Cars sold in Australia still use more petrol and emit more toxic fumes than advertised, new real-world testing shows

‘Some vehicles perform as advertised, but most do not,’ the managing director of the Australian Automobile Association said. Photograph: redbrickstock.com/Alamy

Car companies continue to sell vehicles in Australia that use much more petrol and emit more toxic fumes than advertised, despite repeated investigations identifying discrepancies in marketing.

The Australian Automobile Association (AAA) on Wednesday released the latest results from its “real-world” testing program, a four-year $14m government-funded scheme that scrutinises claims made about vehicles’ fuel consumption and emissions.