What is the most efficient way to save gas when driving? Slow acceleration to highway speed or quick acceleration to reach steady state? The highest possible gear without lugging the engine to accelerate, or lower gear for faster acceleration and movement into higher gear?
Quickly accelerating up to highway speed is fun, but if your goal is to save fuel you want to avoid moderate or heavy acceleration. One tactic to increase mileage is to drive as smoothly as possible, meaning light acceleration and smooth braking. You always want to anticipate stops and gradually slow down, rather than jamming on the brake and destroying all of your vehicle’s momentum. This goes for both automatic- and manual-transmission vehicles.
With a manual transmission, you want to stay in the highest numeric gear possible without lugging the engine to get the best fuel mileage. An example of lugging the engine would be putting it in fifth gear at 10 mph; you may be giving it a decent amount of throttle, but chances are you won’t be accelerating quickly, and the engine may buck and struggle to move the vehicle. Lugging the engine is not good for mileage, among other “not goods,” including for the engine if done long enough.
For more tips on how to save fuel while driving, see the Cars.com article “Tips for Saving Fuel” linked below.
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