Does diesel still shine? We went mile-munching in the Skoda Superb to find out
Various media jobs over the years had landed me daily commutes of between 130 and 250 miles, which tended to be the bare minimum after I accounted for work appointments further afield. So the thought of using any car that didn’t require a trip to the black pump would have been anathema to me.
It’s creamy smooth, too, even as you accelerate through the DSG gearbox’s seven speeds to reach cruising velocity. And why wouldn’t it be? Modern engines aren’t the soot-emitting pariahs they once were. Selective catalytic reduction systems have reduced NOx levels – what the tabloids previously latched on to – significantly.
At our halfway mark, we drop into the services to top up the Superb’s 66-litre tank to gauge how efficient we’ve been so far. We’ve managed an impressive average of 59mpg, but sadly it’s negated by Leicester Forest East services charging us £84.91 for 9.4 gallons of diesel, or £1.989 per litre – and that’s the day after the chancellor reduced fuel duty by 5p per litre.
It’s a ludicrous number, but if you had a 400-mile round trip to make in a day, mainly on motorways, with little or no slack in your schedule, who would bet against this or any diesel being the most efficient and convenient way of getting there and back with complete peace of mind? With a significant growth in charging infrastructure, a reduction in their purchase price, and improvements in their high-speed range, EVs might one day be able to soak up the high-mileage tasks that today’s diesels take in their stride.
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