In these days of ever more frugal cars, it is easy to look first at a CO2 figure rather than any other number. There is no doubt that this hallowed figure grants a number of benefits including:
- Lower emissions
- Lower car tax
- Benefit in kind for company car drivers
- Less costs at fuel pumps
- A likely lower insurance rating
But what about the problems that it may cause? Well, there are none really, provided the company behind the car doesn’t push the concept too far. Otherwise, we end up with a car that has a ridiculously slow 0-60 time. And why is that bad? It’s very simple. Whilst excess speed can kill, a car with too little power can be equally dangerous on the road depending on the driver. So what are the disadvantages?
- Poor acceleration from a junction
- Inability to overtake
- Poor driver misjudging the power of the vehicle
- A lack of power to take advantage of slow moving traffic
- Having to use a heavy right foot just to make reasonable progress
There are many reasons why buying an underpowered car is a poor choice – not least that you may find your luck, or skill runs out simply because your car hasn’t quite got the oomph required to make the most of what would otherwise be a breezy manoeuvre. If you deliberately buy something with a very little power output to maximise economic/environmental concerns, make sure that you are aware of exactly what you are buying. Remember, acceleration can sometimes save you from quite a tight spot.
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