How to Improve Your Gas Mileage: 10 Proven Tips
In more than a decade of wrenching on everything from beat-up delivery vans to sleek family crossovers, I’ve seen the same pattern play out at the pump.
Drivers pull in frustrated, complaining that their mileage has tanked and convinced that something major is wrong with the car. Nine times out of ten, the fix is simpler, cheaper, and right under their nose.
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Fuel economy isn’t magic; it’s physics mixed with habits, and small, consistent changes add up to real savings, sometimes 10, 15, or even 20 percent better gas mileage without touching the engine internals.
Here are ten tips I’ve relied on myself and shared with countless owners over the years. These aren’t pulled from a manual; they’re battle-tested in real driving, through traffic jams, long highway hauls, and winter commutes in the Midwest.
1. Keep your tires inflated to the proper pressure, every time
This is the single biggest low-hanging fruit most people ignore. Underinflated tires increase rolling resistance, forcing the engine to burn extra fuel just to keep moving. I once had a client whose SUV was down to 18 psi on all four corners.
The tires looked fine visually, but he was losing nearly 3 mpg. We aired them up to the door-jamb sticker spec (usually 32-35 psi cold), and within a week, he texted me in disbelief: his average jumped from 22 to almost 26 mpg on the same commute.
Check pressure monthly with a good gauge, not the gas station ones that are often off by a few pounds. Do it before sunrise when tires are cold. The payoff is instant and free.
2. Drive smoothly, like you’re carrying a full cup of coffee on the dash
Aggressive acceleration and hard braking are fuel killers. Jackrabbit starts can cut efficiency by 15 to 30 percent at highway speeds.
I learned this the hard way early in my career, flooring it out of every stoplight in a company truck to “save time.” The fuel gauge mocked me. Now I teach people to ease onto the accelerator as if there’s an egg under the pedal you don’t want to crack.
Anticipate stops, coast when you can, and use engine braking by downshifting instead of riding the brakes. In stop-and-go city traffic, this habit alone transformed one guy’s daily driver from 24 mpg to 29 mpg over six months.
3. Use cruise control on the highway, but only when traffic allows
Cruise control maintains a steady speed better than your right foot on long stretches. It prevents the unconscious speed creep that drops efficiency. But in rolling hills or heavy traffic, it can hunt up and down gears and waste gas.
I prefer it on flat interstates where I can set it 5 mph over the limit if needed, without surging. On a summer road trip from Chicago to Denver, an engaging cruise control reduced my fuel use by about a gallon per 300 miles compared to manual control.
4. Slow down, especially above 60 mph
Aerodynamic drag rises exponentially with speed. Every 5 mph over 60 can cost you 5 to 10 percent in mileage. I used to push 75-80 mph on empty highways, thinking it saved time.
It didn’t. Dropping to 65-68 mph often adds 3-4 mpg on my old V6 sedan without much extra travel time. Test it yourself on the same route, same conditions. The numbers don’t lie.
5. Lighten the load and remove unnecessary drag
Extra weight hurts more than most realize. Every 100 pounds can reduce fuel economy by about 1-2 percent. I cleared out my trunk once after hauling junk for months: golf clubs, tools, a spare cooler, winter blankets.
That dead weight was costing me roughly a mpg. Roof racks and bike carriers are even worse; they ruin aerodynamics. If you don’t need them daily, take them off. One client removed a year-round cargo box he had left and gained 2.5 mpg overnight.
6. Stick to regular maintenance, especially air filter, spark plugs, and oil changes
A dirty air filter chokes the engine, richening the mixture and wasting fuel. Clogged plugs cause misfires that burn extra gas. I change my own oil every 5,000 miles with the right synthetic blend, and I always replace the filter.
Skipping tune-ups once cost me dearly on a high-mileage minivan I was testing. It felt sluggish, and mileage dropped to 16 mpg from 22. A fresh filter, plugs, and a clean throttle body brought it back. Don’t wait for the check-engine light. Preventive care pays dividends.
7. Plan trips and combine errands to minimize cold starts
Engines are least efficient when cold. Short trips under 10 minutes don’t let the catalytic converter fully warm up, which burns more fuel.
I group grocery runs, post office stops, and dry cleaning into one outing. Apps like Google Maps help plot efficient routes, avoiding left turns and idling. During rush hour, I leave 15 minutes earlier to skip stop-and-go snarls. Over a year, this cut my weekly fuel bill noticeably.
8. Avoid excessive idling
Sitting with the engine running wastes gas without moving an inch. Modern cars don’t need long warm-ups; drive gently for the first few minutes instead. In winter, I start the car, scrape the windows, and then go.
Idling more than 30 seconds is rarely worth it. Turn off at long lights or drive-thrus if safe. Fleet drivers I worked with saved hundreds of dollars each year just by killing the engine during waits.
9. Choose the right fuel and grade for your vehicle
Most cars run fine on regular 87 octane, but some high-compression or turbo engines need premium to avoid knock and maintain efficiency. Using lower than recommended can hurt mpg.
I run 91 in my turbo four-cylinder because the manual insists on it, and I see consistent 32-34 mpg highway. Cheap gas might save pennies per gallon, but it can cost you more in the long run if it causes pinging or reduced performance.
10. Track your mileage and adjust habits accordingly
The best way to improve is to measure. Reset your trip computer or use a notebook/app to log fill-ups: miles driven divided by gallons added. Watch for trends.
When my numbers dipped last winter, I found that winter-blend gas and snow tires were the culprits, and that I’d started tailgating more. Tracking keeps you honest and reveals what actually works for your car and driving style.
Improving gas mileage isn’t about one magic trick; it’s about stacking small, repeatable choices. Over the years, these habits have consistently kept my own vehicles above EPA estimates, even as they aged.
Start with tires and driving style; those deliver the quickest wins. Then layer in the rest. Your wallet and the planet will thank you.
