Can You Make Your Car More Fuel Efficient?

Owning and running a car can be expensive at the best of times - and that’s before you factor in the cost of fuel.

According to the RAC’s Fuel Watch price monitoring system, the latest unleaded petrol prices for the end of July sit at around 144p per litre, on average. For diesel, the UK average is just over 145p per litre. This has shown a steady increase since 2020, when petrol prices of 113p per litre were the lowest the country had seen since 2016.

With costs for fuel not looking set to decrease anytime soon, making the most of the fuel you do have gets more and more important. So, can you make your car more fuel efficient? Fortunately, yes - there are some things that you can do to make the fuel you purchase go further. Read on to find out.

How to make your car more fuel efficient

While modern, new cars are stereotypically more fuel efficient, buying a new car isn’t always an option for a lot of us. And while it might seem like the only option to cut your fuel bill, this isn’t actually the case.

Looking at your current car, no matter what make or model you own, there are several different tips and tricks that you can try to improve your MPG and reduce the amount of times you’re having to fill up.

Check out these 5 simple tips for making your car more fuel efficient:

1. Check your tyre pressure

Ensuring your tyres are correctly inflated can create less rolling resistance with the road, as well as prolonging the tread - meaning that you’ll have to fill up less, and hopefully replace the tyres less, too. As tyres lose air naturally over time, checking your tyre pressure regularly can help you preserve fuel for longer.

Most forms of damage to your tyres, such as them being slightly distorted, can mean that you’re using more fuel to keep your car running smoothly. If you’re not sure if it’s time to replace your tyres, pop into your local centre and speak to one of our experts.

2. Service your vehicle regularly

Car servicing should form part of your routine maintenance schedule, as it’s one of the best ways to ensure that your car runs well, and stays in good shape, for as long as possible.

Lots of different elements are reviewed and optimised during a service, from checking the brakes to oil and filter changes. All of this can rectify any problem areas and cut down on negative impacts on your engine - giving you overall improved MPG. A full car service should be carried out annually, or every 12,000 miles - whichever comes first. Find out more about car service packages, and what’s included.

3. Remove excess weight

Weight has a huge impact on fuel consumption. To put it simply, the heavier the car, the more fuel will be needed to keep it moving - especially when driving in busy city areas where a lot of stopping and starting happens.

Many of us fall into the trap of leaving our cars full of excess stuff, from golf clubs and other sporting gear to clothes, shoes and prams. However an extra 50 kg of weight in the car will increase fuel consumption by 1-2%. Have a declutter, and you’ll likely find that your fuel goes further.

4. Reduce your speed

The faster you drive, the more fuel you’re going to use. So, if you’re trying to save fuel, you want to be staying at slower speeds - particularly around 65mph and less.

Ultimately, the harder you press the pedal, the more fuel you're using. To combat this, make use of any cruise control features your car might have, as using this will help to maintain a constant speed. If you don’t have cruise control, try to accelerate and brake smoothly to help you achieve a better MPG.

5. Don’t use air con

Air con systems put extra pressure on the engine to keep the car cool, which can use more fuel as a result. At slower speeds, opt to open the window instead. Stuck in traffic? Turn your air conditioning system off.

However, at higher speeds, such as on motorways, it’s a better idea to close the windows and turn the air con on - as this will work to make the car more aerodynamic, and reduce drag. Both win when it comes to using less fuel.

Got more car maintenance questions?

Reach out to the knowledgeable teams at our Tyre Pros centres located across the country. You’re sure to not be too far away from top-notch motoring guidance.