Diesels are still alive and kicking. In a record attempt, 2025 World Rally Champion Miko Marczyk set out to find the farthest a car can go on a single tank. He chose the Superb 2.0 TDI Essence trim sold in Poland (over the Octavia, since the Octavia has a smaller fuel tank), and clocked 2,831 kilometres, depleting its 66 litres of diesel with an average consumption of 2.6litres/100kms, which translates to a whopping 38.31kmpl. For reference, the claimed mileage of the Superb in Poland is 20.8 kmpl.
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The record drive was done across European roads, including Poland, Germany, and France. The 2.0-litre TDI in the record run Superb made 147bhp and 360Nm and is paired to a seven-speed DSG automatic. It was mostly standard except for the lowered springs from the higher Sportline trim, which reduced the ride height by 15mm, helping with aerodynamics. It used standard 16-inch wheels wrapped in low-resistance tyres and weighed 1,590 kilograms.
Miko Marczyk’s 5 tips for fuel-efficient driving
Miko's advice for efficient driving states that the tyre pressure is crucial and should be maintained at the manufacturer’s recommended level, smooth driving and foresight are essential, like looking ahead, anticipating, easing off the accelerator in time, and trying to brake as little as possible. For his record-breaking drive, Miko thought he planned every detail to maximise the driving range. He chose the Superb for its 66-litre fuel tank (filled to the brim for the record) and its aerodynamics. He also spent time familiarising himself with the car. He received it in November 2024 and began the record attempt in early March of this year. Before the record attempt, I had already driven around 20,000 kilometres with it.
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For the record run, the speed was maintained at around 80kmph, where the powertrain is most efficient. He used Eco mode. Meanwhile, the support vehicle led the way by a couple of kilometres and informed of the route details. For instance, if there was a toll booth ahead with a slight incline, Marko would modulate his throttle accordingly.
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Now, for this record mileage, standard fuel was used. And Marco aims to reattempt this record with premium fuel, where he aims at surpassing 3000kilometres on a single tank.
