For thousands of people owning a car is a necessity and not a choice due to many of the day to day activities that we all have to face. In the age of the commuter, thousands have to travel vast distances every day to get to and from the workplace and sometimes the use of public transport just isn’t a viable option due its restrictiveness and unreliability.
The recent news that the price of petrol could have been rigged for the last decade, following the raid on the London offices of BP and Shell, is sure to anger motorists who have seen prices rise dramatically during that time. The reality is that motorists may have paid thousands of pounds too much for their petrol over the last decade because of this price manipulation.
With the continued price hikes in oil, petrol and diesel it is no secret that more and more of us are struggling to make ends meet in regards to motoring costs. With the cost of motoring foremost in many people’s minds increasing numbers of individuals and businesses alike are constantly looking for ways to reduce travel expenditure.
“Less is more”
In the past social pressures and preconceptions would have led you to believe that “bigger is always better”, regardless to whether that is the latest 4×4 or a new TV set with a larger display, however with consumers becoming increasingly savvy in regards to finances, the saying “less is more” is becoming progressively common especially within the motoring industry.
Consumer pressures and the power of demand have urged car manufacturers to develop and supply vehicles with fewer emissions, lower running costs and increased miles per gallon. Such pressures have proven to be fruitful within the last couple of years. The market is now bursting with eco-friendly machines with such seeing fantastic levels of development and success.
A Changing Market
Although petrol prices may have been rigged for the last 10 years, perhaps the only consolidation is that during that same time frame cars have become increasingly fuel efficient.
Shifts in consumer tastes have forced the marketplace to adapt to alternative fuel methods such as electricity, bio fuel, LPG and the highly popular hybrid technology. With so much choice available there has never been a better time to purchase a green eco-friendly car. Here are five eco-friendly cars many believe to be the best available at the moment:-
- Volvo V60 Plug-in Hybrid
- Toyota Prius Plug-in
- Renault Clio dCi 90 Eco
- Hyundai i20 1.1 CRDi Blue
- Kia Rio 1.1 CRDi
