LONG before the recent fuel-price hikes, Honda Cars Philippines Inc. (HCPI) and Petron Corp. had been harping on the importance of fuel-efficient driving.

Remember the Petron Xtra Mile Challenge that saw several Honda cars (the Jazz and the City) traveling from as far north as Pagudpud down south to Matnog, Sorsogon, on one tank full of Petron Xtra Unleaded?

Since its inception three years ago, no car manufacturer or oil company has challenged the results of the event. 

HCPI and Petron recently went another “extra mile” as they organized the Honda Challenge Cup, which aimed to prove that even ordinary motorists, employing good driving habits in standard cars, can achieve remarkable fuel efficiency.

START YOUR ENGINE! Director Mario Marasigan (left) of the DOE’s Energy Utilization Management Bureau and Honda Cars Philippines president Hiroshi Shimizu flag off the BUSINESSMIRROR team of Al Mendoza and the author.

After a day of driving on the traffic-laden streets of Makati to the smooth but accident-filled North Luzon Expressway up to Clark in Pampanga, 14 members of the media onboard seven various Honda vehicles—Honda City 1.3 CVT and 1.5 CVT, Honda Jazz 1.3 CVT and 1.5 CVT, Honda Civic 1.8 A/T and 2.0 A/T, and CR-V 2.4 A/T—produced surprising results that boggled the mind of representatives of the Department of Energy (DOE) who oversaw the event.

Even this writer was surprised when the car he drove, a Honda City 1.5 CVT navigated by our colleague Al Mendoza, emerged as overall champion by consuming 2.65 liters after traveling close to 107 km (39 km per liter). We beat our rivals, Manila Bulletin’s Iñigo Roces and Philippine Star’s Drew Asuncion aboard an identical Honda.

Our consumption was the best among the 14 cars—no, make that 15 cars, as the DOE decided to enter a Hybrid vehicle. Both City 1.5 CVTs took the top two places in the overall standings, while the Jazz 1.3 CVT of father-and-son team Ron and Ronald de los Reyes checked in third.

What was the secret? There wasn’t any, save for a few techniques that I learned from other eco-driving events that I had participated in. The only big difference this time was that we all drove with the air-conditioning unit on, unlike in the 2007 Petron Xtra Mile Media Challenge, when my teammate Ira Panganiban and I had to make do with a little electric fan to beat the sweltering heat of the sun.

We drove the City CVT during that event from Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte, to Sorsogon in Bicol, but that was a 1.3L. The 1.5L has more power and torque.  That, I think, made a major difference, as I had an easy time minding the accelerator. By using an aqua shoe instead of thick-soled rubber shoes, I could feel the car go faster as I worked the gas pedal with a feather-like motion. Jackrabbit starts and hard braking are no-nos when trying to save on gas.

The first stage of the Honda Challenge Cup was run in traffic-congested Makati (and on a Friday at that, huh!), while the next stage was on the well-paved Nlex up to Clark in Pampanga.

The 39-km first stage really sapped my concentration, as we were caught in a total of 16 traffic jams. Trying to maintain the required 30-kph minimum speed limit at 1,500 rpm needs steady eyes and sensitive right foot. Early anticipation of what was happening ahead of us was crucial. We crossed several traffic lights on a crawl just as the yellow light was about to show.

Despite consuming a surprising 1.23 liters, we were running second behind our rivals when we finished the first leg at the Petron Nlex Station.

We didn’t change strategy for the second leg at the behest of Mendoza, who suggested we “keep the winning formula” with myself behind the wheel and him doing the navigating (he knew the roads of the North like the palm of his hand).

On the highway, we decided to cruise at the minimum speed of 60 kph, unmindful of the bullying buses and 10-wheelers that trailed us for several minutes along the way. One good trick I learned in eco-runs is to use your highest gear (the City 1.5 CVT we drove had a seven-speed transmission). By carefully targeting 1,800 rpm, at which the car changes gear, we easily cruised to a very fuel-efficient 60 kph.

Another factor that helped us was the excellent navigating of Mendoza, which saved us valuable time and fuel in both city- and highway-driving conditions. A 10-wheeler truck had just collided with a fuel-container van and that virtually blocked the whole three-lane traffic in one part of the Nlex.  Mendoza ordered me to go farther left, which was near the northbound lane, and my immediate instinct was to follow. That proved to be an excellent decision as we moved ahead and continued our drive.

We were nearing the end of the second leg when he decided to “just follow the road book and turn right” when we second-guessed where to go at a dead end where another accident had happened. Truly, preparation and careful study of the road ahead, which Mendoza had perfected to a tee, contributed a lot to our “winning formula.”

That’s the reason why Mendoza and this writer were on cloud nine when we climbed the podium as champions during the awards night at Montevista Clubhouse inside Clark.

SINCE its introduction three years ago, the Toyota Fortuner has practically taken to heart its tagline “The world is mine.” But with the mass-market midsize diesel SUV competition getting significant upgrades, can it still lay claim to the top of sales in its class?

AFTER the Volvo C30 won the Petron 2007 Car of the Year Awards late last year, Volvo went on a marketing binge. An event here, a launch there and even some out-of-the-country trips to showcase the excellence of its vehicles.

Eyes on the Road: Questions about CNG fuel

A READER, Jorge Rillona, raised several questions regarding compressed natural gas, or CNG. He wrote: 

“Andy,

I read your article today in the BusinessMirror and noted your mention of CNG for alternate fuels. Last week I finally decided to drop everything I was doing and drove down to the only CNG fueling station I know, the Shell station on the South Super Highway near Mamplasan Exit in Laguna, to basically find out, ‘Hey, I’m a consumer.  Can I buy CNG from you?’

Full Tank: More stupid than the Pink Revolution

WHEN work began last year to finally widen the Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City, we were all ecstatic.  “We” here refers to me and my fellow residents, who consider Commonwealth Avenue as their main avenue—their gateway to the world outside their abode.

Fuel-efficient driving? It can be done!

LONG before the recent fuel-price hikes, Honda Cars Philippines Inc. (HCPI) and Petron Corp. had been harping on the importance of fuel-efficient driving.