What is EPA Gas Mileage?

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How is Fuel Economy Determined?

Wondering how fuel economy is determined?

While the speed, horsepower, and luxury of a vehicle are incredibly important to nearly all prospective buyers, the vehicle’s gas mileage is essential over its lifetime. While the fuel mileage statistics are given by the EPA, there are a few elements to determine the official gas mileage. Beginning with the weight of the car and the capability of the motor. Even if a vehicle is on the heavier side, the engine tech could still lower the amount of gasoline being used in specific situations. Fuel economy ratings are usually more efficient for small cars, trucks, and SUVs because of their aerodynamics and total weight. In most cases, these smaller cars do not take as much gasoline to keep them on the road. Something else to consider is vehicle maintenance, doing items like making sure the tires have the optimal air pressure. All in all, fuel economy is essential for all vehicles and it takes a lot of effort to make a fuel-efficient vehicle.

Gas Efficiency Explained

The fuel economy is the most consistent way to determine how far any car can travel on a full tank of gasoline. ​Vehicle size, drivetrain (4MATIC® All-Wheel-Drive or 2WD), and engine tech all play a huge part in determining the MPGs of a vehicle. The stats like small cars with hybrid options and a low overall weight that just barely tips the scales. While the fuel economy can get worse over time, scheduled maintenance and regular drives are the best ways to keep your MPGs high.

Highway vs City Miles Per Gallon

Looking at miles per gallon, there are 2 numbers that wrap up the gas mileage of the car, the miles per gallon in the highway and city. Rear world driving conditions are different when compared to the testing conditions and the overall numbers show it. Noting the two separate fuel economy ratings displays how your driving habits can change the vehicle’s MPGs. Your driving habits can affect a vehicle’s fuel economy, ​so noting both gas mileage ratings gives an accurate expectation for your car’s gas mileage. When you consider all the starting and stopping caused by city driving compared to the constant movement of highway driving, it’s clear that driving on the highway should get better gas mileage versus city driving.

How Do Driving Modes Affect Fuel Efficiency

Many vehicles that have been released for the past several years have equipped drive modes to fit your driving style and preserve gas when it’s not needed. A performance driving mode will offer a performance-based drive while “Eco” mode will save fuel. Between cylinder deactivation and driving modes, new vehicles are more fuel-efficient than ever before.