How to Get Better MPG from Your Car

Summary

• Simple driving habits like maintaining steady speeds, avoiding harsh braking, and anticipating traffic flow can improve your fuel economy by 15–30% without any modifications.
• Keeping your tyres at the correct pressure, your engine serviced, and unnecessary weight out of the car all have a measurable impact on miles per gallon (MPG).
• Route planning, avoiding peak-hour traffic, and using motorways over stop-start urban roads also help maximise every drop of fuel.

Fuel is one of the biggest costs of car ownership. The good news is that you can significantly improve your MPG with some straightforward changes to how you drive and maintain your car. Here are proven tips that really work.

Driving Habits That Save Fuel

How you drive has the biggest impact on fuel economy. Aggressive driving can reduce MPG by 30% or more.

1. Accelerate gently. Ease onto the throttle rather than flooring it. Brisk but smooth acceleration is ideal.
2. Maintain a steady speed. Constant acceleration and braking waste fuel. Use cruise control on motorways.
3. Anticipate traffic. Look ahead and ease off the accelerator early rather than braking at the last moment.
4. Change gear early. In a manual car, shift up before 2,500 rpm for petrol or 2,000 rpm for diesel.
5. Avoid unnecessary idling. If stopped for more than a minute, switch off the engine.
6. Slow down. Driving at 60 mph instead of 70 mph on the motorway can improve MPG by 10–15%.

According to the Energy Saving Trust, changing your driving style alone can improve fuel economy by up to 30%. That could save you hundreds of pounds per year.

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Speed And Fuel Economy

Speed has a dramatic effect on fuel consumption. Air resistance increases with the square of speed, so going faster uses disproportionately more fuel.

Speed	Approximate MPG (typical family car)	Fuel Cost per 100 Miles
50 mph	52 MPG	£12.50
60 mph	47 MPG	£13.80
70 mph	40 MPG	£16.25
80 mph	33 MPG	£19.70

The sweet spot for most cars is 50–60 mph. This is where engines operate most efficiently. Every 10 mph above 60 costs you noticeably more in fuel.

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Tyre Pressure Matters

Under-inflated tyres increase rolling resistance, forcing your engine to work harder and burn more fuel.

• Tyres at 10% below the recommended pressure increase fuel consumption by approximately 2%.
• Tyres at 20% below recommended pressure increase fuel consumption by around 4%.
• Check your tyre pressures at least once a month when the tyres are cold.
• The recommended pressures are in your owner's manual and often on a sticker inside the driver's door frame.

Correct tyre pressure also improves safety, handling, and tyre lifespan. It is a simple check that takes two minutes at any petrol station.

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Vehicle Maintenance For Better MPG

A well-maintained car runs more efficiently. Key maintenance items that affect fuel economy:

• Engine oil: Use the correct grade specified in your handbook. The wrong oil increases friction and reduces efficiency.
• Air filter: A clogged air filter restricts airflow and reduces engine efficiency. Replace it at service intervals.
• Spark plugs: Worn spark plugs cause incomplete combustion, wasting fuel. Replace as recommended.
• Wheel alignment: Misaligned wheels create drag and increase fuel consumption.
• Engine tuning: A well-tuned engine burns fuel more efficiently. Stick to the manufacturer's service schedule.

Regular car servicing keeps your engine running at peak efficiency. It is an investment that pays for itself in fuel savings.

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Reduce Weight And Drag

Extra weight and aerodynamic drag both reduce MPG:

• Remove roof boxes and bars. A roof box can reduce fuel economy by 10–25% at motorway speeds. Remove them when not in use.
• Clear out the boot. Every 50 kg of extra weight reduces MPG by around 1–2%. Remove unnecessary items.
• Close the windows. Open windows at speed increase drag significantly. Use air conditioning below 50 mph and close windows above it.
• Remove bike racks. Even empty racks add drag. Take them off between uses.

A roof box on the motorway is one of the biggest fuel-economy killers. If you use one occasionally, make removing it a priority when you return home.

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Route Planning For Better Economy

Where and when you drive matters as much as how you drive:

• Avoid rush hour. Stop-start traffic is the worst for fuel economy. Travel outside peak hours where possible.
• Use motorways for long trips. Steady speeds on motorways are more efficient than constant braking and accelerating on urban roads.
• Combine trips. A warm engine runs more efficiently. Combine several errands into one trip rather than making multiple cold starts.
• Use a sat-nav. Modern navigation systems can route you to avoid congestion, saving both time and fuel.

Find the cheapest fuel near you with a fuel price finder. Even a few pence per litre adds up over a year of driving.

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Air Conditioning And Electrical Loads

Air conditioning uses engine power, which reduces fuel economy. The impact depends on the system and conditions:

• Air conditioning typically reduces MPG by 5–10% in city driving.
• At motorway speeds, the impact is smaller because the engine is already working harder.
• Heated seats, demisters, and headlights also draw power, but their impact is much smaller.

Use air conditioning sensibly. In mild weather, fresh air vents or opening windows at low speed is more efficient. In hot weather, air conditioning is often necessary and the comfort outweighs the small fuel cost.

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Track Your Progress

Monitoring your fuel economy helps you improve it:

• Use your car's trip computer to track average MPG.
• Reset it at each fill-up to see how each tank performs.
• Note how different driving styles and routes affect your figures.
• Set a personal target and try to beat it consistently.

Small changes add up. A 10% improvement on a £2,000 annual fuel bill saves £200 per year — every year. For a full breakdown of all car ownership costs, see our running costs guide.

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