FIAT Punto Evo - Manual (Page 156)

155
KNOWING
YOUR
VEHICLE
SAFETY
STARTING
AND DRIVING
WARNING LIGHTS
AND MESSAGES
IN AN
EMERGENCY
SERVICING
AND CARE
TECHNICAL
SPECIFICATIONS
CONTENTS
Gear selection
Use a higher gear as soon as traffic and road conditions al-
low. Using a low gear for faster acceleration will increase
fuel consumption. In the same way, improper use of a high
gear increases consumption, emissions and engine wear.
Top speed
Fuel consumption considerably increases as speed in-
creases. Keep your speed as even as possible, avoiding un-
necessary braking and acceleration, which cause excessive
fuel consumption and increased emissions.
Acceleration
Accelerating violently severely affects consumption and
emissions: acceleration should be gradual and should not
exceed the maximum torque.
CONDITIONS OF USE
Cold starting
Short distances and frequent cold start-ups will prevent the
engine from reaching optimal running temperature. Con-
sequently, both fuel consumption (from +15 to +30% on
the urban cycle) and emissions will increase.
Traffic and road conditions
Heavy traffic, for instance when travelling in a queue with
frequent use of low gears or in cities with lots of traffic
lights, causes fairly high fuel consumption. Mountain roads
and uneven surfaces also have a negative effect on con-
sumption.
Traffic hold-ups
During prolonged hold-ups (e.g. at level crossings) the en-
gine should be switched off.
149-160 PUNTO FL EN 4ed 20-01-2010 14:37 Pagina 155