12 Ways to Improve Your Car’s Mileage

Fuel costs add up. Your driving habits and how you maintain the car have a big effect on mileage. These 12 steps can help.

Driving habits

1. Accelerate smoothly. Hard acceleration burns more fuel. Build speed gradually.
2. Anticipate traffic. Look ahead, ease off early and avoid unnecessary braking.
3. Drive at a steady, moderate speed. Most cars are efficient at moderate steady speeds, and fuel use rises sharply at high speed.
4. Use the right gear. In a manual, shift up early without lugging the engine, and avoid staying in low gears at high revs.
5. Avoid long idling. If you will be stopped for a minute or more, switch off the engine if safe. Many modern cars have auto start-stop.

Car condition

6. Keep tyres properly inflated. Low pressure increases rolling resistance. See our tyre care guide.
7. Service on schedule. Clean air filters, fresh oil and good spark plugs help the engine run efficiently. See the service schedule.
8. Check wheel alignment. Misalignment adds drag.
9. Use the recommended engine oil grade. The wrong grade can raise friction.

Load and drag

10. Remove excess weight. Extra luggage and unused items in the boot add up.
11. Remove roof racks and carriers when not needed. They create aerodynamic drag.
12. Use the AC sensibly. At low speeds, the AC uses fuel, but at highway speeds open windows add drag, so the difference is small. Use AC when comfort requires it, and use recirculation to cool faster.

Plan your trips

• Combine errands into one trip, since a warm engine is more efficient than repeated cold starts.
• Choose routes with less stop-and-go traffic.
• Use navigation to avoid congestion.

Track your mileage

Fill the tank to the same level each time, note the distance since the last fill and divide by litres added. Doing this for several fill-ups shows your true efficiency. It also feeds into your monthly running cost.

Myths to avoid

• Coasting in neutral or with the engine off saves fuel. It does not on modern cars, and it is unsafe.
• Fuel additives dramatically improve mileage. Be sceptical of such claims.
• Premium fuel always gives better mileage. Use the grade your manual recommends.

If you want the biggest savings

Consider a more efficient car. A hybrid or electric car can cut energy costs substantially; see hybrid types explained and EV vs petrol running costs.

Frequently asked questions

How much can these tips save?

Results vary, but smoother driving and correct tyre pressure alone can make a noticeable difference.

Does the claimed mileage match real-world mileage?

Usually not. See how to read a brochure.