Which causes less damage? driving a 25mpg cortina or scrapping it and buying/driving a new 45 mpg mondeo?

Question

Which causes less damage? driving a 25mpg cortina or scrapping it and buying/driving a new 45 mpg mondeo?

Answer 1

Most likely keeping the car you have. But over the long term probably the Mondeo. It's hard to say really.

Answer 2

Driving the Cortina less often and getting a push bike for short trips, parking out of town and walking in (buy and carry less shopping), getting on public transport more with a season ticket and finally holidaying in more luxury but travelling less to get there.

Answer 3

It would depend on how much driving you do.  

The Mondeo would be better, if you drive lots, but if you only drive a little, staying with the Cortina would save the energy of making a new car.  

Answer 4

45mpg mondeo? mine doesnt get anything like that!

Answer 5

The more fuel efficient car you have, the better.  Compared to the energy a car uses over its lifetime, the energy used to build it is pretty small.

http://www.slate.com/id/2194989/?y=1

The bottom line is that there's a fixed number of drivers and cars on the road at any given time.  The more fuel efficient those cars are, the better for the environment.