LOL that was a subtle one, nicely done!

@torquecars 10/10 for spotting it!

I have read that cruise control causes the car's computer to apply the brakes many more times than the driver would do naturally, through the ASM (active stability management etc), and not just when rolling down a hill, so I wonder what effect this has on overall economy? All those minor inputs must cause premature wear of the pads and discs, not to mention the extra fuel used to regain the intended speed. If road conditions are favourable, I turn ASM off, but activating cruise control reengages it.

I have read that cruise control causes the car's computer to apply the brakes many more times than the driver would do naturally, through the ASM (active stability management etc), and not just when rolling down a hill, so I wonder what effect this has on overall economy? All those minor inputs must cause premature wear of the pads and discs, not to mention the extra fuel used to regain the intended speed. If road conditions are favourable, I turn ASM off, but activating cruise control reengages it.

@@michaellavery4899 I don't think that's the case because engine braking is more than enough to slow down unless the downhill is a cliff. Active stability systems only engage the brakes in corners when their management senses that the car is about to start slipping by comparing the signals of ABS sensors. Why would active stability engage the brakes when you are traveling along a highway in mostly a straight line?

The Toyota/Lexus Hybrid Synergy Drive eCVT also exhibits similar behaviour to what you described. The engine handles immediate changes to power demand when the throttle is varied. If throttle is held constant for a short period the system then figures out an optimum set of RPMs within its planetary gearbox for the established power demand. This is felt and heard as a sudden decrease in engine RPM and noise, and a jump in fuel economy as engine and electric motor outputs are balanced out. Once my car hits this state I would hold it and let the car's speed vary over small inclines. In fact, hypermilers find holding constant throttle on the flat and uphill, letting off on the downhill, and therefore rolling over hills like a rollercoaster gives the best fuel economy because the ups and downs would often average each other out.

😂 folly

I never even thought about that, so thanks for flagging this up. I will certainly try to do so in future (after my already queued videos go live).

My car is a lightweight little aluminium Audi A2 - I had the tyres set to the full load pressure and wondered why the ride was so bad - turns out I had 185 section tyres and the pressures on the fuel flap are for 175 - the correct pressures were therefore just 3 psi lower from where I was. That small difference made an unbelievable improvement to the ride quality - which proves cars are more sensitive to tyre pressure than you might think.

The E 10 has a lower calorific value, it basically doesn’t burn as well as E 5.

​@@j-on-osrs-2k7 I get better fuel econ from an auto audi A4 compared to my old manual A3, despite being heavier (probably the newer engine makes the big difference, both 2.0 diesels 2019 vs 2011 and 150 vs 140 hp.) Ps: I drive with as much engine breaking as possible most of the time, and used to always downshift the manual.

@dodiloi that comparison you just gave might be good foe you, but its not the point i stated... I said with any car thats the same, so if we compared a manual vs auto... They would both have to be either an a3 or a4, one in auto one in manual, not an auto in one model and then manual on a completely different model. This isnt just theory by the way its proven facts across multiple car brands with manufacturing centres doing their own tests, the manual always gets better MPG

Those diesel fiestas are brilliant on fuel - you can get 60mpg without even trying.

@@dodiloiThere’s a lot of love for the VAG PD diesel for a reason 😊

For reference I know the Audi/VW DSG boxes are usually more economical than the manual version with the same engine, when they have an extra gear and dual clutch operation it makes sense. They are not alone, in my research I pulled up the following that also follow this trend. MPG quoted below are the US version, UK MPG figures are generally higher all round, because we have a smaller country and have to make distance and fuel look better. LOL Honda Civic (1.5L Turbocharged Engine) The Honda Civic equipped with a CVT achieves better fuel economy than its manual version. For example, the CVT might deliver around 36 MPG combined, while the manual version typically falls a few MPG short, especially in city driving. Toyota Corolla (2.0L Dynamic Force Engine) The automatic version with a CVT, featuring Toyota's advanced gearless design, often exceeds manual versions in efficiency. It’s common to see the automatic model reaching 40 MPG highway, while the manual stays closer to the mid-30s. Mazda3 (2.5L SkyActiv Engine) Mazda’s automatic models equipped with SkyActiv technology are tuned for peak efficiency. The automatic version can hit approximately 31 MPG combined, whereas the manual version may achieve around 29 MPG combined, depending on the configuration. Hyundai Elantra (2.0L and Hybrid Models) The standard automatic Elantra with the Smartstream CVT often boasts higher fuel efficiency compared to its manual counterpart. For instance, automatics can achieve 35-37 MPG combined, while manuals might hover slightly lower. The hybrid automatic models perform exceptionally, offering up to 50 MPG combined. Ford Fiesta (1.0L EcoBoost Engine) While the manual transmission is engaging, the automatic version equipped with Ford’s dual-clutch system can surpass it slightly in fuel efficiency. Automatics may achieve around 37 MPG combined, with the manual trailing by 1-2 MPG. Volkswagen Golf (1.5L TSI Engine) Volkswagen’s DSG automatic transmission often outperforms the manual in efficiency. A Golf with the DSG automatic might reach 40 MPG highway, while the manual version remains a few MPG behind.