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The AJAC Eco-Run: What we learned about driving

Part of the AJAC Eco-Run was to present new fuel-saving technologies from the automakers; the other part was to show us the considerable difference that can be made in fuel economy if you drive the car properly. I have a wrap-up in the Toronto Star on the event - read all about it by clicking here.

The AJAC Eco-Run: All wrapped up, and lots of fuel saved!

The AJAC Eco-Run has wrapped up, after three days of journalists driving 22 cars with fuel-saving technology from Brighton to London, Ontario. But it wasn't just about the technology - it was also about the way that we drove them.

According to Natural Resources Canada, which crunched our numbers each night, 70% of us achieved or bettered the vehicles' published fuel figures. After we got a pep talk, and changed our driving habits somewhat, we got up to 80%. At the end of the event today, we were told that all of the vehicles were now meeting or beating the fuel figures. And the best part is that, even if you can't afford or don't want a new vehicle, you can make changes in your habits that will get better mileage in any vehicle - and for free!

Don't forget to check out the Toronto Star's blog, to which I contributed during the run. Find it by clicking here.

The Eco-Run: How you drive makes a difference (of course!)

It's the beginning of the third and last day of the AJAC Eco-Run. The cars are stored at McMaster University, where we'll begin the day's drive. That photo, taken yesterday at the university, shows the sun coming out just as we were finishing, following a day of downpours.

Of the 22 cars on the event, NRCan was able to give us immediate feedback on 14 of them. On the first leg, 70 per cent of them matched or exceeded their published fuel figures. After we got a pep talk on driving habits, that increased to 80 per cent.

Really, while these new fuel-saving technologies are important, you're still not going to get good mileage if you're a NASCAR wannabe. Where you drive is important - we all got poorer mileage on a long stretch of stop-and-go city traffic. But if you accelerate gently, maintain a steady speed, anticipate traffic, coast to decelerate, and avoid high speeds - the five tips Nature Resources Canada gave us - you'll see a difference at the pumps. I got 6.8 L/100 km in a Porsche Panamera Hybrid!

Day Two of the Eco-Run is about to begin!

I'm getting ready to start Day Two of the Eco-Run, an initiative by the Automobile Journalists of Canada (AJAC) to drive cars with fuel-saving technologies and to get the best mileage out of any vehicle. We're driving over three days from Brighton to London in Ontario.

I'm also filing a blog at the Toronto Star, along with writers Jim Kenzie and Gary Grant. Check it out by clicking here.

VW Jetta diesel: Great under the hood, not so much inside the doors ...

Volkswagen's Jetta is redesigned for 2011, and while I absolutely love the diesel engine (carried over from the last model), I'm not as impressed with the cheaper interior and feel of the car. Read all about it in Autos.ca by clicking here.

Toyota 4Runner, and a car that runs on whale oil

In today's Toronto Star, I have a look at the all-new 2010 Toyota 4Runner, which you can find by clicking here.

I also have an opinion piece on who really makes the decisions on environmentally-friendly vehicles -- including the whale oil and crushed kitten editions -- available here.

In review: Dodge Ram Heavy-Duty Pickup Truck

Oh, you better believe I had fun with this one. Dodge Ram heavy-duty 2500 and 3500 pickup trucks ... it doesn't get much better than a day spent behind the wheel of a monster diesel. You can find my Toronto Star review by clicking here.

All about gasoline, and diesel, too!

In an usual twist, I have two stories on the Toronto Star's website today, prior to their publication on paper, and both of them on fuel.

There's one on the difference between regular and premium gasoline, which you can find by clicking here. There's also one that explains diesel, which you can access by clicking over here.

In review: Volkswagen's new diesel Touareg

I was on the launch of the 2009 Volkswagen Touareg TDI, a new diesel version that goes on sale in June. You can read my report on Canadian Driver by clicking here.