What's the average?

My new Ford EcoSport Ecoboost’s covered 600km, primarily in the city. It gives me an average of 9.5kpl, while the ARAI claims an 18.9kpl. Do I have cause for worry?

Dinesh K, via email

AAA You should get a better average once the engine properly ‘beds’ in, which might take upto 2000km. In our city tests, we got a figure of around 11kpl, and this is the figure you should aim for. Also remember, that like most turbo-charged petrol engines, the fuel consumption is very sensitive to driving style. Hence, if you drive with a very light foot, you should get upwards of 11kpl, but if you are driving hard, the fuel efficiency will tumble. Also remember that the ARAI figure is not representative of what you can expect in real-world driving conditions.