Which car is better to buy in South Africa, with a petrol or diesel engine

When determining whether to buy a petrol or diesel vehicle, various aspects must be considered, including pricing, running expenses, resale value, and environmental costs.

When purchasing a car, you want to get the best deal possible, and one of the decisions you must make is between a petrol and a diesel engine in your new vehicle.

The selection between gasoline and diesel is particularly tough since there is no clear answer or perfect option for everyone.

The purchase price of diesel vs petrol car

Although there are various differences between a petrol and diesel automobile, the first important difference is that diesel cars are often more expensive right out of the dealership.

Consider the brand-new Hyundai Tucson, which is available in both petrol and diesel variants, the 2.0 Elite and the 2.0D Elite, respectively. The diesel model is R65,000 more costly than the petrol variant, and while this price difference may vary depending on the car you choose to consider, the diesel option is almost always more expensive.

Running costs

Although being more expensive, diesel automobiles often outperform petrol cars in terms of fuel economy. Since diesel fuel has a greater energy density than gasoline, a litre of diesel will go further than a litre of petrol.

According to the Automobile Association (AA), diesel engines use between 25% and 30% less fuel than gasoline engines.

Traditionally, while diesel automobiles are more expensive, many motorists justified the purchase since they are more fuel efficient and cheaper at the pump than gasoline.

However, the equation has recently changed dramatically due to wild fluctuations in the price of crude oil, a weakening rand, and rising fuel prices – which has now put a litre of diesel on par with, if not more expensive than, a litre of petrol, making it more difficult to justify the extra cost of a diesel car.

The petrol-engined Hyundai Tucson 2.0 Elite, for example, consumes 8.9 L/100km, whereas the diesel-engined Tucson 2.0D Elite uses 7.4 L/100km.

If you drive a petrol automobile 14,000 km per year on average, you’ll require 1,246 gallons of petrol at R22.95 per litre, for a total fuel expenditure of R28,595.

If you had the comparable diesel automobile, you will require 1,036 gallons of fuel at R21.72 per litre, for a total cost of R22,501, saving just R6,094 per year.

But, keep in mind that if your diesel car costs an extra R65,000 and you save R6,473 per year on fuel expenditures due to improved fuel efficiency, it will take 10 years to pay off the extra cost of the vehicle. Again, this will differ depending on your chosen car, so diligent research is important.

Price comparison for resale

Another consideration in this selection is resale value, since many of us choose to sell our cars later in order to get a new one. Moreover, traditionally, a used automobile with a diesel engine holds its value better. A 4-year-old Hyundai Tucson 2.0D Elite is worth R45,000 more than the same petrol model, but keep in mind that it was more expensive to begin with.

Used vehicle trade-in and retail prices vary depending on the manufacturer and who is selling the car, so this is an area you will need to explore thoroughly if resale value is important to you.

The Environmental Effects of Diesel and Petrol Vehicles

Previously, diesel vehicles were known to generate higher levels of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM) than gasoline vehicles, leading to air pollution and harming human health.

Suzuki Auto South Africa, on the other hand, emphasised that new diesel vehicles have very effective filters that collect these particles. According to a research conducted by the University of Montreal, petrol vehicles release up to 62 times more lung-damaging pollutants in cold weather than diesel vehicles.

Suzuki Auto also revealed the key differences between diesel and petrol vehicles, which are listed in the table below.

New Competition

Hybrid vehicles have grown in popularity and are becoming more cheap in recent years. Numerous automobile manufacturers, including Honda, Toyota, BMW, Volvo, and Haval, to mention a few, offer hybrid alternatives.

They emit much less pollutants and consume significantly less fuel than gasoline and diesel vehicles, making them an attractive alternative for those who can afford it.

In contrast, various petrol-electric hybrid automobiles are currently available in South Africa for the same or less than the Hyundai Tucson Elite. Several of these alternatives are given below.

Toyota RAV4 2.5 Hybrid GX-R E-Four

• Price: R698,700
• Fuel consumption: 4.8 L/100km

Haval H6 1.5T HEV Ultra Luxury

• Price: R669,950
• Fuel consumption: 5.2 L/100km

Toyota Corolla hatch 1.8 Hybrid XR

• Price: R539,000
• Fuel consumption: 4.0 L/100km

Honda Fit Hybrid

• Price: R509,600
• Fuel consumption: 3.7 L/100km

Toyota Corolla Cross 1.8 Hybrid XR

• Price: R480,200
• Fuel consumption: 4.3 L/100km