Best Ways to Improve Gas Mileage

Use simple methods to increase the time it takes your gauge to go from full to empty.

We have recently been looking at ways that Mazda has raised fuel efficiency in their vehicles. Mazda has been able to provide their vehicles with some of the highest fuel ratings currently available. However, those ratings are dependent on the way that you drive. Therefore, we at Mazda of Lodi have decided to share some of the best ways to improve gas mileage.

One of the biggest methods of increasing mileage is to simply drive proactively and be conscious of what you’re doing behind the wheel. If you’re braking hard and accelerating rapidly, you’re in jeopardy of decreasing your overall mileage by up to 37 percent. Attempt to use your break and gas pedal only when you need to. Yes, that means slowing down, which is another effective method of raising your mileage.

At speeds above 60 mph, mileage usually decreases drastically. There is a potential loss of 23 percent. In fact, the MythBusters determined that any speed above 45 mph can be deadly to your mileage. The moral of the story on this one is to slow down. Not only can you avoid costly tickets, but you will be safer as well.

If you’re forced to travel above that mileage-burning 60 mph, use cruise control. It can save you up to 14 percent when you’re on flat terrain. Be wary of the hills however. Your engine will struggle to keep that set speed constant and will burn more gas. If you don’t have cruise control, we suggest that you look at our used car inventory. There are plenty of cars in stock that are equipped with cruise control. There’s even a whole list of used cars that get over 30 mpg.

Mazda technology including SkyActiv and i-Eloop have substantially increased the mileage in Mazda vehicles.

Avoid idling. A common belief is that an engine burns more gas when starting the car than it does when it’s idling. This is not true. It does use a burst of fuel to start, but that burst is less than what an engine consumes while idling for thirty seconds. If you know that you’ll be idling for thirty seconds or more, shut off your engine.

These are four of the best tips you can follow to increase your vehicle’s fuel economy. There are plenty of other methods out there, but these ones are pretty basic and easy to remember. They are also methods which can be used on just about any vehicle which is why we thought we would share them with you. Good luck!