5 Essential Things to Know About Fuel Economy

Fuel economy, which is how far a particular car will go on a gallon of fuel when driving in the city or on the highway, is almost always an important consideration when purchasing a vehicle. However, while the car you buy might have an impressive fuel economy, it is important to understand the effect that your driving and vehicle maintenance can have on it. The following are the key things you should know about fuel economy.

Savings

The average person drives around 20,000 miles each year. If you consider the price of gas, or diesel if you’re so inclined, opting for a vehicle that offers only 10 mpg more than your current vehicle could save you hundreds of dollars each year. If you’re one of those who purchases a large SUV based on a once a year vacation, it might be a better option for you to purchase based on your normal driving and simply rent the SUV when it’s time to hit the road for vacation – the savings at the pump will more than make up for it.

Acceleration Matters

If you’re one of those who is always determined to be the first off the line when the light turns green, you are lowering your vehicle’s fuel economy. In some cases, heavy acceleration can result in up to 33 percent more fuel consumption when driving at highway speeds and at least 5 percent in the city.

The Idling Myth

The idea that idling uses less fuel than starting the vehicle is a tenacious myth. Today’s engines use less fuel at startup, while excessive idling consumes even more. All that time spent idling rather than simply restarting the car can drastically lower your fuel economy and cost you hundreds each year when it’s time to fill up.

Fuel Drinkers

Any time you tow something with your vehicle, the added weight drastically lowers your gas mileage. Likewise, using the air conditioning, kicking on the four-wheel drive and even braking heavily can all have an impact on the fuel economy of a vehicle.

Service Properly

Making sure your vehicle is in good condition by having a basic inspection completed regularly will keep that fuel economy high. These maintenance inspections can locate potential problems before they become big ones, plus you can have the oil and filter changed at the same time.


Next Step

Schedule 75 Point Safety Inspection

The most popular service booked by readers of this article is 75 Point Safety Inspection. YourMechanic’s technicians bring the dealership to you by performing this job at your home or office 7-days a week between 7AM-9PM. We currently cover over 2,000 cities and have 100k+ 5-star reviews... LEARN MORE

SEE PRICING & SCHEDULING

The statements expressed above are only for informational purposes and should be independently verified. Please see our terms of service for more details

Recent 75 Point Safety Inspection reviews

Excellent Rating

(428)

Rating Summary
393
16
10
1
8
393
16
10
1
8

Pardeep

22 years of experience
1277 reviews
Pardeep
22 years of experience
Ford Fusion L4-2.0L Hybrid - 75 Point Safety Inspection - San Jose, California
I have ordered a 75-point inspection of the car since my dealership claimed it had an oil leak and the timing cover replacement was due (this kind of repair costs in the ballpark of a thousand dollars). I mentioned the need for a second opinion on that since the car had been bought relatively recently from that dealer (certified pre-owned) and not very actively used. Pradeep performed the safety inspection in a very timely manner and addressed my main question by honestly concluding that there was no leak but just some dust collected over time. This has saved me much time and money. Finally, I was also very glad to learn a tip on how to find a matching paint for a body scratch from him.
Ford Escape - 75 Point Safety Inspection - San Jose, California
Pradeep immediately found the suspension problem I was worried about and fixed it. We had just purchased this car and now feel a lot better about it now that he has checked it out.

H

27 years of experience
828 reviews
H
27 years of experience
Hyundai Accent L4-1.6L - 75 Point Safety Inspection - Sunnyvale, California
Honorio not only told me what is going on with the car but was so honest about everything. Looking forward to having Honorio taking car of my requests.
Acura RDX - 75 Point Safety Inspection - Palo Alto, California
Honorio went above and beyond my expectations. He was honest about which repairs needed to be done even though my service revision decreased his income. Will absolutely use again!!!! Thank you!

Robert

5 years of experience
61 reviews
Robert
5 years of experience
Nissan Versa L4-1.6L - 75 Point Safety Inspection - Lakewood, Washington
Robert is a rockstar. I can't express enough (again) the quality of his work and his ability to work around our schedules here. Honest, professional and courteous. I would recommend his services to any and everyone.

Juan

13 years of experience
55 reviews
Juan
13 years of experience
Mazda Protege5 L4-2.0L - 75 Point Safety Inspection - Vacaville, California
Professional, clear, & courteous when discussing results of inspection & recommendations going forward. If I still live in the area when I need to do future services, will definitely book again.

Need Help With Your Car?

Our certified mobile mechanics make house calls in over 2,000 U.S. cities. Fast, free online quotes for your car repair.

GET A QUOTE

Related articles

How to Decipher the EPA's Fuel Economy Label
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in conjunction with the National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA), puts out a series of labels for motor vehicles of varying fuel types. The labels allow car shoppers to compare the various fuel mileage (https://www.yourmechanic.com/article/how-to-determine-your-vehicle-s-gas-mileage-and-octane-requirements-by-mark-vallet) numbers...
How to Replace a Fuel Meter Assembly
The fuel gauge assembly indicates your fuel level. The fuel gauge will no longer work if there is an application of reverse charge or corrosion.
How to Replace Fuel Injector O-Rings
Fuel injector o-rings prevent fuel vapors from entering the car engine. O-rings for fuel injectors hold up to 750 psi and keep fuel from igniting.

Related questions

After fuel pump & filter replacements, car won't start
Hello there, I'll be happy to assist you! The problem is likely within the VATS (Vehicle Anti-Theft System) of the vehicle. More specifically the issue you are having is generally caused by broken sensor inside of the ignition lock cylinder...
Car stalled out unexpectedly
Hello. This could happen for several reasons. Your car could have gone into a temporary limp mode because of transmission malfunction or because the battery (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/battery-replacement) and/or alternator (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/alternator-replacement) has low voltage causing the car to stall. This problem should...
Starting issues. My car won't start right away after sitting over night or for a few hours.
When you say that it won't start, are you saying that the starter doesn't turn (aka it doesn't crank), or are you stating that the vehicle attempts to start (or turns over) but fails? These are two different issues. The...

How can we help?

Our service team is available 7 days a week, Monday - Friday from 6 AM to 5 PM PST, Saturday - Sunday 7 AM - 4 PM PST.

1 (855) 347-2779 · hi@yourmechanic.com