A real-world testing program at the Australian Automobile Association has revealed that some SUVs consume more petrol than their manufacturers claim.
The government-funded program, which compares the fuel consumption and emissions of vehicles in Australian driving conditions with each vehicle’s laboratory test result, has so far shown some SUVs use up to 20% more fuel on the road than reported in laboratory tests.
It comes after a report by the Global Fuel Economy Initiative found that motor emissions could have fallen by more than 30% without the SUV trend, which means they now have a 51% share of the world market.
In Australia, fuel-thirsty SUVs are surging in popularity, with not a single sedan or hatchback ranked in the top 10 most-bought cars in Australia in 2023.
The AAA’s testing was conducted in Victoria’s Geelong region. The organisation said conditions were strictly controlled and in line with European Union legislation that “ensures fuel consumption and CO2 results are repeatable and minimises the influence of human factors such as driving style and changing traffic flows”.
The AAA is testing vehicles in tranches. Here, Guardian Australia lists the SUVs the AAA has driven so far:
BMW X3 2021
The 2021 BMW X3 required 8.9 litres of fuel to drive 100km – 20% more than the 7.4l per 100km reported by the manufacturer from its lab test.
The SUV with the 2l, four cylinder turbo petrol engine also emitted 208g of CO2 per km in real world tests – 23% more than the 169g/km recorded in its mandated lab tests.
Audi Q5 2022
The 2022 Audi Q5 SUV was found to consume 17% more petrol than claimed, with a real-world performance result of 5.6l per 100km on the 2022 model compared with its mandated lab test result of 4.8l.
The 2l, four cylinder SUV with a turbo diesel engine also emitted 18% more CO2 in the real world tests – 147 g/km – compared with its lab test result of 125 g/km.
Toyota Yaris Cross Hybrid 2021
The 2021 Yaris Cross Hybrid used 4.3l of petrol per 100km in real world tests, 12% more than its claimed efficiency of 3.8l per 100km from lab tests.
It also emitted 14% more CO2 than claimed – 98g/km in the real world tests compared with the 86g/km claimed in its mandated lab tests.
Mitsubishi Outlander 2023
The 2023 Mitsubishi Outlander used 7.9l of fuel per 100km in its real world tests, 4% more than its lab recording of 7.6l.
It was also a worse polluter in the real world tests, emitting 183 grams of CO2 per kilometre, 6% more than its lab test claim of 172 grams.
Volvo XC40 2023
The 2023 Volvo XC40 used 9% more fuel in real world tests – 7.6l per 100km – compared with its lab result of 6.9l.
The 2l, four cylinder turbo engine also emitted 12% more CO2 in real world tests – 177g/km compared with its lab result of 158g/km.
MG HS 2022
The MG HS 2022 model consumed 7.4l of fuel per 100km in its real world tests – 1% more than its lab results of 7.3l.
It also emitted more CO2 in the real world test – 173g/km, or 2% more than the 170g/km figure claimed by lab tests.
Kia Sportage 2023
The fuel consumption of the 2023 model was 6.6l per 100km in its real world tests, 5% higher than its lab results of 6.3l per 100km.
Its carbon emissions were also poorer. It emitted 173g/km of CO2 in its real world test, 6% higher than its lab result of 163g/km.
Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross 2023
The 2023 model used 7.6l per 100km in its real world test, or 3% more than in mandated lab tests where it was found to use 7.3l/100km.
The SUV with a 1.5l, four cylinder turbo petrol engine also emitted 5% more CO2 – 173g/km – in the AAA’s tests than its lab result of 165g/km.
Ford Puma 2022
The 2022 Ford Puma used 8% more fuel, and emitted 10% more CO2, than mandated lab tests. The 1L three-cylinder SUV recorded 5.3L per 100km in lab tests, but returned 5.7L per 100km in the real-world testing program.
Its lab results showed it emitted 121g of CO2/km, but in the AAA test, it emitted 134g/km.
GWM Haval Jolion 2023
The 2023 GWM Haval Jolion recorded more positive results compared with most of the tested SUVs: it used 2% less fuel, and emitted 2% less CO2, than the mandated lab tests.
The 1.5L four-cylinder SUV had recorded 8.1L per 100km in lab tests, and returned 7.9L per 100km in the real-world testing program.
Its lab results also showed it emitted 186g of CO2/km, but in the AAA test, it emitted 183g/km.
Hyundai Kona 2022
The 2L four-cylinder SUV used 13% more fuel and emitted 9% more CO2 than mandated lab tests.
It recorded 6.2L per 100km in lab tests and returned 7.0L per 100km in the real-world testing program.
Its lab results also showed it emitted 148g of CO2/Km, but in the AAA test, it emitted 161g/Km.
Hyundai Tucson 2022
The Tucson actually posted a positive result, with the real-world test results coming very close to lab results. The SUV used 1% less fuel, but emitted 1% more CO2 than mandated lab tests.
The 2L four-cylinder SUV recorded 6.3L per 100km in lab tests and returned 6.2L per 100km under real-world tests.
Its lab results also showed it emitted 163g of CO2/km, only a slight discrepency compared to the AAA test where it emitted 164g/km.
MG ZS 2023
The 2023 MG ZS used 8% more fuel and emitted 5% more CO2 than mandated lab tests. The 1.5L four-cylinder SUV recorded 7.1L per 100km in lab tests, but returned 7.7L per 100km under real-world tests.
Its lab results also showed it emitted 165g of CO2/km, but in the AAA test, it emitted 174g/km.
Mitsubishi ASX 2022
In very similar results to the MG, the 2022 Mitsubishi ASX also used 8% more fuel and emitted 6% more CO2 than mandated lab tests.
The 2L four-cylinder SUV had recorded 7.6L per 100km in lab tests, but returned 8.2L per 100km under real-world tests.
Its lab results also showed it emitted 176g of CO2/km, but in the AAA test, it emitted 186g/km.
Nissan X-Trail 2023
In a more positive result, the 2023 Nissan X-Trail returned results that showed it used 2% less fuel and emitted 4% less CO2 compared to mandated lab tests.
The 2.5L four-cylinder SUV had recorded 7.4L per 100km in lab tests and returned 7.3L per 100km in the real-world testing program.
Its lab results also showed it emitted 174g of CO2/km, but in the AAA test, it emitted 168g/km.
Toyota Rav4 Hybrid 2022
The Rav4 was the only hybrid on the list to post results that were very close to its mandated lab test results, using only 2% more fuel and emitting 3% more CO2 in the real-world test.
The 2.5L four-cylinder SUV had recorded 4.7L per 100km in lab tests, but returned 4.8L per 100km under real-world tests.
Its lab results also showed it emitted 107g of CO2/km, compared against its AAA test emissions of 111g/km.
Toyota Rav4 2022
Unlike its hybrid sibling, the Rav4 returned a greater discrepancy between real-world and mandated lab test results. The 2L four-cylinder SUV used 13% more fuel and emitted 13% more CO2 than it showed in the lab.
The SUV had recorded 6.0L per 100km in lab tests, but returned 6.8L per 100km in the real-world testing program.
Its lab results also showed it emitted 137g of CO2/km, but in the AAA test, it emitted 155g/km.
• This article was amended on 30 November 2023. An earlier version included an image of an electric Hyundai SUV.
