Revealed: How manufacturers hid fuel-guzzling figures from drivers

CARS are guzzling up to two-thirds more petrol than manufacturers’ official figures claim, according to a shocking new study.

Citroen has admitted that previously published fuel efficiency claims were wide of the mark, and will now be selling cars using far more accurate figures. The move is set to prompt questions over why other manufacturers are still misleading the public.

Consumers have long been effectively cheated by the now discredited New European Driving Cycle statistics, which could only be produced in laboratory conditions and bore no relation to the real world. Last week, Peugeot-Citroen released more credible figures for 60 types of vehicles, which showed they were an average of 44 per cent less efficient than the old numbers suggested.

For example, the £26,500 1.6-litre diesel C4 Picasso automatic was previously quoted as achieving 72.4 miles per gallon, but in fact could manage only 43.4 mpg, meaning cars would use 67 per cent more fuel than expected.

Motoring writer Quentin Willson said the new approach was ‘not before time’, adding: ‘Other manufacturers will have to follow suit and quickly.

‘It’s been going on for years. People in the industry have known the huge gap between the real world and the theoretical figures.’

Greg Archer, of campaign group Transport & Environment said: ‘Drivers have been cheated. The industry has been manipulating test results to achieve artificially low values.’

Peugoet-Citroen said it ‘wanted to be as transparent as possible to rebuild trust’ following the Dieselgate scandal in which VW faked the results of emissions tests.