From Guy Cox, St. Albans, New South Wales, Australia
The trend towards SUVs that Anthony Laverty writes about is also evident here in Australia. But is it really bad for the planet? These SUVs tend to be diesel and therefore much more economical on fuel. I drive such a vehicle, a 15-year-old Audi Q5 SUV, and it delivers around 60 miles per gallon. That is as good as a Toyota Prius hybrid. (The Prius would do better in the city, the Q5 on the motorway.) In comparison, I have had, in my younger days, two original Minis, which couldn’t remotely approach this figure (22 November, p 19).
