Driving habits
Ease off the pedal
Hard acceleration and hard braking both burn extra fuel. Accelerating gently and reading the road ahead so you brake less often is the single biggest free lever most drivers have.
Slow down on the highway
Aerodynamic drag rises sharply with speed. Dropping from 120km/h to 100km/h can cut fuel use by roughly 10-15% on the same stretch of road.
Cut unnecessary idling
Idling burns fuel for zero distance. If you'll be stopped for more than a minute or so, switching off is usually cheaper than leaving the engine running.
Combine short trips
A cold engine uses noticeably more fuel per kilometre than a warm one. Running several short errands as one trip instead of several separate cold starts adds up.
Maintenance
Check tyre pressure monthly
Under-inflated tyres increase rolling resistance, and the engine has to work harder to overcome it. Keeping tyres at the pressure on your door-jamb sticker is one of the cheapest fixes there is.
Don't skip services
A clogged air filter or worn spark plugs make the engine work harder for the same output. Sticking to the manufacturer service schedule keeps efficiency close to what the car was designed for.
Use the recommended oil grade
The wrong viscosity oil increases internal friction. It sounds minor, but using what the manual specifies is a small, consistent gain.
Weight & aerodynamics
Remove roof racks and boxes when empty
An empty roof box still adds drag every kilometre you drive. Taking it off between trips is worth more than most people expect on the highway.
Clear out excess weight
Extra cargo you're not using is dead weight the engine has to move. Clearing the boot of things you don't need for the trip is a small, free saving.
Is it actually working?
Log fill-ups in Fuelwise and watch your km/l trend over time instead of guessing.
Frequently asked questions
How can I improve my car's fuel economy?
Driving habits make the biggest difference and cost nothing: accelerate gently, slow down slightly on the highway, and cut idling. After that, keeping tyres properly inflated and staying on top of services closes most of the remaining gap.
Does tyre pressure affect fuel economy?
Yes. Under-inflated tyres increase rolling resistance, so the engine burns more fuel to cover the same distance. Checking pressure monthly against the figure on your door-jamb sticker is one of the cheapest maintenance habits for fuel economy.
Does driving faster use more fuel?
Yes, and the effect is bigger than most people expect. Aerodynamic drag rises sharply with speed, so dropping from 120km/h to 100km/h on the highway can cut fuel use by roughly 10-15% over the same distance.
How do I know if my fuel economy is actually improving?
By tracking it. A single tank doesn't tell you much - weather, traffic and load all shift the number. Logging every fill-up over a few weeks shows whether a change actually moved your average, rather than just guessing.
Not sure what your current number even is? Read our guide to calculating fuel efficiency →