How to Get Better Gas Mileage

Introduction

Gas prices can be unpredictable, and with increasing fuel costs, getting better gas mileage is more important than ever. Whether you're looking to save money, reduce your carbon footprint, or simply make fewer stops at the gas station, improving fuel efficiency is a smart move. This article will explore practical tips to maximise your vehicle's fuel economy.

There are a lot of things that one can do to go a bit farther on a gallon of gasoline. Some are easy. Some aren’t. And some just require a lot of patience. I tried all of these at one time or another, and I practice several of them on every single trip I make in my daily-driver (non-hybrid) 2012 Chevy Cruze Eco, in which I average about 40 mpg in the winter and closer to 45 mpg in the summer, and have managed as high as 48.9 mpg over one particular 500-mile duration.

First, give your vehicle a proper tune-up. 

If it has any mechanical problems, your vehicle is likely to get worse fuel economy, so get any and every problem fixed. Tune up the engine with new spark plugs, a good oil change, install new air, oil and fuel filters, make sure the ignition wires aren’t old, test the fuel pressure and make sure the injectors are spraying a proper pattern (or that the carburetor is properly jetted and doesn’t have any clogged passages), etc. Then make sure the transmission and differential (or transaxle) are in proper working order. The same goes for the brakes.

Second: You should be sure your tires are properly inflated. 

This is mostly about drag, which I’ll cover more in a bit, but tire pressure is so important that it warrants mentioning it on its own. And if your tires are worn, consider replacing them with tires designed to maximize fuel economy. Tires designed for summer driving tend to have more mileage-friendly tread designs; just don’t use them in wintry conditions, as they could lead to a loss of control on a snowy or icy surface.

Third: Put your car on a diet. 

It takes more power — thus, more fuel — to move a heavy vehicle than a light one, so do what you can to minimize your vehicle’s weight. Take out all the junk from the frunk, trunk, bed, and/or interior. If you’re looking to shed weight and don’t mind giving up stuff like the spare tire and jack, extra seats, carpeting, the console, interior door panels, etc., go for it. The more weight you remove from the vehicle, the less fuel it will take to move it. While you’re at it, be honest about your weight. If you’re overweight, go on a diet. It’s not only good for your health, but just as with your vehicle’s weight, if you’re in the car, you count as weight, too, and the less you weigh, the less fuel will be needed to move you.

Fourth: Reduce drag. 

I’m not talking about drag queens here nor drag racing. In this case, I’m talking about any form of “parasitic drag” — anything that will slow your vehicle down while it’s being driven. We’re mostly talking about aerodynamic drag — how efficiently your vehicle moves through the air — and mechanical drag — how much power it takes to keep your vehicle’s wheels turning. NASCAR teams reduce aerodynamic drag by lowering the vehicle (to minimize how much air goes beneath it) and by putting (duct) tape over part of the grille to minimize how much air enters the vehicle, since the body acts like a big, metal parachute that slows the vehicle down. Hyper-milers (people who strive to get the absolute best fuel economy out of their vehicles) will often use tape to fill or cover gaps between panels, like the hood-to-fender gap or the gap between the front fascia and the hood, for instance. Again, the goal is to minimize how much air might flow into the vehicle’s body so the body doesn’t become a parachute. Many (most?) modern vehicles also feature some form of underbody “belly pan” that is a smooth covering underneath the car to minimize how much air finds its way into various cavities, nooks, and crannies under the car since that could slow it down. I mentioned proper tire inflation earlier, and that’s an area of immense importance in terms of drag, so make sure your tires are properly inflated. If your brakes rub on the rotors or drums more than they should (like if a caliper or wheel cylinder is stuck), they’re generating drag, so you should get them properly serviced to minimize drag. The same goes for wheel bearings. If your vehicle has any kind of roof rack, remove it. Hyper-milers often remove their windshield wipers and the passenger side rear view mirror, if it’s legal to do so in your location. Solid wheel covers help smooth airflow across the wheel openings in the body. Front air dams/spoilers can further help minimize how much air flows under a vehicle while it’s in motion. And subtle spoilers on the rear of the car and/or a diffuser blended into the bottom of the rear fascia can help air more cleanly “detach” from the back of the car, further minimizing drag. Oh, and keeping the windows rolled up and a sunroof/moonroof closed can make a significant difference in terms of aerodynamic efficiency.

Fifth: Slow down. 

Going faster requires more power, and to make more power, your engine will burn more fuel. So, the slower you go (to a point), the better in terms of fuel economy. Going 70 burns more fuel than going 60, which burns more fuel than going 50. So, if you can go slower, you’ll be rewarded with being able to drive farther on a gallon of fuel. Similarly, when accelerating away from a stop sign or light, do so gradually and gently rather than mashing the pedal to the floor.

Sixth: Pulse and glide. 

Another trick from the hyper-milers’ handbook: your car burns almost no fuel if you’re coasting, so coast whenever you can. Hyper-milers do this by accelerating (gently) up to a speed of, say, 60–65 mph (that’s the “pulse”) then start coasting/gliding until they get down to, say, 45–50 mph, then they’ll again gently accelerate back up to 60–65 and repeat the process. All that time that they’re gliding is free mileage — most vehicles will stop pumping fuel into the cylinders when coasting, so your fuel economy will go way up. There isn’t really a reason to shut off the engine when gliding, and that is actually dangerous and may even be illegal in many states or countries. Why is it dangerous? Because if you shut off the engine, your power steering and power brakes won’t work properly, which could make it more difficult to control your vehicle, especially if an emergency were to occur. If you “time” your pulsing and gliding properly, you can get even more benefits by pulsing before you approach a hill and gliding up it, since powering your way up a hill typically uses even more fuel than usual, compared to driving on flat ground. (Obviously, this doesn’t always work well, especially on larger hills, but even so, if you coast up half the hill, you’ll only be using half as much fuel as usual while you power up the remaining half of the hill.) Do be mindful of minimum speed requirements, particularly on highways, and don’t make yourself a hazard on the road by driving too slowly. It’s better to burn a bit more fuel than to get yourself or someone else injured or killed by driving unsafely.

Seventh: Turn off anything you don’t need “on” when driving. 

If you don’t need air conditioning, turn it off. The compressor can suck up as much as 10 hp or more on some vehicles, meaning that your engine has to use more fuel to make more power just to power the A/C, so if you don’t need, make sure the A/C is turned off. The same goes for electrical loads, like having the radio on, extra lights, etc. The more electrical power is needed for “accessories,” the harder the alternator needs to work to supply that power, and thus, the harder the engine needs to work (the more fuel it’ll burn) to turn the alternator.

There are other things that can be done, but those are the ones that don’t require crazy steps and don’t involve noticeable modifications to the vehicle’s body, like adding fender skirts or a kammback tail.

But if you ensure that your vehicle is in proper operating condition and that you drive gently and efficiently, you’d be surprised how much farther you can go on a gallon of gas. And it doesn’t even require that much effort- mostly just patience and restraint.

Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Improving your gas mileage isn't just about saving money—it’s also about protecting the environment and making your car last longer. By adopting better driving habits, maintaining your vehicle properly, and making small changes, you can maximize fuel efficiency and enjoy a smoother ride.