Light Footed and Fun

    It seemed ages ago that Hyundai’s

 ever-enthusiastic Media Specialist,

 Stephen Howard, had called to see if I

 would like to attempt a drive to see how

 far the ECOcar of the Year could go on

 one tank of fuel.

    “Great, count me in”, I responded,

  having had a terrific time driving a Santa

  Fe from Darwin to Adelaide on the

  Global Green Eco Challenge, and

  winning the SUV category.  A gentle

  cruise, say, out toward Broken Hill from

  the other side of the Blue Mountains, or

  something like that, would be a good

  way to travel far and economically on

  one tank.  Dodging city traffic, hills,

  towns and roadworks are the hallmarks

  of maximising fuel efficiency.

    “No”, said the Gen Y media guru, while

 undoubtedly playing with his iPad, “We’re starting in the centre of Sydney.”  I thought he was joking, but he idly continued that the route would be to Brisbane, up the Pacific Highway, and yes, he knew that’s the busiest route in Australia, there are serious roadworks and, “of course”, he realised it would be school holidays.