by Duncan Blaxter

Created on: January 30, 2009

Fuel economy has become one of the most looked at figures when buying a new car in recent years. Back in the 1960s, the cars of the day were advertised by their horsepower and displacement but now doing such a thing would be a total failure for the manufacturer - in the 60s fuel was cheap and plentiful but not now. Because gasoline prices have soared, the emphasis is on making cars that are as cheap to run as possible, and this naturally means that fuel economy is at the forefront of the modern car designer's mind. Unfortunately, the extra miles you get to your gallon have to come at a cost: performance. The tiny, weak engines required for maximum efficiency will not respond well to spirited driving and fuel economy will plummet if they are strained. If you are an enthusiastic driver there really is no point in getting a tiny-engined car as the fuel consumption in a thrashed 1.0L will be just as bad as that of the relatively untaxed larger engine of another more powerful car. If you are willing to sacrifice any hope of having fun whilst driving for the sake of fuel economy, below is a selection of strategies for getting more miles for every gallon of gas.

First off, something not so intrusive. When getting up to speed, accelerate as smoothly as possible up through the gears until you reach your desired velocity. Once there, change to your highest gear ratio and try to stay there - this means the engine will run at lower revs whilst the car goes at the same speed. Stay in your highest gear ratio for as long as reasonably possible for maximum efficiency - this tip may be basic but it will save a LOT of fuel.

Avoid harsh acceleration and braking. Try to accelerate and decelerate quickly and smoothly so as not to tax the engine too hard or stay in an unsuitable rev range. Always anticipate and look far ahead of your vehicle so that you can brake smoothly and maximise coasting time at very low revs.

Always remember to keep to your vehicles optimum speed for maximum efficiency. This can be found out through trial and error using the trip computer and will normally give one or two more miles per gallon.

Vehicle maintenance is important as well. Keep tires well inflated and wheel alignment correct to increase efficiency due to less rolling resistance. Try to keep the weight of your car to a minimum by only filling the fuel tank with as much as you need and removing cosmetic accessories like spoilers and roof racks - the other benefit of these is reduced drag and therefore less power needed to move the vehicle. Engine maintenance schedules should also be adhered to as some faults within the engine can reduce efficiency significantly.

A diesel or hybrid car is probably the best way to dramatically decrease fuel consumption but is a considerable initial outlay. You also need to consider the added costs of more frequent diesel servicing or expensive batteries and parts for hybrid cars. Overall costs could actually increase with a diesel or a hybrid, but for the person intent on saving every drop of fuel they can, one of the two would be a wise purchase, and that final step towards the maximum possible miles per gallon.

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