10 Tips for How to Get Better Gas Mileage

Are you wasting money on fuel-inefficient vehicle practices? If you want to know how to raise gas mileage and make your money go farther, read our 10 tips for how to get better gas mileage!

Gas mileage is measured by miles per gallon (MPG), and if you want to know how to get better gas mileage, you’ll need to know what influences how many miles you get per gallon of gas.

When you save gas, you save money — and when you save money, your budget can go a lot further. Getting a fuel-efficient vehicle is an easy way to ensure high MPG, but even the most fuel-efficient cars can benefit from our gas-saving tips below. Let’s jump in and talk about how to save gas while driving so you can watch your budget and savings grow!

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How to Improve Gas Mileage

So, what is good gas mileage? The more miles you can drive per gallon of gas, the better. The most fuel-efficient hybrid cars can get between 50 and 60 MPG, while standard gasoline-fueled cars tend to get an average of 30 MPG or less.

The most obvious benefit of improving your gas mileage is the cost savings. For example, if you drive 15,000 miles annually, spend $3.18 per gallon at your local fuel station, and improve your gas mileage from 20 MPG to 30 MPG, you’d be saving $795 per year! These savings make room in your budget for things like leisurely travel and rainy day funds for your savings account. Improving your gas mileage also helps the environment and reduces your reliance on foreign oil, even if these aren’t your primary motivations for doing so.

Here are 10 easy tips on how to get better gas mileage so you can save money!

1. Don’t Speed Up or Brake Suddenly

If you want to learn how to improve gas mileage, understand that rapid acceleration and braking can greatly lower your gas mileage. These actions make your engine work much harder and burn fuel faster to get up to speed. Sudden braking also wastes the energy your car has built up, which means more fuel is needed to get back up to speed after stopping. Try to drive smoothly by gradually increasing or decreasing your speed to improve your gas mileage while reducing wear and tear on your engine and brakes.

Driving the speed limit also helps your car maintain optimal fuel efficiency. Most cars achieve their best mileage between 35-50 miles per hour (MPH), and fuel efficiency declines sharply when driving over 50 MPH. For every 5 MPH you go above 50, it's like paying an extra 22 cents per gallon in fuel costs.

So, by driving steadily and avoiding sudden changes in speed, you can maximize your fuel savings and keep your car running efficiently.

2. Don’t Leave Your Car Idling

Idling your vehicle runs your engine without moving your car, which wastes fuel. Depending on the size of your engine and whether you're running the air conditioner (AC), idling can consume anywhere between 0.25 to 0.5 gallons of gas per hour. That may not seem like a lot, but it adds up, especially during longer idle periods in parking lots, drive-thrus, and stop-and-go traffic.

One of the secrets of how to get better gas mileage is to turn off your engine whenever your vehicle is parked or stopped for more than a few seconds. Contrary to common belief, restarting your car doesn’t use much fuel — it only takes about 10 seconds worth of gas to restart the engine. This makes turning off the car and restarting it much more fuel-efficient than idling for long periods.

By not leaving your car idling unnecessarily, you'll conserve fuel, reduce emissions, and keep your car’s engine in better shape.

3. Use Cruise Control

How exactly does cruise control save gas? Simply put, it keeps your engine from working too hard and helps you maintain a consistent driving speed, which is more fuel-efficient than constantly accelerating and decelerating. In fact, according to a study conducted by Natural Resources Canada, a car set to 50 MPH on cruise control used 20% less fuel than a car that cycled between 46 and 52 MPH every 20 seconds!

In cars with adaptive cruise control, the system can automatically adjust speed to maintain a safe following distance, which further improves fuel efficiency without the driver making constant adjustments. Whether you’re using regular or adaptive cruise control, these systems help your car run smoothly and consume less fuel by minimizing speed fluctuations.

So, is cruise control fuel efficient? Absolutely! By minimizing unnecessary speed changes, especially on long stretches of highway, you can optimize your gas mileage and save on fuel.

4. Don’t Run the AC or Heat on High

When it’s very cold or very hot outside, it’s tempting to crank your car AC or heat all the way up. But you may wonder, “Does the AC use gas?” Yes, it does. The alternator that powers the AC draws power from the engine, which runs on gasoline. So whenever you turn on the AC, the engine has to work harder and use more fuel. Running the AC on high when it’s hot can reduce your fuel efficiency by over 25%, depending on outside temperature, driving speed, and your car's make and model.

However, when driving at highway speeds, the AC is usually more fuel-efficient than driving with the windows down. The open windows create a drag on the car that makes the engine work harder to maintain speed and uses more fuel. To optimize efficiency, keep your climate control on lower settings so your car can warm up or cool down slowly. This saves gas and keeps you comfortable without straining your engine.

5. Avoid Overloading Your Car

Your car has a load capacity. This load capacity is how much your car can carry safely in terms of cargo and passengers. Load capacity varies by make and model, but the average vehicle can carry around 850 lbs. Exceeding this capacity can negatively impact your vehicle's performance and fuel efficiency; when your car is overloaded, the engine has to work harder to move the extra weight, which increases fuel consumption by up to 2% for every extra 100 lbs of weight.

Keep your load within the manufacturer's recommended limits in the owner’s manual and avoid unnecessary items like cargo racks or heavy equipment on the roof; these can create aerodynamic drag and lower fuel efficiency. Removing the excess from your load capacity can improve your fuel economy and your vehicle’s handling and safety.

6. Avoid Driving in Cold Weather

Your car’s engine doesn’t operate at optimal levels until after it is warmed up. When it’s cold outside, the fuel atomizes less effectively, which can lead to incomplete combustion and reduced efficiency. This means you might be using up gas just to warm up your engine rather than actually driving efficiently. During cold starts, the engine also operates in a richer fuel mixture, which can lead to increased fuel consumption.

So, how to get better gas mileage? Avoid driving during extremely cold weather whenever possible. If you can’t avoid this, let your car idle for a short time (about 30 seconds to a minute) before driving to warm up the engine slightly. But be careful not to idle longer — it can waste more gas than simply driving the vehicle gently until it reaches optimal temperature.

On top of all that, make sure your car is properly maintained for cold weather. Using the right oil viscosity, keeping optimal tire pressure, and maintaining your battery can improve fuel efficiency in colder conditions.

7. Leave the Windows Up

Driving with the windows down may feel refreshing but can negatively affect your fuel efficiency. When you drive with the windows down at higher speeds, it creates extra resistance that makes it harder for your engine to maintain momentum, which means it burns more fuel to keep the vehicle moving.

Studies show that driving with the windows down can reduce your gas mileage by up to 20% or more, depending on how fast you're going. At lower speeds, the impact is less severe than at freeway speeds, but still noteworthy. Keep your windows up to minimize drag so your car can glide through the air efficiently and save you fuel.

8. Maintain Your Car’s Upkeep

Regular vehicle maintenance can improve your car’s longevity while improving its gas mileage. Staying on top of routine maintenance tasks with the help of parts stores can significantly improve your gas mileage and help you save money at the pump.

Here are some key maintenance tasks to boost fuel efficiency, with figures from the US Department of Energy:

Keep tires properly inflated: Well-inflated tires can improve gas mileage by up to 3%, while underinflated tires increase rolling resistance and force your engine to work harder.
Rotate your tires regularly: Tire rotations promote even tire wear, which prevents flats, blowouts, and fuel-inefficient driving.
Replace your air filters: A clean air filter can improve gas mileage by at least 10%. It’s best to replace your air filter every three years or 30,000 miles for optimal performance.
Check your spark plugs: Worn spark plugs can cause engine misfires and waste fuel. That’s why they need periodic replacement for efficient fuel combustion.
Get regular motor oil changes and tire rotations: These maintenance tasks can improve your gas mileage by up to 10% so your vehicle runs smoothly.

9. Use a Rewards Program

Many gas stations, grocery stores, and even credit card companies have rewards programs that can help you save money on gas through discounts or cash back on fuel purchases. These programs can work in a few different ways:

Loyalty programs: With gas station loyalty programs, you can usually save between 5 and 10 cents per gallon by entering your rewards ID or phone number at the pump. Some grocery stores partner with gas stations so you can earn points from your grocery shopping to redeem for fuel discounts. Typically, for every $100 you spend on groceries, you could save 10-20 cents per gallon on gas.
Credit card cash-back: Using a credit card with gas rewards, you earn cash back or points for every fuel purchase. Rewards add up over time and help you save on future purchases. Some cards offer as much as 3% to 5% cash back on gas purchases, which can save you a lot if you drive frequently.
Reward stacking: Some rewards programs even let you combine offers. For example, you can stack grocery and credit card rewards to maximize your savings. Keep track of the programs you’re enrolled in and use them consistently to get the most out of your gas purchases.

10. Choose an Alternative Method of Travel

Driving is an inefficient use of fuel for short trips, especially since your engine doesn’t reach optimal fuel efficiency until it’s fully warmed up. When you drive short distances, your car burns more gas for less benefit, which makes those trips more expensive.

Instead of driving, consider alternative methods of transportation when you're traveling a mile or two. These might be better options when gas prices are high:‍

Walking is a great option. A trip that’s a mile or less can often be covered in 15 to 25 minutes by foot. Not only will you save on gas, but you'll also benefit from the exercise. You can improve your physical health while reducing your gas expenses and carbon footprint — win-win!
Biking is another excellent gas-saving option for trips just a few miles away. Cycling is twice as fast as walking, and it doesn’t require fuel. Many cities also offer bike-sharing programs, so bikes are accessible even if you don’t own one.
Consider public transportation for longer trips. Buses, trams, and trains provide a cost-effective alternative to driving, especially in urban areas where public transit routes are convenient. Public transit saves on gas and reduces wear and tear on your vehicle, which prolongs its life and cuts down on maintenance costs.

Article Sources

“Save Money.” Fuel Economy. Oak Ridge National Laboratory for the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, October 28, 2024. https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/savemoney.jsp.

“Driving More Efficiently.” Fuel Economy. Oak Ridge National Laboratory for the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, October 28, 2024. https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/driveHabits.jsp#:~:text=While%20each%20vehicle%20reaches%20its,speed%20limit%20is%20also%20safer.

Wagner, Jeff. “When should you use cruise control, and does it improve gas mileage?” CBS News, October 11, 2022. https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/when-should-you-use-cruise-control-and-does-it-improve-gas-mileage/.

“Fuel Economy in Hot Weather.” Fuel Economy, October 28, 2024. https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/hotweather.shtml.

“Gas-Saving Tips.” FuelEconomy.gov. US Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Vehicle Technologies Program, July 2012. https://afdc.energy.gov/files/u/publication/10_G00888_savings_WEB.pdf.

Neiger, Christopher and Homer, Talon. “Windows Down or A/C on? Which Is More Fuel-efficient?” HowStuffWorks. September 12, 2022. https://auto.howstuffworks.com/fuel-efficiency/hybrid-technology/driving-with-windows-down.htm.

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