It is widely accepted that the average South African drives between 20,000 and 25,000km per year, which equates to somewhere between 1,500km and 2,000km monthly for the average driver.
Even with a set distance to travel every month, whether that be to work and back only, or includes daily school runs, carpooling with colleagues, or even a daily outing, several factors contribute to fuel usage, and in turn, fuel spend.
Motorists confined to shorter in-city commutes can expect worse fuel economy than drivers who speed down the highway daily.
Conversely, the in-city commute is likely shorter than the highway drive, so it may even out.
Fuel type also needs to be considered, with petrol cars preferring to be in the city, and diesel motors enjoying the open road and often becoming sluggish when used only in town.
Not only fuel type, but also the choice of grade can have a compounded impact on your monthly fuel spend.
Despite a difference of cents per litre, this can add up over time, costing precious extra rands throughout the month.
Driving style can also have a major influence on how much fuel you use when driving.
Cautious drivers tend to drive slower, using less fuel through carefully controlling speeds, whereas drivers who speed and drive aggressively may burn through fuel much faster.
However, none of these factors matters more than your vehicle’s average fuel consumption.
It is unreasonable to expect a big diesel bakkie to be fuel efficient when all you do is drive to work, stopping frequently at traffic lights, slowly creeping through traffic, and then doing the same on the drive home.
In the same way, it is unreasonable to expect a 1.0-litre city-runner to thrive on the open road, forcing it to keep up with more powerful vehicles every day.
How much you are spending
If you are driving South Africa’s best-selling bakkie, the Toyota Hilux, you can expect to use an average of 7.1 litres of diesel every 100km, or around R1,275 if you travel 1,000km per month.
Here is how much the average diesel consumer will have to spend on fuel based on their average consumption and monthly driving distance:
| Fuel Efficiency | 1,000km | 1,500km | 2,000km | 2,500km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.0l/100km | R718 | R1,077 | R1,436 | R1,795 |
| 5.0l/100km | R897.50 | R1,346.25 | R1,795 | R2,243.75 |
| 6.0l/100km | R1,077 | R1,615.50 | R2,154 | R2,692.50 |
| 7.0l/100km | R1,256.50 | R1,884.75 | R2,513 | R3,141.25 |
| 8.0l/100km | R1,436 | R2,154 | R2,872 | R3,590 |
| 9.0l/100km | R1,615.50 | R2,423.25 | R3,231 | R4,038.75 |
| 10.0l/100km | R1,795 | R2,692.50 | R3,590 | R4,487.50 |
| Average | R1,256.50 | R1,884.75 | R2,513 | R3141.25 |
Should you be driving South Africa’s most-popular hatchback, the VW Polo Vivo, you will be using 5.9 litres of petrol every 100km, or about R1,180 per month if driven for 1,000km.
Below is how much the average petrol car consumer can expect to spend on fuel every month.
| Fuel Efficiency | 1,000km | 1,500km | 2,000km | 2,500km |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.0l/100km | R804 | R1,206 | R1,608 | R2,010 |
| 5.0l/100km | 1,005 | R1,507.5 | R2,010 | R2,512.50 |
| 6.0l/100km | R1,206 | R1,809 | R2,412 | R3,015 |
| 7.0l/100km | R1,407 | R2,110.50 | R2,814 | R3,517.50 |
| 8.0l/100km | R1,608 | R2,412 | R3,216 | R4,020 |
| 9.0l/100km | R1,809 | R2,713.50 | R3,618 | R4,522.50 |
| 10.0l/100km | R2,010 | R3,015 | R4,020 | R5,025 |
| Average | R1,407 | R2,110.50 | R2,814 | R3,517.50 |
There are, of course, those drivers who spend way less time on the road, driving only a few kilometres per month, and also those whose jobs require them to drive much further.
These numbers merely look at how much the average South African motorist can expect to spend on fuel every month.
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