Is bigger always better?

Chicken or beef?... Or more appropriate… Diesel or petrol?

When it comes to cars, we can’t ignore engine size and fuel type, as they are an important part of deciding what type of car to go for. When considering this, you’re not just considering the effects on your pocket, but also the environmental impact.

Car manufacturers are becoming more and more innovative in the development of cars to cater more for environmentally-conscious, yet speed-loving drivers.

Here’s a quick look at engine size and diesel vs petrol to help you decide:

• The price you’ll be paying for your car is largely affected by the size of what’s beneath the bonnet – so think carefully before you throw cash at the dealer, jump in and drive off.
  What you’ll be paying for a 1.0 litre will differ largely from the cost of a 1.3, 1.4, 1.8 and more so for a 2.0 litre engine because of the difference in performance and output.
• Larger engines make provision for quicker acceleration, higher speeds and pulling capability - as opposed to smaller engines that don’t burn up as much fuel as the high-capacity engines and are therefore seen as more eco-friendly.
• On the other hand, you also don’t want to go too small, because what you save in fuel you’re pretty much losing in torque - so in the long run, your consumption actually may get higher… especially on that uphill! Also, smaller engines may bring down the purchase price, but it is important to consider they may also have an impact on the car’s resale value. Second-hand or trade-in markets may see smaller cars as the “cheap” option compared to cars with larger engines in the same range.

Ultimately, depending on how you will be using your car, the choice of engine size will largely be a personal one. Contributing factors to the overall decision of bigger being better or smaller being practical could be:

• How far and how often you will be driving;
• Whether you can afford the cost for a fuel-guzzling turbo-charged sports car; or
• Are you willing to forgo performance for the eco-friendly benefits of a smaller, fuel-efficient engine about?

The rising cost of fuel makes this a tough choice for car buyers – do you save money at the cost of damaging the environment or do you simply go for the pure enjoyment of your car’s performance?

It’s well-known that diesel engines give you more bang for your buck when it comes to fuel efficiency, however, they do emit a couple of nasties into the environment. We also know that petrol engines aren't eco-friendly by nature (pun intended). However, fuel companies are constantly coming up with new technologies (like particle traps or biodiesel) to give you more kilometres for your litre – and even clean your engine in the process.

While you decide how much size really matters to you, why not get a free online quote for your baby… unlike deciding on size, getting #insurancefreedom is a no brainer!