do: Plan trips better and make fewer trips; jettison excess weight from the car; correctly inflate your tyres and get your car serviced more frequently.Most importantly you can vary your driving behaviour by slowing down, changing up the gears sooner, avoiding heavy breaking and staying away from peak-hour traffic. You may have heard these all before, but here are five radical ideas to reducing your fuel expense burden that you may not have heard.1. Cool idea: Turning off the airconditioning will provide a slight increase in fuel economy. However, when travelling on the highway, it is more fuel efficient to have the windows up and aircon switched on than having the windows down creating aerodynamic drag. Don't leave the aircon off for long periods as bacteria will build up in the system.2. Light is right: So throw out not only the unnecessary baggage such as your golf clubs, but maybe also the spare tyre. It can weigh 15-20kg in the average car. The US Department of Energy quotes fuel use as 1-2 per cent for every 45.5kg, so that's at least 0.5 per cent saved. Conversely, NRMA tests show that loading a vehicle to its rated maximum increases fuel consumption 24 per cent. While you might be able to get away without a spare tyre around town, we recommend you always carry it on long trips, especially in the country.3. Turned off: Switch off the engine at long traffic light stops. Modern fuel-injected cars start quickly without the need for any throttle. Car makers with stop-start technology that automatically switches off the engine every time the car is stopped quote fuel savings in traffic of 4-5 per cent.4. Just cruising: Use cruise control more frequently. Most cruise control systems actually put the car's engine into an economy mode and will run more efficiently than most drivers can drive as it accelerates more evenly. It is best used on the open road and not hilly terrain or stop-start conditions. While we could not find any official figures, some sources claim fuel savings up to 14 per cent.5. Re-tyre: the next time you buy tyres, choose from the new range of "eco" tyres with low rolling resistance. A California Energy Commission study estimated low-rolling resistance tyres could save 1.5-4.5 per cent on fuel consumption.