Nissan's small car, the Tiida has proved its economy worth in an independent fuel consumption test under taken by the Automobile Association.

In less than ideal conditions – strong gusty winds and the constant hills and winding corners of the Coromandel Peninsula - the 1.8 litre engined hatch with four speed automatic gearbox, a driver and passenger and some ballast to replicate the weight of luggage average 7.1 litres/100 kilometres or 39.87 miles per gallon for a 426 kms trip from Manukau around the Coromandel Peninsula and return.

The Tiida used 91octane fuel and was filled up at the start and end of the journey at the same fuel pump. Standard tyre pressures were used and the air conditioning was switched on.

No competitive economy rally techniques were employed, such as switching off the air conditioning, running ultra high tyre pressures or coasting down hills in neutral gear. In fact for the whole time the overdrive top gear was engaged, rather than changing down manually to find a more suitable ratio to climb the hills.

The automatic transmission was left in its overdrive setting, as this is how many drivers use an automatic by simply engaging the same gear for the entire duration of a journey, which is what an automatic is designed for.

From Manukau City the route headed south on the motorway and then across Highway 2 through Maramarua and across the Hauraki Plains to Paeroa and onto Waihi.

From Waihi the route headed north negotiating several winding and twisty hill climbs around the Coromandel Peninsula, through Whangamata and Tairua to Whitianga.

Then it was across the Kuaotunu and Whangapoua hills to Coromandel before heading south down the coast to Thames over two more major climbs near Mania.

Accelerating out of the tight bends while climbing the hills and then slowing for the next corner did not engender economical driving, with the transmission left in its overdrive setting.

The last section of the route was back across the Hauraki Plains and onto Highway 2 back through Maramarua to Pokeno, over the Bombay Hills and back down the motorway to Manukau.