For many Malaysians, fuel efficiency is one of the top factors to consider when buying a car. In fact, it’s even more important now with the rising price of goods and fluctuating fuel prices. While fuel-efficient cars used to only be compact cars with small engines, current technology has allowed car manufacturers to improve the fuel consumption on even their large sports utility vehicles (SUVs) and luxury vehicles. Let’s take a look at some of the most fuel-efficient cars you can buy in Malaysia right now.
Affordable and Economical – Perodua Axia
The Perodua Axia is undoubtedly the car that most Malaysians think of when they’re looking for an affordable, fuel-efficient car. It has a 1.0-liter engine with both manual and automatic transmission options. The base E variant with the manual transmission has a fuel consumption of only 4.4 L/100 km while the automatic variants consume slightly more fuel at 4.6 L/100 km. The price of the Perodua Axia ranges from RM23,367 to RM41,427 making it an affordable car for Malaysians from all walks of life. It also has a four-star ASEAN NCAP Safety Rating with all the basic safety features you’d expect in a modern car.
Best Fuel-Efficient Sedan – Perodua Bezza
Like the Axia, the Perodua Bezza offers excellent value for money. Coupled with an affordable price tag, it’s also one of the most fuel-efficient cars in Malaysia. The Perodua Bezza is available in two engine configurations. The 1.0-liter variant has a fuel consumption of 4.4 L/100 km while the 1.3-liter variant has a slightly higher fuel consumption of 4.7 L/100 km. With a price ranging from RM33,456 to RM48,356, this car offers a five-star ASEAN NCAP Safety Rating, a large 508-liter boot, and also Perodua’s Advanced Safety Assist (A.S.A.) on the range-topping 1.3 AV variant. If you’re looking for an affordable car with excellent fuel economy but need more luggage space than what the Axia offers, the Perodua Bezza is your answer.
Best Value Fuel-Efficient Car – Perodua Myvi
Image Source: Perodua
As the best-selling car in Malaysia, the Perodua Myvi offers a lot of value with its A.S.A. safety suite, six airbags, a five-star ASEAN NCAP Safety Rating, and spacious interior. The 2022 facelifted version of the Perodua Myvi receives a new Dual-Mode Continuously Variable Transmission (D-CVT) which improves fuel efficiency and overall performance. It now returns a very respectable fuel consumption of 4.7 L/100 km with its Eco Idle System. It has a starting sales price of RM45,700 up to RM58,800.
The Fuel-Sipping SUV – Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid
Image Source: Toyota
The Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid offers the space and commanding road view of an SUV with a fuel efficiency of a compact car. It’s powered by a 1.8-liter Atkinson-cycle engine paired with an electric motor that delivers 122 PS of total power. That setup gives it a fuel consumption of 4.3 L/100 km making it one of the most fuel-efficient SUVs in Malaysia. The Corolla Cross Hybrid is locally assembled which enables it to have a very reasonable price of RM136,550. Furthermore, it’s built on the same platform as the Toyota Corolla sedan – the Toyota New Global Architecture (TNGA) platform which gives it a low center of gravity, improved interior space, and excellent road comfort.
Best Value Hybrid Car – Honda City RS Hybrid
Image Source: Honda
The Honda City RS Hybrid has been around since 2017. And with the update it received in 2020, its 1.5-liter Atkinson-cycle engine and electric motor pairing now has an impressive fuel efficiency of 3.6 L/100 km. The Honda City RS also boasts a max torque of 253 Nm for brisk acceleration whenever you need it – that’s more than even many D-segment cars. Plus, it also advanced safety features such as multi-angle rearview cameras and the Honda SENSING safety suite. With a starting price of RM105,950, the Honda City RS offers excellent value especially if you’re looking for a feature-packed, fuel-efficient car.
How To Improve Your Car’s Fuel Efficiency
The fuel efficiency of your car depends on various factors from your tire pressure to your engine’s condition. Many of these factors are controllable, so improving your car’s fuel efficiency is actually not that hard to achieve. Here are some small changes that can help you gain some fuel savings in the long run.
1. Keep Your Tires Properly Inflated
Underinflated tires have higher rolling resistance which means they face more friction when they rotate on the road. This leads to more energy needed to move the tires which in turn increases your fuel consumption. Having your tires be underinflated by 10 pounds per square inch (psi) could reduce your fuel efficiency by up to 10%, so make sure you follow the manufacturer’s recommended tire pressure when inflating your tires. You can usually find this information on the label behind the driver’s door or in your owner’s manual.
2. Perform Regular Maintenance
Even the most fuel-efficient car becomes a gas guzzler if it’s not properly maintained. If you have a dirty air filter and engine oil, or worn-out spark plugs, your fuel efficiency and engine performance can drop. What’s worse, skipping a scheduled service can cause other components in your car to wear out faster. To save fuel and ensure your car runs smoothly throughout its lifetime, do follow the maintenance schedule recommended by your car manufacturer.
3. Limit Engine Idling
Idling, whether at the traffic light or while waiting for someone wastes fuel. It also creates pollution and speeds up wear and tear in the engine. To address this, many new vehicles feature a stop-start system that automatically shuts the engine when the car comes to a stop and restarts it when the driver accelerates or releases the brake. If your car doesn’t have this feature, you can save fuel by turning off your engine when you have to stay parked somewhere.
4. Keep To the Speed Limit
Your engine needs to work harder to fight wind resistance while cruising down the highway. And your car could consume up to 15 percent more fuel at 100 km/h and burn even more than that at higher speeds. However, that doesn’t mean you should drive as slow as possible, as driving at speeds below 50 km/h and at a lower gear is inefficient and also causes your car to burn more fuel. If you’re not in a rush and would like to save some fuel on the highway, keeping a steady speed of between 70 and 90 km/h could help you achieve optimal fuel consumption. You should also avoid sudden acceleration and hard braking as these increase fuel consumption.
5. Remove Excess Weight
Carrying excess weight in your car can cause your engine to work harder and consume more fuel. The extra things also take up the space that you could need for carrying groceries and passengers. To improve your fuel efficiency, it’s best to clear your car of any unnecessary clutter be it extra backpacks, books, or tools.
There you have it, we hope you now understand more about your car’s fuel efficiency and how to improve it. Buying the latest, most fuel-efficient car can save you some money in the long run. However, you can also save a lot in the form of the car’s purchase cost by buying a quality used car from reputable platforms like Carsome. We put all our cars through a comprehensive 175-point inspection to ensure they’re in good condition and even provide a one-year warranty on our Carsome Certified cars. So be sure to check out Carsome for more information.
Keyword: Want to Save Fuel? Here Are the Most Fuel-Efficient Cars in Malaysia