How to Improve Gas Mileage
You can boost your vehicle's fuel economy through smart driving habits and basic maintenance. Most cars respond quickly to these changes, with improvements ranging from 5% to 33% depending on which strategies you use.
Change How You Drive
Avoid aggressive acceleration and hard braking. Aggressive driving cuts highway fuel economy by up to 33% and city mileage by 5%. Drive smoothly instead. Imagine an egg between your foot and the accelerator, and accelerate gradually.
Coast toward stops. When you see a red light or stop sign ahead, ease off the gas and coast. This keeps your momentum and reduces fuel waste compared to hard braking from full speed.
Use cruise control on highways. Maintaining a steady speed burns less fuel than constant acceleration and braking. This is especially effective on long drives.
Turn off your engine when stopped. Idling uses up to one-half gallon of fuel per hour and gets zero miles per gallon. If you'll be stopped for more than 60 seconds, shut it off. Your engine only needs about 10 seconds of fuel to restart.
Combine trips into one journey. Multiple short trips waste gas because your engine uses more fuel when cold. One longer trip with several stops uses far less fuel. Plan your errands and run them all at once.
Maintenance That Matters
Check tire pressure monthly. Under-inflated tires create extra friction and force your engine to work harder. Proper inflation improves gas mileage by about 0.6% on average. Check the recommended pressure on your driver's door jamb, not the tire sidewall.
Align your tires yearly. Misaligned tires wear faster and hurt fuel economy. Get an alignment check every 12,000 to 15,000 miles or once per year.
Replace your air filter. A clogged air filter restricts airflow to your engine, making it work harder and use more fuel. Check it monthly if you drive in dusty conditions, or at least once per year.
Replace spark plugs on schedule. Worn spark plugs cause your engine to run less efficiently. Follow your vehicle's maintenance schedule for replacement intervals.
Keep your gas cap tight. About 17% of vehicles on the road have loose, damaged, or missing gas caps. This causes fuel to evaporate and can reduce mileage by 2 miles per gallon.
Quick Wins
Reduce weight by emptying your trunk. Every 50 pounds of extra weight cuts fuel economy by about 1%. Keep your vehicle clean, too. Dirt and bugs on the exterior create drag that hurts mileage on longer drives.
Washing and waxing your car reduces aerodynamic drag and improves fuel economy slightly. Remove roof racks when you're not using them, as they increase wind resistance.
Track your improvements with Sidekick's fuel economy monitoring to see exactly how much you're saving.