Improving your gas mileage not only saves a driver money but also benefits the environment. Whether you’re looking for ways to help your wallet or help the planet, here are some ways to maximize your vehicle’s gas mileage.
The most obvious solution is to reduce the amount of driving you do—by carpooling, using public transportation, and combining trips. That has the greatest effect on how much fuel each person uses.
That said, driving habits have a significant impact on fuel efficiency.
Depending on the type of vehicle, poor driving habits can reduce fuel economy by 15% to 30% at highway speeds and 10% to 40% in stop-and-go traffic conditions, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. U.S Department of Energy. “Driving More Efficiently.”
Current national average prices for regular gasoline were hovering at about $3.61 per gallon in June 2024. However, it was only in June 2022 that the national average of regular unleaded surpassed $5.00 per gallon as the national average. If driving is still your best (or maybe only) option, here are the 15 easy ways to increase your gas mileage.
Key Takeaways
- Regular maintenance is key to maximizing your vehicle’s fuel efficiency.
- The cruise control feature reduces gas consumption. Use it when you can.
- Rapid acceleration, and high speeds in general, use more gas.
- Minimizing drive time is one more argument in favor of flexible working hours. Avoid rush hour if you can.
Top 15 Ways To Get Better Gas Mileage
Follow these 10 tips to get better gas mileage. You just may make fewer gas station stops and save money too.
#1. Plan Your Trips.
Map a route before you go to minimize unnecessary turnarounds and backtracking. Avoid peak traffic times. Combine errands and go to “one stop shops” where you can do multiple tasks (banking, shopping, etc.).
#2. Watch Your Speed.
It’s true that vehicles achieve better fuel economy on highways over city driving, but only to a point. Experts say gas mileage rapidly decreases once a car hits 50 mph, and each additional 5 mph is compared to paying an extra $0.31 per gallon of gas used. Driving five to 10 mph slower than you would normally equates to a 7% to 14% savings in fuel economy.
#3. Drive Conservatively.
Along with speeding, rapid acceleration and braking also drain gas quickly and lower gas mileage by 10% to 40% when city driving and 15% to 30% on highways. Carrying slower speeds and easing into braking in stop-and-go city traffic can save anywhere from $0.45 to $1.80 per gallon of gas.
#4. Avoid Excessive Idling.
Even sitting in an immobile car for more than 10 seconds can waste gas. Depending on the vehicle, idling can eat up a quarter to a half-gallon of gas per hour — an average $0.03 savings per minute for turning off the engine as you wait.
Though shutting an engine off can save gas, be smart about sitting in a parked car for an extended period of time. It’s worth sparing a few dollars in gas to sit with AC on a hot day, as temperatures inside the car can climb 40 degrees within an hour or two.
#5. Use A “Fast Pass” On Toll Roads.
Having a pre-paid pass on toll roads allows you to use the express lane, saving fuel by minimizing or eliminating tollbooth slowdowns and stops.
#6. Avoid Rush Hour.
There are many advantages to seeking some flexibility in your working hours. Not the least of them is avoiding rush hour. It’s stressful, it wastes time, and it wastes gasoline. Consider traversing when there’s fewer “stop-and-go” moments, as being stuck on the highway and not moving is not conducive to increasing your gas mileage.
#7. Check For Brake Drag.
Dragging brakes occurs when brakes remain partially applied even when a driver is not pressing on the brake pedal. It’s almost like the pedal is a little stuck. This can happen when brake calipers are overly worn.
Brake calipers are assessed during annual inspections in most states. They are meant to last for a vehicle’s lifetime, but realistically, replacements are usually needed every 10 years or 75,000 to 100,000 miles.
#8. Use cruise control.
Driving at a consistent speed on the highway saves gas. When you’re able, use the cruise control function to maintain a consistent speed. The reason for this is similar to how acceleration and braking surges waste gas. Cruise control helps drivers save up to 14% in gas mileage. However, never use cruise control on slippery roads as it could cause a loss of vehicle control.
#9. Shift gears efficiently.
If your car has a manual transmission, upshift as soon as practical. When coming to a stop, use the brakes. Do not downshift to slow the car.
#10. Drive to warm the engine.
In cold temperatures, start the engine and then drive the car normally to warm the engine. Driving brings the engine to operating temperature more rapidly and thus, saves gas.
#11. Check the Tire Pressure.
Surveys show 60-80 percent of the vehicles on the road have tires that are underinflated. That can cost hundreds annually in wasted fuel. Plus, low air pressure causes premature tire wear, and that can shorten the life of the tires.
For best results, check your tire’s air pressure with a digital pressure gauge and fill to the recommended pressure shown on the decal inside the driver’s door or on the driver’s door pillar.
#12. Replace Spark Plugs.
If your 100,000-mile spark plugs have 80,000 miles on them, they’re 80 percent worn. Misfires and incomplete combustion occur more frequently during that last 20,000 miles. You have to replace your spark plugs anyway, so do it early and pocket the savings.
Even if you have to replace the plugs one extra time over the life of your car, you’ll still come out way ahead. And don’t automatically assume your plugs are good for 100,000 miles. Many four-cylinder engines require new spark plugs at either 30,000- or 60,000-mile intervals.
#13. Check the Alignment.
If your tires are bowed out of alignment by just .017 in., it’s the equivalent of dragging your tire sideways for 102 miles for every 20,000 you drive. Here’s an easy way to check your alignment without taking your car in to the shop.
Buy a tread depth gauge and measure the tread depth on both edges of each tire (rear tires too). If one side of the tire is worn more than the other, your car needs to be aligned.
#14. Replace the Air Filter.
Your engine sucks in 14 million gallons of air through the air filter every year. On older vehicles (pre-1999) a dirty air filter increases fuel usage by almost 10 percent. On newer vehicles, the computer is smart enough to detect the lower airflow, and it cuts back on fuel.
So your engine will lack power and pick-up. Check the filter when you change your oil and replace it at least once a year, or more if you drive in dirty, dusty conditions.
#15. Don’t Fill Up With Premium Gas.
Some vehicles require premium gas, but if yours doesn’t, there’s no need to fill your tank with this more expensive fuel grade. The difference in mileage improvement is minuscule — usually less than a mile difference — making the upcharge per gallon unnecessary.
#16. Fill Your Tank Early in the Morning or Late at Night.
Fuel is dispensed by volume. If you fill your tank when it is coolest outside—early in the morning or late at night, and avoid the heat of the day—the fuel will be denser. As a result, you will get more gas for the same amount of money.
If you’re driving an older vehicle, it might be worth considering an upgrade if you spend a lot of money on gas. A more fuel-efficient vehicle, whether it’s a gas or diesel car or a plug-in hybrid vehicle, will automatically have better gas mileage and help you save money at the pump.