The three Hyundai vehicles subjected to testing are powered by the advance technology CRDi common rail diesel system that is known for its fuel efficiency.

Four members of the Car Awards Group, Inc. (CAGI), which is the award giving body of the Car of the Year Awards (COTY) Philippines, along with CAGI marshalls Raul Asuncion and Barry Ortiz drove the three Hyundai vehicles on a total of 3141.7 kilometers of road network that was often clogged with traffic. For the second time, the CAGI stood as the certifying agency of the fuel consumption records for Hyundai vehicles. Last Year, CAGI was in the fore front in determining the fuel consumption of the Matrix CRDi in the same route that we took this year for the fuel mileage test.

The five driving conditions involved - 63.6-kilometer city driving in Makati to Quezon City then back to Makati; 87.6 kilometers long drive along South Luzon Expressway; 19.3 kilometers of mostly uphill driving from Makati City to Tagaytay; 20 kilometers of downhill driving from Tagaytay to Makati City; and 151.2 kilometers of combined long, city and uphill driving from Makati City to Laguna, Rizal then back to Metro Manila.

HARI executives emphasized the application of "normal driving style" throughout the one-day fuel mileage test to enable them to determine a realistic result on the fuel consumption of each of the vehicles. There was no contest and no prizes were offered for the driver who will register the lowest fuel consumption. No fuel saving techniques in driving were applied. The airconditioning control was set at Number Two position and drivers were told not to turn off the engines while in traffic.

At the Petron fuel station on Pasong Tamo extension, HARI and CAGI representatives filled to the brim the gas tanks of each vehicle before driving off to the target points.

During the 63.6 kilometer-drive from Makati City to Balintawak area in Quezon City, the 9 a.m. traffic caught the convoy of Hyundai vehicles. Traffic was so terrible that some of the Hyundai vehicles got separated from the group. It took three hours and 25 minutes to complete the 63.6 kilometer run for Condition 1.

Despite the heavy traffic congestion, the Tucson driven by Raul Asuncion consumed 4.89 liters or 13.006 kilometers to a liter; the 1.5-liter Accent driven by this writer consumed 3.63-liters or 16.9 kilometers to a liter; and the 1.3 Getz driven by Barry Ortiz with 4.07 liters of diesel consumed or 15.53 kilometers per liter.

The supposedly high speed driving along SLEX turned out to be another disappointing slow cruise. Near the Mamplasan exit, the three Hyundai vehicles were stuck in heavy traffic triggered by an accident involving a cargo truck. And yet, the Tucson driven by Ira Panganiban consumed 6.01 liters for the 87.6-kilometer run or an average of 14.58 kilometers to a liter.

The 1.5 Accent driven by this writer consumed 4.22 liters or an average of 20.07 kilometers to a liter while the 1.3 liter Getz driven by Armin Amio recorded a high mileage of 21.13 kilometers to a liter with only 4.14 liters of diesel consumed.

On Condition 3, the three Hyundai vehicles registered an impressive fuel mileage record despite the series of uphill negotiations to Tagaytay on light traffic. On the 19.3 kilometer driving, the 2.0-liter Tucson consumed only 1.56 liters or 12.37 liters per kilometer; the 1.5 Accent consumed 1.32 liters or an average consumption of 14.62 kilometers per liter; and the 1.3-liter Getz consumed 1.15 liters or an average consumption of 17.22 kilometers per liter.

On Condition 4, the group travelled some 20-kilometers from Tagaytay back to Makati City, encountering sporadic traffic along the way. The Tucson 2.0-liter consumed 1.387 kilometers or an average consumption of 14.42 kilometers per liter; the 1.5 Accent consumed 0.89 liter or an average of 14.62 kilometers to a liter; and the 1.3 Getz consumed 1.047 liters or an average consumption of 19 kilometers per liter.

Condition 5 was considered the longest and most gruelling for it covered 151.2 kilometers total distance from Makati City to Laguna and back to Rizal. Aside from the long distance, the "after office" traffic caught up with the group including some standstill situations in the areas of Antipolo and Cainta.

Nonetheless, the Tucson consumed 12.87 liters or an average consumption of 11.75 kilometers per liter; the 1.5 Accent consumed 9.38 liters or an average consumption of 15.64 kilometers to a liter; and the 1.3 Getz consumed 7.723 kilometers to a liter or an average consumption of 19.46 kilometers to a liter.