As great as they are, hybrid or electric vehicles are beyond the reach of most of our wallets right now. However, if you are in the market for a new car, you can at least choose one that’s small with low fuel consumption, low carbon emissions and preferably one that’s made locally. And perhaps even one that’s made with a high percentage of recyclable materials. The fuel-efficiency of a vehicle isn’t always the answer: remember that a big car could be fuel-efficient for its size, but still have high overall fuel consumption. Under new legislation, all new cars sold in South Africa must display their fuel consumption and emission figures on a placard placed on the windscreen wherever the vehicle is on display.

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