Gas mileage, the amount of fuel a vehicle consumes per mile driven, is an important aspect to consider when shopping for a new car or truck. With the price of gasoline constantly rising, it is important to find a vehicle that gets good gas mileage so you can save money on your fuel costs each year. A good way to determine a vehicles gas mileage is by looking at its mpg rating, which will be printed on the vehicle’s window sticker or in the owner’s manual.

A number of factors contribute to a vehicle’s gas mileage, including where and how you drive. City driving tends to result in poorer Gas mileage than highway driving, since the roughness of urban roads and the manner in which streets are designed often require drivers to accelerate and decelerate rapidly. Similarly, cargo in the trunk or on top of the vehicle adds to drag and can reduce a vehicles fuel economy.

The type of engine in a vehicle also impacts its fuel efficiency. Smaller engines generally get better gas mileage than larger ones, as they do not need to work as hard to move a heavier vehicle. Likewise, turbocharged engines can get significantly better fuel economy than non-turbocharged engines.

Other factors that contribute to a vehicle’s fuel efficiency include its aerodynamics, the use of air conditioning and how well the tires are inflated. Keeping a vehicle properly inflated helps to improve its fuel efficiency, as under-inflated tires can cause the engine to work harder to maintain its speed and power.

The amount of maintenance that is performed on a vehicle’s engine can also affect its fuel economy. For example, spark plugs should be replaced on a regular basis, as the condition of these items can impact how efficiently a car’s engine runs. The best way to determine how often spark plugs should be changed is by consulting the vehicle’s owner’s manual.

A vehicle’s gas mileage will usually improve over time, as the car ages and the intensity of its daily use decreases. However, there is limited research that has examined the effect of a vehicle’s age or cumulative mileage on its fuel economy.

To help consumers make more informed decisions when buying a vehicle, the EPA has begun to require manufacturers to display a fuel economy estimate on the windows of all newly manufactured vehicles. This estimate is based on the vehicle’s manufacturer-rated MPG combined with its EPA-estimated MPG city and highway fuel economy ratings. The MPG estimates are displayed in both miles per gallon (mpg) and liters per 100 kilometers, which is the standard measurement used in many other countries. (A liter is equal to about 3.8 gallons.) The EPA’s new fuel economy labels are a step towards a global standard for reporting fuel consumption. This change will make it easier for consumers to compare the fuel efficiency of cars and trucks sold in different markets. The fuel efficiency of vehicles using alternative energy sources, such as electricity, is also shown in these new labels.