SPECIALIST air conditioning service contractor Team National has become the latest fleet to take delivery of Mitsubishi Carisma GDI models as new wholelife costs figures show the 'green' car to be the cheapest vehicle in its class. Six Carisma 1.8 GLX five-door models have been added to the 30-plus fleet of Team National.

The decision to buy was based on cost effectiveness with a special emphasis on economy as the first batch of six vehicles are replacements for diesel power. Meanwhile, new wholelife cost figures from Emmox show the 1.8 GDI costs 26.29p a mile to run over three years/60,000 miles - almost 3p a mile or £1,662 over the operating cycle less than its nearest rival in the upper medium sector, the Toyota Avensis 1.8 GS five door (29.06ppm).

Although marginally more expensive to run than the Carisma turbodiesel, the GDI costs less than the turbodiesels from Ford and Vauxhall - the Mondeo 1.8 TD LX at 28.59ppm and the Vectra 2.0 TDi LS at 29.36ppm - according to Emmox.