Auto Fuel Economy Explained

When talking about automobiles, fuel economy is often one of the first things discussed and something that every motorist needs to consider when in the market for a new car. So, what exactly is fuel economy and why is it so important? Read on to discover all that you need to know about fuel economy.

Fuel Economy Defined

Essentially, fuel economy (also known as fuel efficiency) is how far a vehicle is able to travel on one tank of fuel. This means that the further the vehicle is able to travel, the better the fuel economy as you are using less and not having to stop at a petrol station as often. Obviously, this means that the car is cheaper to run and also more environmentally-friendly. Miles per gallon (MPG) is another way of talking about this and simply refers to how many miles a vehicle can travel with a gallon of fuel in the tank.

Vehicle Testing

Economy figures that are listed are taken from laboratory test results and measured using the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC). This tests the vehicle in three scenarios:

• Urban fuel economy - Replicates city driving with accelerating and decelerating at low speeds

• Extra-urban cycle - Replicates driving on country roads and motorways with cars gently accelerating, maintaining speed and dropping down.

• Combined cycle - Calculating fuel consumption with both urban fuel economy and extra-urban cycles used consecutively around 6.8 miles. 

Of course, these tests are only estimates as they are in a controlled environment and do not factor in external influences like weather, driving style and vehicle condition.

Good Fuel Economy

So, what counts as good fuel economy? This will vary depending on the type of vehicle that you are looking at, but as a rule of thumb these days 60mpg is good so anything above this will be a smart purchase and help to keep your running costs down. This needs to be an area that you consider when shopping for a car and might be worth spending more on a fuel-efficient vehicle, which can be made easier with a car finance deal.

Fuel Types

The petrol v diesel debate is a complex one and these days they are about even despite diesel previously being considered the more economical type of fuel. Diesel tends to provide greater fuel economy for long-distance driving while petrol tends to be the superior fuel for city driving.

Hopefully, this information will give you a clearer idea about fuel economy and help you to make a smart decision when in the market for a new car. It is an important area to consider because it will make a big difference not only to your ownership and running costs but also your environmental impact.