Mr. Samson Ugwuoke, a civil servant, shared that his Toyota Matrix has been economical, with fuel expenses averaging N25,000 weekly for his commute from Dutse to the Federal Secretariat, a distance of about 20 kilometers.
“The car is helping me a lot, and I still pick up passengers to and from work to help cover the cost of fuel,” he said.
Mrs. Mary Jatau, a teacher, mentioned that her Nissan Micra, purchased in July 2023, has been equally efficient.
“All I need is just N20,000 for a whole week. I go to work, the market, and still drop off my kids at school,” she explained. “Before, my husband hardly drove the car, but now he competes with me for it to the point that I sometimes hide the keys. His Lexus 330 Jeep has become a burden due to the high fuel costs KO.”
Mr. Victor Agbo, a lecturer, opted to sell his Nissan Pathfinder SUV for a hybrid Toyota Camry, which runs on both petrol and electricity.
“When the car is running on petrol, it charges itself. Once charged, it switches to electric mode while driving at speeds of at least 50 km per hour. I’ve been using it for about eight months now without any major issues,” he said.
Auto engineer Sylvester Edosa explained that most compact cars are equipped with small engines that require less fuel. “They are light, and the engine loads are not heavy. While big cars offer elegance, prestige, and durability for rough roads, they consume more fuel and are more expensive to maintain,” he added.
Edosa further advised Nigerians to consider compact cars as a way to mitigate the impact of rising fuel prices, highlighting their fuel efficiency, ease of driving, and comfortable seating positions common in modern compact cars seen in Europe.
