Which Premio engine has the best fuel economy?

What you need to know:

  • In between the two contestants were two other drivers of the 1.8 litre Toyota Premio: Elly Manigaruhanga (number three) whose efficiency was 17.83 kilometres and Muloodi Semanda (number four) with 17.66 kilometres per litre.
  • I hope this clarifies what seems to be a contradiction in fuel efficiency of the different Premio engines.

Hi Paul, I would want to understand in the simplest language the difference between a Toyota Premio engine 1NZ 1.5, 1ZZ 1.8 and 1AZ 2.0. Which one has the lowest fuel economy? I get confused because it seems the bigger the engine the lower the gas (fuel) consumption. Abraham Arega.

Hello Abraham, fuel economy statistics can seem to be confusing, especially when bigger size engines are sometimes more fuel efficient than smaller size engines.

Whereas smaller size engines ought to be more fuel efficient than bigger engines, in reality use of efficient fuel, good driving habits, newer engine technology and good engine tuning as well as tyre condition can give a bigger size engine better fuel economy than a smaller size engine.

Available statistics for the Toyota Premio T240 (2001-07) show that the 2.0 litre 1AZFSE which comes with a more efficient D4 (direct four) engine and CVT gearbox has better power and fuel economy than the smaller 1.8 litre 1ZZ-FE Premio.

The 2.0 litre 1AZ produces a higher power output of 148 horse power @ 5,700 rpm yet it’s highway fuel economy statistics are 16 kilometre per litre. On the other hand the smaller 1.8 litre 1ZZ delivers 120 horse power @ 5,600 rpm yet it’s highway fuel statistics are 15 kilometre per litre.

This proves that engine technology may influence fuel economy more than engine size. During the Shell Fuel Saving race held in Mbarara on December 9 where drivers with the best fuel economy won, we proved that use of good efficient Shell Save fuel and use of good driving tips (avoiding: aggressive acceleration and braking, excessive idling, overloading, using over drive, engine tuning and good tyres) influenced the fuel economy result more than engine size.

In fact the fuel efficiency results we got were better than the available fuel economy statistics for the Toyota Premio. For instance, number two in the race, Frank Muhumuza driving a Toyota Premio 1.8 litre achieved 18.34 kilometre per litre while Zaforino Namenya in a smaller 1.6 Litre T210 Premio got 15.28 kilometre per litre and finished in position nine.

In between the two contestants were two other drivers of the 1.8 litre Toyota Premio: Elly Manigaruhanga (number three) whose efficiency was 17.83 kilometres and Muloodi Semanda (number four) with 17.66 kilometres per litre.

I hope this clarifies what seems to be a contradiction in fuel efficiency of the different Premio engines.