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Diesel's award-winning excellence must fuel Government review of road user charges - Hyundai 13 March 2009 Hyundai Motors New Zealand says the award-winning performance of its compact diesel i30 in this year's AA Motoring Excellence Awards is ultimate proof that it's high time the Government scrapped discriminatory road user charges for diesel cars. The i30 Diesel Elite swept the field of 52 vehicles to win the compact car class and be judged the Supreme Winner in the 2009 AA Motoring Excellence Awards announced this week. It was the first time a diesel car has been judged the overall winner at the awards which are the highly regarded "Oscars" of the New Zealand motoring industry. They identify and reward excellence in new cars and provide Kiwi motorists with an independent assessment to help them with car purchases. "What more evidence does the Government need that its should not be imposing unfair RUCs on diesel cars, which have been proved to be fuel efficient, environmentally friendly and cleaner burning than ever before?," says Philip Eustace, Executive Director of Hyundai Motors New Zealand. "These awards have basically judged the i30 diesel as the best car in the country. The Government should be promoting the use of small and medium diesel segment cars because they have approximately 30 per cent better fuel efficiency. "Continuing to impose inflated road user charges on diesel cars is an unjust tax collection exercise which must end." Road User Charges penalise the user by being a prepaid tax and the draconian system of collection is cumbersome and expensive, and is a deterrent for people wanting to buy a fuel efficient diesel car." The AA awards judges said the Hyundai "goes the extra mile to deliver more than expected in every area, providing the right answers to buyers demanding honesty and frugality in a compact car purchase". Hyundai diesels were entered in other award categories were the Getz Diesel (Small Car), the Sonata Diesel Elite (Medium Car) and the Santa Fe Diesel Elite (Large Crossover Car). The release this year of Hyundai's world-class diesel powerplant, the new 2.0 litre R-Engine, which will be available as a high output 2.2 lire variant, will mean it can supply the New Zealand market with the best and cleanest diesel technology, not just in its class, but in the entire market, says Mr Eustace. "The all-aluminium, powerful R-engine, which has a Euro-5 emission compliancy in line with the New Zealand Government's 2008 Transport Strategy to reduce CO2 emissions, highlights Hyundai's ongoing commitment to producing vehicles with minimal impact on the environment." For further information, please contact Nicky Clarke, 021 855 978, nclarke@hyundai.co.nz
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