How Accurate Are the EPA MPG Estimates?

The feeling is one of dread and horror. You fill up your gas tank, hit the trip button on your dash, and see how many miles you get to a tank. However, many miles later as the needle nears empty, you have a horrible feeling in the pit of your stomach, those numbers aren’t even close to what the Environmental Protection Agency predicted for your car. You’ve been lied to! Well, not really, but understanding why those numbers changed should give you some useful information for your next vehicle purchase.

When the EPA creates the estimated MPG for a vehicle, they do not do it based on one specific area or even with the average driver in mind. In fact, most EPA estimates assume flat land driving, without hills or curves, and very little to no extra weight in the car, besides the driver of course. Herein it becomes very important to understand some of the things that can affect your gas mileage.

Your typical driving area is one of the most important factors to consider. Obviously, if you live in an area that has a lot of curvy and hilly roads, your car will use more gas trying to negotiate those corners and make it up those hills. Also, keep in mind that while most cars do get fairly good highway mileage, if the majority of your driving takes place in town, or is in heavy traffic, you can expect to drain a lot of gas simply from the amount of stop and start driving that you must do on a daily basis. Thus, remember to take geography and your typical driving area to heart when looking at the EPA estimates.

Another important factor is your actual driving style. Obviously, when the EPA creates the average mile per gallon estimates, they drive the car safely and slowly. If you have a tendency to slam on the gas and brake, and enjoy driving far over the speed limit you can expect to spend a lot more on gas. Remember that when you press the gas pedal to the floor, your siphoning a large amount of gas into your engine by the second. Also, if you live in a hot area, and use the air conditioning on a daily basis, you can once again expect a drain on your gas mileage (as well as the performance of your vehicle). Drive reasonably and with a normal tempo, and you will find that your gas mileage increases dramatically. For a real thrill, try going a full tank of gas without using the air conditioner, you should see numbers that are much closer to the EPA estimates,

The type of car that you drive can be another crucial factor in gas mileage. Many may have forgotten, but a car with a true manual transmission (read: not slapstick/tiptronic/automanual) will always achieve better gas mileage than an automatic car. Manual cars also allow you the option to use neutral and higher gear settings. Remember the type of car you have when considering passengers and cargo too. For an SUV or minivan, gas mileage should not differ incredibly for transporting luggage or more people in your vehicle. However, for a two door car meant to carry four passengers, filling it with luggage or occupants will dramatically drain your gas tank, your car is simply not made to handle it.

Many people with a new car also seem to forget the golden rule: a car in good repair is also efficient. Even a brand new car needs maintenance. Not changing your oil on time, failing to use gas treatment every now and then, and not getting proper tune ups on your vehicle can lead to damaging the condition of your vehicle fairly quickly. A vehicle which is not functioning to the best of its ability will not be getting optimal gas mileage. For the best MPG out of a vehicle, remember to take good care of it, thirty dollars on oil now could end up saving you thousands later. Even letting an excessive amount of dirt on your car can make a minute difference in fuel economy (clean car equals less drag).

Remember, even though you may be disappointed that the EPA estimates don’t quite match up with your car, theirs still a few simple things you can do to get a little extra efficiency out of your car. With a little maintenance here and there, a careful right foot, and some common sense will all get you a few extra miles to your tank.