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SA motorists saving on fuel

An image of a row of fuel pumps at a petrol station.

South Australian motorists are saving an average of $468 per year on fuel thanks to price-checking apps, a new ACCC report has revealed.

The ACCC’s Making the Most of Fuel price Apps and Websites report shows Adelaide drivers saved the second-most on fuel in the country, only behind Perth, due to the current fuel-price transparency scheme and the state’s shorter price cycle.

South Australia’s fortnightly cycle means drivers can fill the tank at a petrol station when the price of fuel is low – often below Terminal Gate Price (TGP) otherwise known as wholesale – and potentially make it through to the next low price point without needing to fill up.

The ACCC report notes that in Adelaide there’s also a clearer trend of a greater proportion of sales on lower priced days, and a lower proportion when prices peak, compared to other states.

Fuel price apps helping motorists save

Fuel price apps like the RAA app mean when prices begin to spike, motorists can shop around, saving them about 40 cents per litre or approximately $24 on that tank alone.

RAA fuel expert Mark Borlace says real-time fuel pricing has been a game changer for motorists.

“It’s encouraging to see more people shopping around before filling up,” Mark says. “It shows a positive change in consumer behaviour. We’re arming consumers with real-time pricing data so they can make an informed decision.”

Vehicles using more fuel than expected

As motorists spend more on fuel, new testing has revealed that some popular vehicles are using up to 31 per cent more petrol in Australian conditions compared to what’s on the sticker.

This means drivers could be paying hundreds of dollars more per year for fuel than they expected when purchasing the vehicle.

The Real World Testing Program, undertaken by the Australian Automobile Association, recently released its fourth batch of results, bringing the total number of vehicles tested to 58.

The fuel efficiency of popular cars is tested in real-world conditions, with results compared to those achieved in a laboratory and put on the sticker.

Of the 58 vehicles tested so far, more than half used more fuel in the real world than in the lab.

A Mazda CX-5 on the road.
The Mazda CX-5 used 15 per cent more fuel than advertised. Image: Newspress

Real-world fuel test results

The Suzuki Swift’s real-word fuel-efficiency result was 31 per cent above its lab result. In Australian conditions, it uses 6.3 litres per 100km compared to 4.8 litres per 100km in the lab.

For a Swift driver travelling the Australian average of 12,100km per year, they’re paying about $344 more for fuel each year than the sticker suggests.

The Mazda CX-5 used 15 per cent more fuel than advertised – 7.9 litres per 100km compared to 6.9 litres per 100k in the lab.

Mark says the real-world results for the more than 50 vehicles was arming consumers with the most accurate information before purchasing a car.

“With cost-of-living rising and consumers becoming more environmentally conscious, fuel efficiency is a huge factor for a lot of people when it comes to buying a new car,” he says.

Find cheap fuel

You can now access real-time fuel prices.

Find cheap fuel online