Eagle stories
Suzuki's real-world fuel economy test
With October bringing record fuel prices for South African drivers, everyone is thinking about fuel efficiency as a real-world ownership reality. As a specialist compact car company, Suzuki is renowned for the fuel efficiency of its model range.
But just how light are Suzukis in real-world South African driving conditions? Suzuki Auto South Africa set out to answer that question by hosting its 2026 Suzuki Fuel Economy Challenge in Pretoria during the last weekend of September.
Twenty drivers took on the challenge, competing in 10 teams across 10 Suzuki vehicles. Driving over a 120 km route. A Fronx manual produced the standout result. Driven by Ryno Fourie (AutoTrader) and Julian Steyn (CAR Magazine), it recorded 5.14 L/100 km, compared with Suzuki's claimed figure of 5.5 L/100 km.
With its 37-litre fuel tank, this consumption figure equates to a theoretical range of about 720km. At the current 95-octane petrol price of R30.25/litre, that equates to a theoretical fuel cost of about R1.55/km.
Baleno and Swift
A Baleno manual, driven by Avon Middleton (Top Gear South Africa) and Rati Mofokeng (Cars.co.za), also came close to its claimed figure. It recorded 5.54 L/100 km against Suzuki's official figure of 5.4 L/100 km, a difference of just 0.14 L/100 km. The Baleno’s 37-litre tank would provide a theoretical range of approximately 668km at the challenge consumption, with a fuel cost of around R1.68/km at the current 95-octane petrol price.
Both the Fronx and Baleno are powered by Suzuki's 1.5-litre four-cylinder K15B petrol engine, which produces 77kW at 6,000rpm and 138Nm at 4,400rpm.
The best-performing Swift was a manual derivative driven by content creators Gift Makoti and Siya Ndamase, which recorded 5.03 L/100 km against Suzuki's claimed figure of 4.4 L/100 km. At that consumption, the Swift's 37-litre tank would theoretically provide a range of approximately 736km, with fuel costing around R1.52/km at the current petrol price.
"Fuel consumption is a major factor in a vehicle's overall cost of ownership, and with fuel prices having increased recently and remaining under pressure, fuel efficiency continues to be an important consideration when selecting a new vehicle. While specification-sheet figures provide an important reference point, real-world driving tells another part of the story," says Brendon Carpenter, Brand Marketing Manager of Suzuki Auto South Africa.
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